Access in Museums Conference Schedule

Registration and Reception

Thorsby Room - Lower Ground Floor

Welcome

Thorsby Room - Lower Ground Floor

Welcome from Carl Newbould and Partner Presentation from YAMN (Yorkshire Accessible Museums Network)

Keynote Dr. Joanna Grace

Thorsby Room - Lower Ground Floor

This Keynote reveals the magic of sensory stories: these narratives in which concise text is partnered with rich and relevant sensory stimulation provide an inclusive invitation to stories for all.

Break

Workshop

Option 1: How can you make your interpretation more Accessible? Thorsby room.
Speakers: Sam Bowen and Sarah Oswald representing GEM (Group for Education in Museums).

Join GEM Trainers Sam Bowen and Sarah Oswald to learn more about how you make your museum interpretation more accessible. The workshop will provide participants with 10 top tips for making interpretation accessible with examples, case studies and practical tips you can take away and implement.

Option 2: Running an Accessible Workshop Deny room
Speakers: Hannah Thompson, Sophie Vora, Charlotte Slark.

 The Sensational Museum is a 2.5-year research project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Co-creation between disabled and non-disabled museum professionals and visitors has been at the heart of our work as we develop and test a toolkit for running inclusive co-creation workshops to develop inclusive exhibitions or experiences in museums. In this interactive workshop we will share our tips for running an accessible workshop (either in person or online).

PINC: A college inside a Museum

Thorsby Room - Lower Ground Floor

Learn about the authentic story of a grass roots social enterprise that became a creative college (SEND) based in museums and galleries nationally.

LUNCH AND NETWORKING

Workshop

Option 1: Promoting an honest and objective accessibility offer on your website and online. Thorsby Room

Speaker: Ally Becket. A recent Euan's guide survey shows that 91% of disabled people will try to find access information on your website in advance of a visit. If your website and online presence doesn't include this, 59% will assume you are inaccessible and decide to go elsewhere. Therefore, it is crucial that your website accurately and accessibly promotes what you have on offer. This workshop will look at simple ways to improve the access information you share online, promote your access offer, and be objective and honest about what you do and don't have.

Option 2: Sensory Journeys: Bringing stories to life with your help. Deny room

Speaker: Leslie Palanker-Jermyn.

Participants will learn about how South Shields Museum and Arbeia Roman Fort are reaching beyond their walls and connecting with Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND), Profound Multiple Learning Disability (PMLD), and hard-to-reach disadvantaged audiences, through free, on-demand, innovative digital sensory story telling sessions and on-line activities.

Participants will then have a hands on session using and art work to create their own sensory picture with various resources and Foley art. Rolling for poetry, a sensory literacy activity will complete the workshop.

Break

Conversation Groups

TBC rooms

An opportunity to discuss a key topic of interest around access with similar minded peers. You can choose from: Galleries and Interpretation Community Engagement and Education Employment, staffing and diversifying the workforce

Closing statements of the day and prepping for tours

Local Site Tours

Join a tour of one of our local Leeds sites:

Option 1: Leeds City Museum

Option 2: Leeds Art Gallery

Option 3: The Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery, Leeds University Library Galleries

Registration and Reception

Thorsby Room - Lower Ground Floor

Welcome

Thorsby Room - Lower Ground Floor

Welcome from Carl Newbould and Partner Presentation from GEM (Group for Education in Museums)

Spotlight on Supported Internships

Thorsby Room - Lower Ground Floor

Sophie Hewitson; Employment and Skills Manager at Leeds City council will discuss what supported internships are and their importance to young adults with additional needs.

Keynote Sam Bowen

Thorsby Room - Lower Ground Floor

How to advocate for SEND. Learn about how to support and inspire colleagues to become more inclusive in your organisation. Be the changemaker!

Break

Spotlights

Thorsby Room - Lower Ground Floor

Hear from a range of organisations highlighting inclusive practice in their museums.

1. Inclusive Partnerships: Creating Meaningful Work Experiences for All by Miriam Rodriguez.
2. Authentic consultations -working with young people with special educational needs and disabilities by Helen Pooley and Miranda Millward
3. The Snapshot Project: Exploring identity from a sideways angle, When Should Identity Matter? Rethinking Identity Conversations in Cultural Projects by Hudson Ray and Josh Jones.
4.  Jason Wilsher Mills - Are We There Yet? – inclusive programming for a temporary exhibition by Esther Hallberg

12:30pm-1:15pm

Lunch and Networking

Workshop

Option 1: Wolfson Project: Developing a Sensory Trail Thorsby room- Lower ground

Speakers: Jamie Prada and Jessica Starns.

Inspired by the work carried out by the access team at the British Museum through the Wolfson Project (funded by the Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundation), this workshop will encourage attendees to think creatively and create sensory items inspired by some of the items in the British Museum’s collection.

Option 2 Connection and Belonging in Heritage - Deny room

Speakers: Becki Morris and Parmi Dheesna.

In a constantly uncertain global landscape we must examine the ways museums can foster stronger intersectional, inclusive bonds and better resonate with people’s lived experiences from a national and global perspective. In this practical, interactive session, we will be acknowledging the experience of delegates as they reflect on current practice, including taking a moment to acknowledging the diversity of requirements for equity in the working practice, practical actions and reframing challenges to key learning.

Break

Workshop

Option 1: ‘Autistic Children Become Autistic Adults’ - Creating accessible working environments within museums Thorsby room

Speaker: Emily Elsworth.

 This workshop will highlight lived experience of working in the heritage sector. You will gain an Insight into the importance of including those with lived experience of SEND in and neurodivergence in your teams as well as ideas of how this can be incorporated, making it an accessible experience. Case studies will be shared highlighting previous employment experiences as an autistic adult within the museum sector both good and bad as well as how they could have been improved.

Option 2: Glimmers and Sparks – creating opportunities for children who can’t attend school - Deny room

Speaker: Nicky McIntosh.

This workshop will share learning around home education and those with barriers to attendance. It will explore why we need to be inclusive of this audience the opportunities we have to welcome them. This is a growing, diversifying audience and includes a very high proportion of SEND. Through an interactive exercise we will gain insight into how difficulties to attend school can impact families then consider the value museums can give to these audiences.

Closing Statements

Conference ends