Collective Conversations and Collective Conversations and the use of narratives at the the use of narratives at the

Manchester MuseumManchester Museum

Abby StevensAbby Stevens

What is Collective What is Collective Conversations?Conversations?

CC is an ongoing CC is an ongoing project focused upon project focused upon enabling people to enabling people to engage in engage in conversations relating conversations relating to objects in the to objects in the Museum’s collections. Museum’s collections. These conversations These conversations are recorded onto are recorded onto video, and will be a video, and will be a resource available on resource available on the museum's website.the museum's website.

What’s it all about?What’s it all about?

It’s increasing access to the collections, both physically and intellectually.

It’s placing the museum visitor at the heart of the documentation and interpretation process, and therefore at the core of the museum’s function.

The project encompasses the The project encompasses the following key elements:following key elements:

• Documentation, photography and restorage of the collections.

• Interrogation of collections in relation to the interests, concerns and knowledge of the people involved. Thus directing the Museum’s documentation of collections towards key themes that place community and academic engagement at the core.

The process…The process…Recruitment:

This is partly based on the audience development plan and involves actively recruiting groups from the surrounding area, but also relies on community work past and present undertaken within the museum.

The groups select their objects The groups select their objects with the help of:with the help of:

The Museum The Museum websitewebsite

Information Information provided by staff provided by staff relating to interests relating to interests or themes.or themes.

The galleriesThe galleries

First ContactFirst ContactWe always meet the We always meet the group before the day group before the day of filming. This is an of filming. This is an opportunity for them opportunity for them to:to:

See some of the See some of the objects and make objects and make their final selection.their final selection.

Consider the topics Consider the topics they wish to discuss, they wish to discuss, and how they would and how they would like the conversation like the conversation to take place.to take place.

Documentation, Photography & Documentation, Photography & ConservationConservation

Conservation prepare the objects for Conservation prepare the objects for handling, and create a conservation record handling, and create a conservation record on EMu on EMu

A basic catalogue record is created for each A basic catalogue record is created for each object, all information relating to the object object, all information relating to the object is added, and digital images are attached.is added, and digital images are attached.

An event module is created, containing all An event module is created, containing all information relating to the conversation, information relating to the conversation, and an object list that links the individual and an object list that links the individual records to the event module.records to the event module.

A narrative entry is also created, again with A narrative entry is also created, again with an object list which links it to the object an object list which links it to the object catalogue entries.catalogue entries.

ConversationConversation

A conversation involves at least six people:

3 x camera people

1 x vision mixer 1 x conservator 1 x facilitator

Post conversationPost conversation

After the conversation After the conversation comes the editing comes the editing process. process.

We edit the We edit the conversation into conversation into object related clips object related clips lasting for anything up lasting for anything up to five minutes. to five minutes.

The websiteThe website

The information on the Collective Conversations The information on the Collective Conversations pages comes directly from the KE EMu narratives.pages comes directly from the KE EMu narratives.

Beneath the narrative on the opening page will Beneath the narrative on the opening page will be a selection of images, each one representing a be a selection of images, each one representing a clip. Each one of these will take you to an clip. Each one of these will take you to an individual conversation page.individual conversation page.

Individual Conversation Individual Conversation PagesPages

At the bottom of each conversation page are links to the related narrative and object pages. These also appear at the bottom of the object pages.

Again, the narratives for each conversation come directly from KE EMu.

Our latest conversationOur latest conversation

Our most recent conversation Our most recent conversation was a live link between children was a live link between children from Manchester’s Excellence from Manchester’s Excellence in Cities programme and in Cities programme and Kaleen Primary School at the Kaleen Primary School at the National Museum of Australia in National Museum of Australia in Sydney!Sydney!

www.museum.man.ac.www.museum.man.ac.ukuk

All the conversations that have taken All the conversations that have taken place so far will soon be available on the place so far will soon be available on the Manchester Museum website.Manchester Museum website.