An overview of participants Yarn stories created in response to the Science Museum's exhibition.
From Responses to 'Wounded, Conflict, Casualties and Care'
Our workshop participants, Mark and Julie, created three Yarn stories in response to the Science Museum's exhibition 'Wounded: Conflict, Casualties and Care', our programme of workshops and a follow-up visit to the Thackray Medical Museum's 'Recovery' gallery.
- To begin with, they wanted to share some information about who they were and their motivations for getting involved with the project. Initially, J wanted to share a personal story but this proved problematic for her. Both M&J have I strong connection to the subject matter and expertise in specific areas, which they are keen to share.
- They also highlight some of the problems of recruitment/engagement based on their own attempts to get other people involved. Engaging in this way required commitment.
- This first story also demonstrates how the project and this type of engagement activity generated a level of expectation about reciprocal exchange.
From Responses to 'Wounded, Conflict, Casualties and Care'
From Responses to 'Wounded, Conflict, Casualties and Care'
From Responses to 'Wounded, Conflict, Casualties and Care'
- Their second story 'What is in a name? Perceptions of an exhibition from its chosen title' is, effectively, a form of feedback on the exhibition.
- Beforehand, we discussed several approaches that they might like to take with their Yarn stories, such as re-curating a selection of exhibits (using our own photos or ones from the ScM website) or exploring a personal interest or story relating to a specific exhibit.
From Responses to 'Wounded, Conflict, Casualties and Care'
The third story reflects on the project as a whole and draws out a key message which the participants would like to see museums embrace in their engagement activities (digital or otherwise).
- Audiences bring their own agendas to co-production processes. Should museums be afraid of this?
- Co-production processes necessarily acknowledge that audiences have something to offer. They also raise expectations of a response
- To be effective, both parties have to be involved in the digital co-production process; otherwise the feedback loop remains broken. This inevitably requires some kind of time commitment, as with any other process.
From Responses to 'Wounded, Conflict, Casualties and Care'