All Inclusive: Championing Accessible Museums
All Inclusive on Wednesday 26 April is the Museums Association’s annual one day conference exploring how museums can become truly inclusive spaces and representational platforms, and champion equality at every level.
Disabled people are under-represented in the museum workforce, on boards and in our audiences, and the lives, contributions and perspectives of disabled people are still under-represented in our collections and exhibitions.
This event elevates the perspectives of D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people as part of this event.
Through provocations, case studies and panel discussions, this event is for anyone who is working towards diversity and inclusion at a museum or relevant organisation.
Coffee and Chatter
Grab your morning cuppa…
WMMD is pleased to announce that Museums Worcestershire is delivering Revealing Hidden Histories in 2023/24. Join WMMD and Museums Worcestershire to learn more about the programme and how it can help you explore your collection and engage with audiences.
It’s also the perfect opportunity to share what’s happening at your museum, exchange ideas with colleagues across the region and hear about the latest sector guidance and news.
10.30am-11.30am
Zoom details:
https://zoom.us/j/99254865285?pwd=R2xiUlUzOFdWMGJFQXpyL0E4cHpNQT09
Meeting ID: 992 5486 5285
Password: 579046
Coffee and Chatter will be auto-captioned.
Co-curation and Decolonisation: Mythbusting
This training session is delivered by Isilda Almeida and Maurice Davies. The training will provide you with an overview of the principles of co-curation and tackles the topic of decolonisation within a museum context. Isilda and Maurice will also discuss how you can begin to consider creating an EDI Action Plan.
Guest speakers Nicola Bird, Community Engagement officer for Oxford University Museums Partnership and Rawz., artist, youth worker, teacher, will discuss co-curation with underserved communities.
Between them, Isilda and Maurice bring knowledge, professional and lived-experience, current approaches to Equity and Inclusion, contextualised by historical and political events that have shaped how museums got to where they are.
This event is being delivered in partnership by WMMD and South East Museum Development (SEMD). It is the second in a series of three events linked to the WMMD Inclusive Museums programme. Other events in the series are Museums and the Legacy of Imperialism and Involving Volunteers in your EDI Journey.
Trigger warning
Content and activities in this session may be triggering. We ask that if you feel the need to stop and take a break, please do. If you need to reach out, please private message one of the facilitators and they will see you in a breakout room or start a separate call.
Isilda and Maurice will deliver the session via Zoom using a range of exercises and interactive features, including Breakout Rooms. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and actively participate in discussion. Some activities will also involve the use of Padlet. If you have any concerns about accessibility or usability for these features please contact wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk
Maximum two delegates per organisation. Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.
This event will be auto-captioned through Zoom. If you would benefit from any other form of access support, including live captioning, please answer ‘yes’ to the access requirements question on the booking form and email the WMMD team as early as possible stating the support you require.
All participants will receive an email containing a Zoom link to the training prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email the day before the event please contact us.
If you can’t see the booking button this event is fully booked, please email wmmd@ironbridge.co.uk to join the waiting list.
Isilda Almeida and Maurice Davies deliver tailored approaches to increasing inclusive and equitable practice in the cultural sector, including training, advice, strategic planning, service review and community engagement.
Isilda Almeida, works as an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant in the culture sector and brings with her over 20 years’ experience of the UK heritage sector. Isilda will be supported by Maurice Davies, who brings nearly 40 years’ experience in UK museums and galleries as a policymaker, leader and curator. He has championed equity and inclusion since the 1990s when he was editor of Museums Journal. He has advised organisations such as the Greater London Authority, the National Museum Directors Council and the National Trust on aspects of heritage and race. Most recently he has helped Museum Detox with an organisational review and, with Isilda, delivered training on museums, equity and inclusion.
Co-curation and Decolonisation: Mythbusting
Thursday 23 February, 10am-12.30pm
Online
Museums and the Legacy of Imperialism
Join Isilda Almeida and Maurice Davies for a short online event exploring the legacy of imperialism in museums.
Focussing on collections displays, participants will:
- Learn how 19th and early 20th-century museums are rooted in colonialism and imperialism
- Understand how museums changed the histories they present in the late 20th and early 21st centuries
- Become familiar with the recent pressures on museums to decolonise and examples of good practice in UK museums
Participants will also be invited to develop ideas to bring in a wider range of people to present a wider range of histories in their museum.
Isilda and Maurice will deliver the session via Zoom using a range of exercises and interactive features, including Breakout Rooms. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and actively participate in discussion. Some activities will also involve the use of Padlet. If you have any concerns about accessibility or usability for these features please contact michelle.davies@ironbridge.org.uk
Between them, Isilda and Maurice bring knowledge, professional and lived-experience, current approaches to Equity and Inclusion, contextualised by historical and political events that have shaped how museums got to where they are.
This event is being delivered in partnership by WMMD and South East Museum Development (SEMD). It is the first in a series of three events linked to the WMMD Inclusive Museums programme. Future events scheduled for early 2023 are Involving Volunteers in your EDI Journey, and Co-curation with Communities. Events will promoted via the WMMD newsletter and website and bookings will be first come first served for each event.
Maximum two delegates per organisation. Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.
The presentation for this event will be auto-captioned via Zoom. If you would benefit from live captioning or any other form of access support, please answer ‘yes’ to the access requirements question on the booking form and email the WMMD team as early as possible stating the support you require.
All participants will receive an email containing a Zoom link to the training prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email the day before the event please contact us.
If you can’t see the booking button this event is fully booked, please email wmmd@ironbridge.co.uk to join the waiting list.
Isilda Almeida and Maurice Davies deliver tailored approaches to increasing inclusive and equitable practice in the cultural sector, including training, advice, strategic planning, service review and community engagement.
Isilda Almeida, works as an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant in the culture sector and brings with her over 20 years’ experience of the UK heritage sector. Isilda will be supported by Maurice Davies, who brings nearly 40 years’ experience in UK museums and galleries as a policymaker, leader and curator. He has championed equity and inclusion since the 1990s when he was editor of Museums Journal. He has advised organisations such as the Greater London Authority, the National Museum Directors Council and the National Trust on aspects of heritage and race. Most recently he has helped Museum Detox with an organisational review and, with Isilda, delivered training on museums, equity and inclusion.
Museums and the Legacy of Imperialism
Tuesday 6 December, 10am-12.30pm
Online
Web and social media content accessibility for blind and visually impaired visitors
This virtual training session delivered by Vocal Eyes will support attendees to develop accessible practice when creating digital content, covering text, images and video.
By the end of the session you will better understand:
- How to make website content accessible
- Good practice in headings and link text, alt text, audio description of film
- The online visitor journey for people who are blind or visually impaired, and screen reader users
- Creating accessible social media posts across a range of platforms
The session will be delivered by two trainers – a VocalEyes team member with digital accessibility expertise, and a blind or visually impaired visual awareness trainer.
Please note – the session does not cover technical aspects of website development; the focus is on content.
Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.
The webinar will be live captioned through StageText and MyClearText.
All participants will receive an email containing a Zoom link prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email by the day before the event please contact us.
Web and social media content accessibility for blind and visually impaired visitors
Wednesday 18 January 2023, 10am-12noon
Online
Working with Legacies of Colonialism in Museums Meet Up
Social History Curators Group is hosting an informal meeting for people engaging with the legacies of colonialism in our museums.
It’s an open discussion group to:
- enable peer mentoring
- share and test ideas and experiences in a friendly space
- provide opportunities to be creative
- build our knowledge and confidence in this area of emerging practice
Register here by 5pm, Wednesday 24 August.
Accessible Recruitment
Direct Access will lead a short training session outlining how organisations can make their workplace and recruitment processes more accessible for disabled candidates, sharing their experience and approach.
In this session Direct Access will cover not just how to make your interview process more accessible but how to find disabled talent and the range of in-work support options available. If disabled people know that you are inclusive and accessible they will be more likely to apply. Topics include:
- Where and and how to advertise opportunities
- The interview
- Job offers
- Access to work – what it is and how to apply
- Apprenticeships and welfare to work programmes
Maximum two delegates per organisation. Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.
The presentation for this event will be live captioned through StageText and MyClearText. If you would benefit from any other form of access support, please answer ‘yes’ to the access requirements question on the booking form and email the WMMD team as early as possible stating the support you require.
All participants will receive an email containing a Zoom link to the training prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email the day before the event please contact us.
Accessible Recruitment
Wednesday 7 September, 2-3.30pm
Online
If you can’t see the booking button this event is now fully booked. If you would like to join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk
Welcoming Everyone
A Welcome to Excellence session on how to offer exceptional and inclusive customer service.
The session is aimed at staff and volunteers and will look at:
- The benefits of an accessible service
- Visible and hidden disabilities
- A positive, welcoming approach
- Tailoring service to be accessible to all
Pre-course activity will be sent to delegates in advance.
Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation. Places are limited, no more than two delegates per museum.
The webinar will be live captioned through StageText and MyClearText.
All participants will receive an email containing a Zoom link to the training prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email one hour before the event please contact us.
If you can’t see the booking button this event is fully booked. Please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk to go on the waiting list.
Welcoming Everyone
Thursday 9 June, 10am-12noon
Online
Digging Deeper: Representing Gypsy, Roma and Travelling Communities in Rural Museums
Rural Voices – The Rural Museums Network Seminar Series
Join the Rural Museums Network (RMN) for these monthly seminars to hear expert speakers and museum professionals share how rural collections and rural sites can better include a wider range of voices in the stories they tell.
These sessions are on the Zoom platform and are FREE for members (institutional and individual) and £5 for non-members.
If you aren’t sure if your museum is a member, please do contact RMN to check before you book
Find out more and book Digging Deeper: Representing Gypsy, Roma and Travelling Communities in Rural Museums, Friday 13 May, 3pm-4.15pm
Other events in the series
Digging Deeper: Telling the Stories of Rural LGBTQ+ Lives, Friday 11 March 3pm-4.15pm
Virtual Volunteering, Friday 8 April, 3pm-4.15pm
Digging Deeper: Telling the Stories of Rural LGBTQ+ Lives
Rural Voices – The Rural Museums Network Seminar Series
Join the Rural Museums Network (RMN) for these monthly seminars to hear expert speakers and museum professionals share how rural collections and rural sites can better include a wider range of voices in the stories they tell.
These sessions are on the Zoom platform and are FREE for members (institutional and individual) and £5 for non-members.
If you aren’t sure if your museum is a member, please do contact RMN to check before you book
Find out more and book Digging Deeper: Telling the Stories of Rural LGBTQ+ Lives, Friday 11 March 3pm-4.15pm
Upcoming events in the series
Virtual Volunteering, Friday 8 April, 3pm-4.15pm
Digging Deeper: Representing Gypsy, Roma and Travelling Communities in Rural Museums, Friday 13 May, 3pm-4.15pm
