Katrijn D’hamers

Mainstreaming diversity

19/03/2014, Antwerp

PARTICIPANTS MAS KADOC KMSKA Middelheimmuseum Red Star Line Museum Erfgoedcel Mechelen FARO

DO WE ACTUALLY NEED A DIVERSITY PLAN?

Important that diversity is part of strategic plan Don’t let it slip of the agenda Depending on organisation what works best: separate or part

of general plan Mainstream should become normality Heritage is sharing

PROCESS Start from small activities End goal is inclusion in all parts of the organisaties Everybody should be ware Within regular budget

NETWORKING AND OUTREACHING

Go for specific actions in stead of many• Try out (Mechelen)

Valuate collaborations in terms of investment of personnel, time, budget

Include different perspectives from the audiences in stead of the wish to pass on historical knowledge

Use opportunities Get involved in the city YOU have to reach out Other functions for your space

NETWORKING AND OUTREACHING

Many good practices:• Summer school and portraits (KMSKA)• Demention (Middelheimmuseum)• Creating an artwork with neighboorhood (Middelheimmuseum)• Let young people decide (KMSKA)• People in poverty (KMSKA)• Training courses for guides (KMSKA)• Prisoners and psychiatric patiens (KADOC)• Guides (Red Star Line)• Dock workers (MAS)• Moroccon and Chinese communities (MAS)• Hearing city museum (Erfgoedcel Mechelen)• …

MANAGEMENT AND PERSONNEL Change is going slow Budget cuts Make personnel aware by training, projects, … Need of bringing in other expertises • Psycho-medical help

Look for opportunities• Internships• Volunteers• students

FROM THE UK TO FLANDERS Constructivistic approach: make it together Let the public contribute (online feedback) Give people the feling they actually can help Give training to the personeel Importance of diversity in every level of the organisation Beware of tokenism Work with specific targets in stead of many Take diversity for serious, keep it on the agenda, in any level Flickr Reconsider collections from the potential for diversity

FROM FLANDERS TO THE UK Help regional archives in how diversity is represented in the

collections Make a survey of online and target audiences Use the classic audiences in the reading room as

intermediates (also diverse?) Use volunteers (they have time to talk with visitors) Create someting with the audiences in the public space Systematic registration and advice of minorities at THEIR siege Use internships for diverse communities