Hot Topics
- If the COVID-19 crisis has presented an opportunity to develop or even reconsider your approach to volunteering, check out this article I wrote for Arts Professional about a taking a 3D approach – define, diversify and develop.
- In this article, Ashleigh shares 9 steps for creating online learning resources that last post-lockdown.
- Our wider team at The Audience Agency has been pulling resources together so we can learn, discuss and act in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. I wanted to share some of these resources with you.
- Thanks to our friends Family Arts Campaign for highlighting this useful advice from Laura Goulden, Co-Founder of Handprint Theatre, about how to make online performance accessible (plus this great how-to for making accessible facemasks).
- This guide from Kids in Museums helps cultural organisations consider how to apply their manifesto once you reopen (museum focused but much of this applies to many kinds of venues).
Young People
- This is a thorough list of all the research around how young people are affected by Covid, complied by the National Youth Agency. Beatfreek’s Take the Temperature research is my must read. It reveals how young people are stepping up to help those in need, but are experiencing a greater impact on their mental health, are worried about their future and don’t feel that decision makers are engaging with them. What can our sector to do to increase young people’s digital literacy to deal with the ‘new normal’?
- Thanks to the Centre for Youth Impact for highlighting The Children’s Society’s guidance around using digital tools with young people – clear advice for each platform such as WhatsApp, Teams, Facetime etc.
Schools
- Those of you working with schools have some unique challenges about what and how your programme looks like next. Please share this national schools survey, put together by the Bridge network. They say: ‘The purpose of this survey is to gather up to date information from schools about your needs and creative aspirations for your pupils at this time and to identify how we, and the cultural sector, might best support you.’
- If you have some extra resources to reflect upon, research and reshape your schools offer, do take a look at our Schools Engagement Report which can profile the schools you have been engaging and inform future planning.
- We have shared the My Primary School is at the Museum project in the past. Lead by King College London, this is an inspiring approach which embeds a museum in a school. They have just launched this great toolkit which includes a series of guidance documents, reports, and advocacy tools for building partnerships and residencies between arts, culture, and heritage organisations and local schools.
Homelessness
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In other toolkit new (we all love a toolkit) we love this Cultural Spaces Homelessness Toolkit (PDF), developed in partnership with Museum of Homelessness, Manchester Museum, and Tate Modern. It offers guidance to arts and cultural professionals who want to make their spaces welcoming to people who are or have been homeless and increase their engagement in cultural life.
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On a side note, the Museum of Homelessness has been doing amazing work – distributing over 9000 hot meals and care packs during lockdown and a wide range of other important campaigning work. We know many of you are undertaking new kinds of work to respond to Covid, which raises important questions around why we exist and what our purpose is.
Featured in the July edition of The Learning Diaries. Aimed at those working in learning, engagement or participation in the cultural sector, this newsletter shares updates from our team on sector events, ideas from some of our projects and links to new research. To receive The Learning Diaries, visit the sign up page.
