The Cult of Beauty, Wellcome Collection, Ben Gilbert, 2023. Featuring ‘Perhaps We are All Fictions in the eye of the Beholder’, Xu Yang, 2021 Anna Cornelius is Head of Communications and Marketing for Wellcome Collection – London’s free museum and library dedicated to health and human experience. She shared her team’s efforts to embed inclusion and accessibility at every stage of the museum’s campaigns. By shining a spotlight on artists and creatives from all walks of life, the museum recently tackled ‘The Cult of Beauty’ as part of their work towards a world where everyone’s experience of ..read more

Kaptin Barrett is a rapper, DJ, artist manager, radio host, and promotor best known for being the Head of Music for Boomtown when it was the UK’s largest independent festival. Kaptin is now working with Amgueddfa Cymru to bring the rich history of hip-hop to Wales’s museum audiences. As a hip hop archivist, Kaptin explains how he is working to engage new audiences and shine a light on previously overlooked musical maestros and hip-hop contributors. Amgueddfa Cymru is a family of seven museums located throughout Wales, including National Museum Cardiff and the National Roman Legion. With Kapti ..read more

Elma-Glasgow – Photography by JohnFerguson Elma Glasgow, founder of Elma Glasgow Consulting, is a national award-winning engagement consultant, storyteller, and communications expert. She shares her expertise in influencing positive change in the cultural sector, working with organisations to prioritise diverse stories in a meaningful and authentic way. Elma’s work includes embedding anti-racism into culture and heritage, supporting organisations as they ramp up their inclusion efforts. In recent years, these efforts have seen the birth of the nationally acclaimed and award-winning exhibiti ..read more

Heritage consultant Ali Bodley shared her work on decolonising collections and uplifting marginalised voices at the Wilberforce House Museum in Hull. Through award-winning programming and a variety of revolutionary engagement strategies, the museum is facing its past, rather than running from it, as a way of building a brighter future. Ali Bodley specialises in community engagement and decolonisation, having been curator at Wesley’s House and Museum in London, District Curator in Ryedale, Co-ordinator of the Young Archaeologist’s Club, and Programme Manager for the British Library. In 2023, A ..read more

Representatives from the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago’s media, editorial, learning, and curatorial departments shared their expertise on how the museum is changing the way contemporary art is viewed in order to cater for a more diverse audience. Chief among these efforts has been the ‘bilingual initiative’ – a plan to make the MCA a fully bilingual institution. Those speaking were Carla Acevedo-Yates (Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator), Cecilia Gonzalez Godino (Curatorial Fellow), Mayra Cecilia Palafox (Manager of Learning and Bilingual Programs), Antonio Diaz-Oliva (one of the museum’s ..read more

Yolande Sep, founder of Design to Thrive and Retail Consultant for the likes of Museon-Omniversum and Naturalis Biodiversity Centre shares her expertise on how museums can maximise their shop potential with sustainability in mind. With more than 25 years’ experience in retail, Yolande is an economist & foresight researcher, advising several museums in the Netherlands on how to ensure their giftshops thrive. Her work helps cultural institutions develop a healthy, business model and mission-driven products. She believes in connecting with nature and the power of the collective, bringing peo ..read more

Deep K Kailey, Cultural Narrator and Artistic Director of Without Shape Without Form, discusses the importance of bringing people together in an individualistic age, and the vital role art has to play. Through a workshop entitled “The Power of Connection”, Without Shape, Without Form is putting necessary connections in place – inspired by contemporary Sikh knowledge that shines a light on mind wellbeing. First introduced as an art exhibition in 2016, Without Shape Without Form is the UK’s leading spiritual art space dedicated to mind wellbeing. It embodies the values of (un)learning and creat ..read more

Erin Dragotto, Vice President of Development & Operations for the Museum of Art + Light (MoA+L), shares her expertise on how museums can stay relevant in the modern age. Between societal expectations, digital technology, and sustainability efforts, museums are undergoing an immense period of change, and the right decision-making can shape an organisation’s future. With more than 20 years of experience working in museums and non-profits, Erin knows that successful museums can never stand still. The MoA+L was conceived as the first museum in the world to showcase immersive experie ..read more

Rowena Fry, Advertising Consultant at Crafted, shares her advice for museums looking to grow their audiences in the digital age. By testing and trialling new engagement channels and not simply falling back on traditional marketing methods, museums can stay relevant in a world where there’s never been so much competition for attention. Crafted offers digital marketing solutions for arts, culture, and attractions brands across the UK and abroad. It delivers a powerful mix of digital specialists to prioritise audience growth, ticket sales, and maximum engagement for a range of arts clients. As p ..read more

Culture plays a pivotal role in shaping a city’s identity, as UNESCO defines it as a crucial element in social progress. Developing culture is not a way to solve challenges but rather a means to create a “space where individuals can express, explore and re-imagine complex and difficult issues.” Increasingly, the interdependent relationship between culture and urban space is recognised. Within a city’s landscape, cultural infrastructure like museums, theatres, and galleries form integral elements that cater to the creative and cultural sectors. Museums, in particular, offer a distinctive opport ..read more