Case studies: Beyond the Campus
Creative Higher Education and public engagement in Huddersfield: A cultural impact study
ROTOЯ is an on-going programme of exhibitions, public events and talks at Huddersfield Art Gallery featuring the transdisciplinary work of art and design staff from the University of Huddersfield.
ROTOЯ showcases a community of artists, designers and curators whose ideas and connective practices migrate and span artistic production, techno-design research, craft and cultural studies. ROTOЯ is located at the pivot between art and design disciplines and society, where points of intersection and engagement are considered and debated from multiple perspectives. It was our intention to locate the interpretation of the exhibition content at the juncture between academic research and public engagement. The programme signals a unique partnership between Huddersfield Art Gallery and the University of Huddersfield to present a broad spectrum of practices and dialogues. Each exhibition features a number of public events in the form of artist/designer and curator talks, student ambassador tours, reading groups and film screenings. A publication of critical essays reviewing ROTOЯ Parts I and II will be available in spring 2014. |
Related case studies
Links:
University of Huddersfield School of Art, Design & Architecture: Public Engagement Research ROTOЯ weblog ROTOЯ Transdiciplinary dialogue and debate, Download brochures Part I & Part II A short film about the first two exhibition programmes |
ROTOЯ has now established its own identity and presence in the Kirklees community: Responses from visitors have been very encouraging, and show people to be taking something positive from their experience of encountering art and design research in a municipal gallery environment. However, interestingly, it has been difficult for visitors – and equally for us – to be able to explain exactly what it was that caused, or comprised, these positive experiences. This problem has influenced much of our current research, and future research plans include the development of a project which will consider how empirical psychology might be used to test the immediate experience of art and design, in the context of its impacts upon society.
We want to find a way of helping people to understand what they are experiencing at the Gallery, and to use the experience to enter into a deeper conversation with us, with others in the community, and with themselves, in the context of being culturally embedded. Ultimately, through ROTOR, we hope to be able to answer, in some capacity, the question, what is our contribution to culture in Huddersfield?
We want to find a way of helping people to understand what they are experiencing at the Gallery, and to use the experience to enter into a deeper conversation with us, with others in the community, and with themselves, in the context of being culturally embedded. Ultimately, through ROTOR, we hope to be able to answer, in some capacity, the question, what is our contribution to culture in Huddersfield?
Interview with Prof. Steve Swindells, Project Developer
Further project developers were Dr Catriona McAra and Ruth Gamble (Huddersfield Art Gallery Manager)
How did you go about establishing a framework for collaborative work with your external partners? Please describe whether the negotiation process was hard or easy and whether it required specific skills / support?
To initiate ROTOЯ, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the University of Huddersfield and Kirklees Cultural Services. The MOU was founded upon the Arts Council England’s strategic framework for 2010. We wanted to adopt ACE’s strategic framework to develop a conversation between the University, the Gallery and the public. Once underway, the programme was managed through regular meetings between University and Gallery staff, as well as meetings with Kirklees Council, and with the Kirklees Library (which shares the same building). There were inevitably some challenges to overcome when planning and delivering the partnership project, including finding ways of assimilation different targets across the two organisations, with regard to audience development, for example. However, the process of working around these concerns provided in themselves further opportunity for research: The questions arising from the challenges of presenting academic research in a municipal gallery were developed into a symposium held at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, in the summer of 2013. The ICA symposium addressed amongst other things, a series of questions around public engagement and impact in exhibitions, and how these might best be measured, articulated and used to develop and improve future exhibitions
What are the key deliverables of this collaboration that benefit your institutions?
In very practical terms, the University benefits from being able to use the Gallery space as well as the expertise of the Gallery curatorial and technical staff, however, much more significant is the opportunity provided for shared dialogue, not only with the Gallery itself – its staff and collections – but with its audiences. The Gallery provides the University with a way of communicating its research to a broader public beyond the University. The same is true for the Gallery, who finds new audiences including University students attending the ROTOR programme exhibitions and events, and who are able to work with University staff to reinterpret their collections in new ways.
To initiate ROTOЯ, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the University of Huddersfield and Kirklees Cultural Services. The MOU was founded upon the Arts Council England’s strategic framework for 2010. We wanted to adopt ACE’s strategic framework to develop a conversation between the University, the Gallery and the public. Once underway, the programme was managed through regular meetings between University and Gallery staff, as well as meetings with Kirklees Council, and with the Kirklees Library (which shares the same building). There were inevitably some challenges to overcome when planning and delivering the partnership project, including finding ways of assimilation different targets across the two organisations, with regard to audience development, for example. However, the process of working around these concerns provided in themselves further opportunity for research: The questions arising from the challenges of presenting academic research in a municipal gallery were developed into a symposium held at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, in the summer of 2013. The ICA symposium addressed amongst other things, a series of questions around public engagement and impact in exhibitions, and how these might best be measured, articulated and used to develop and improve future exhibitions
What are the key deliverables of this collaboration that benefit your institutions?
In very practical terms, the University benefits from being able to use the Gallery space as well as the expertise of the Gallery curatorial and technical staff, however, much more significant is the opportunity provided for shared dialogue, not only with the Gallery itself – its staff and collections – but with its audiences. The Gallery provides the University with a way of communicating its research to a broader public beyond the University. The same is true for the Gallery, who finds new audiences including University students attending the ROTOR programme exhibitions and events, and who are able to work with University staff to reinterpret their collections in new ways.
What do you see as the main challenges or obstacles in working with external partners?
Being used to different ways of working, for example, having different planning schedules, as well as having different broader targets can present challenges, but, as aforementioned, these can provide positive opportunities, and instigate further creative thinking.
What do you see as the main advantages /disadvantages in working with external partners?
In addition to the challenges mentioned above, working with external partners can be time-consuming in the planning and contractual stages, however, it enables new voices to enter into existing dialogues, it enables audiences to be shared and broadened, and it allows best practice and expertise to be utilised and maximised.
What could be a valuable lesson learnt or advice you would give to another academia / institution set to work with external partners (specifically in the creative and cultural economy)?
Try to identify shared aims – both longer and shorter term – from the outset, and use these to frame your collaborative activity. Setting these out in an MOU/contractual agreement provides peace of mind and clarifies shared aims and objectives for both partners.
(edited by Silvie Jacobi)
Being used to different ways of working, for example, having different planning schedules, as well as having different broader targets can present challenges, but, as aforementioned, these can provide positive opportunities, and instigate further creative thinking.
What do you see as the main advantages /disadvantages in working with external partners?
In addition to the challenges mentioned above, working with external partners can be time-consuming in the planning and contractual stages, however, it enables new voices to enter into existing dialogues, it enables audiences to be shared and broadened, and it allows best practice and expertise to be utilised and maximised.
What could be a valuable lesson learnt or advice you would give to another academia / institution set to work with external partners (specifically in the creative and cultural economy)?
Try to identify shared aims – both longer and shorter term – from the outset, and use these to frame your collaborative activity. Setting these out in an MOU/contractual agreement provides peace of mind and clarifies shared aims and objectives for both partners.
(edited by Silvie Jacobi)