IMA ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2009, Derry/Londonderry, February 27th - March 1st ~The Museum: A Dialogue in Shared Histories and Common Heritage~

The central event in the IMA calendar is the Annual Conference. Held in February each year the conference is eagerly awaited by our members as an opportunity to meet, network and get to know each other. Of course, it is also an occasion for debate and this years conference titled 'The Museum: A Dialogue In Shared Histories and Common Heritage' proved just that.

Over the course of two days the conference explored how the common ground of heritage and history has the potential to encourage museums to break from tradition and embrace new ways of thinking, working and developing ideas.Through a series of workshops and presentations, the panel of sixteen speakers addressed this notion through topics such as new ways of engaging visitors, heritage in landscape, material and intangible culture and representations of repression in museums. At the end of each day discussions were held and delegates were given the chance to reflect to the presentations of the day and respond by posing questions to the panel of speakers. Over the course of the weekend it can be said that these presentations and discussions added depth and further challenged the subject of 'The Museum' as a 'Dialogue in Shared Histories and Common Heritage'.

Walking Tour (01/03/09)

Walking Tour of the Walls of Derry and departure.

Discussion Day II (28/02/09)

With Dr. Margaret O Callaghan acting as chair along with a panel of the days speakers, the delegates were encouraged to interact and respond to the days presentations. As on Friday, many valuable comments were made. In this section of the blog, delegates are invited to re-address the comments of the day and discuss them with our blog readers.

Civic Reception at Guildhall and Conference Dinner (28/02/09)

Welcome to Derry by the Mayor of Derry/Londonderry, Councillor Gerard Diver
Civic Reception, The Guildhall






Irish Museums Association announces 6 New Honorary Members at Annual Conference 2009

At the conference dinner the Board of the Irish Museums Association announced 6 new Honorary Members. As it is 1985 since this designation was awarded, the intervening years have been taken into account, and the Board now has pleasure in awarding Honorary Membership to 6 distinguished figures in the Irish museum world:

Dr. Michael Ryan, Director of the Chester Beatty Library, Roger Weatherup, former Curator of Armagh County Museum and a founder committee member of the Irish Museums Association,
Raymond Keaveney, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland,
Sean Nolan, former Director of the Ulster Museum,
Maighread McParland, Conservator and a founder member of the Irish Professional Conservators’ and Restorers’ Association/IPCRA (1982) and of the Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works in Ireland/ ICHAWI (1991),
Dr. Patrick Wallace, Director of the National Museum of Ireland.

The designation is awarded in recognition of the considerable service and significant contribution that these figures have made to the development of Irish museums, and to the practice of museum and cultural heritage work in Ireland. The Chairperson of the Association, Dr Marie Bourke states: “At the IMA, we felt that it was time to applaud the contribution that these figures have made over a considerable period of time to Irish museums and to the museum profession. It is an honour for the Association to be in a position to recognise and acknowledge their achievements.”

Saturday Afternoon Speakers (28/02/09)

Does the collection and display of public sculpture reflect a shared heritage and commonality?

Speaker: Dr Paula Murphy (School of Art History and Cultural Studies, Univeristy College Dublin) 

This paper examined the collection and display of Irish public sculpture in the north and south of the country from a historic point of view. Murphy explored this subject through different examples of the practice of sculpture such as:  copies from the antique, monumental commemorative sculpture and the careers of two nineteenth-century sculptors (Patrick MacDowell from Belfast and John Henry Foley from Dublin)

Representing repression in museums; challenges, pressures, methodologies

Speaker: Suzanne Bardgett (Director of the Holocaust Exhibitions, Imperial War Museum, London)

This paper focused on a number of projects including the Holocaust Exhibition at the Imperial War Museum in order to highlight the challenges, pressures and lessons which arose through each project. An appropriate subject for these difficult times, Bardgett's presentation analised each project and further offered thoughts on how curators can prepare themselves and their teams for the specificissues arising from depictions of oppression.

Keynote Presentations I :Shared Histories (28/02/09)

What is this notion of Shared Histories?

Professor Nigel Rolfe, Artist and Lecturer, Royal College of Art London.

The first keynote presentation by Artist and lecturer Professor Nigel Rolfe, questioned and challenged the notion of 'shared histories', the focal subject of the day. Rolfe's presentation could have almost been called an art performance through its utilisation of sound, text, photography and video and ensured that all the delegates were fully awake for the long day ahead.

Launch by Guest Speaker (28/02/09)

The Saturday session of the IMA conference was introduced in the end by 'guest speaker' Gregory Campbell, the Minister for DCAL. This was a nice suprise to the delegates, who weren't aware of Campbell's involvement in the welcome speech until that morning.

Reception at The Tower Musuem (27/02/09)

After an insighful end of day discussion the IMA delegates were invited to attend a Reception hosted by Derry City Council Heritage and Museum Service at The Tower Museum. Here the delegates were greeted with a welcome speech by Derry City Council and Margaret Edwards of the Tower Museum. The guests were then given the chance to explore the museum itself along with the IMA 'Museums Matter Exhibition', which is currently being hosted in Derry/ Londonderry. After exploring the exhibition, much to the delight of the guests, wine and appetisers awaited in the reception. This was further accompanied by two classical musicians to provide the evenings entertainment. A special thanks has to be said to Margaret Edwards and the staff of the Tower Museum for arranging this wonderful evening!

Discussion Day I (27/02/09)

With Dr. Elizabeth Crooke acting as chair along with a panel of the days speakers, the delegates were encouraged to interact and respond to the days presentations. Many valuable comments were made on the day. In this section of the blog, delegates are invited to re-address the comments of the day and discuss them with our blog readers.

Workshop II (27/02/09)

Theme Part II: New ways of engaging visitors

Introducing the speakers: Nigel Monaghan, Irish Museums Association

The potential of new technology to encourage visitors to interact with the history and heritage of museum collections

Professor Liam Bannon, Interaction Design Centre, Univeristy of Limerick

After an inovative presentation, Professor Liam Bannon along with his team colleagues from the Interaction Design Centre further highlighted this ' potential of new technology' through a digital installation of their interactive projects. This gave the delegates the opportunity to discuss one on one with a member of the team, the work and objectives of the Interaction Design Centre.

For more information on the Interaction Design Centre please go to

http://www.idc.ul.ie/

The pro-active role of historic houses in engaging visitors in an understanding of the different heritages within Ireland.

Kieran Burns, Curator, Dublin's Georgian House Museum, Number Twenty Nine Fitzwilliam St.

The last presentation of the day was by Kieran Burns, who emphasised the potential of 'the historic house' and both its current and future role in promoting heritage and engaging visitors. Although Burns addressed many of the same issues as Professor Liam Bannon, his approach as a historian and a curator contrasted entirely and presented a very interesting conclusion to the theme of 'New ways of engaging visitors'.

For information on Number Twenty Nine please go to:

http://www.esb.ie/main/about_esb/numbertwentynine/default.htm

Welcome Workshop I (27/02/09)

2pm - Workshop Theme Part I: Histories and Heritage

Introducing the speakers: Caroline Carr, Irish Museums Association.

A sense of Place in the city of Derry/Londonderry

Liam Campbell, Academy of Cultural Heritage, University of Ulster, Magee Campus.

The Challenge of Commemorating the Plantation

Dr William Kelly, Lecturer in History, University of Ulster.

Under the theme of 'Histories and Heritage' the first two presentations ' given by Liam Campbell and Dr. William Kelly gave us a grounding in both the heritage and current climate of the city of Derry/Londonderry. This was an appropriate and important introduction not only because for many of the delegates, this was their first time in the city but furthermore because as the host of this years annual conference, the city of Derry/Londonderry was likley to be a re-occuring focal-point during the course of the conference.

Welcome (27/02/09)

As the last few people arrived for registration on the Friday, the crowd of delegates gathered in the lobby of the City Hotel for the walking tour of the Apprentice Boy's Museum, Society Street and the Museum of Free Derry which was led by Margaret Edwards (IMA). This was the perfect way to become aquainted with the City of Derry.

The Museum: A Dialogue in Shared Histories and Common Heritage

Museums have become contested places, engaging with discussions on issues such as access and inclusiveness, funding, multiculturalism, major exhibitions and the narration of history. Most museums try to use their collections to tell stories that reflect a broad view of culture and history for some, however, it can form a contentious issue. This conference will discuss how a fresh view of heritage and history can encourage museums to depart from tradition and embrace new ways of thinking, working and developing ideas.

Key presentations will be given by Professor Nigel Rolfe (Royal College of Arts, London), Elaine Heumann Gurian (international museologist), and Fintan O Toole(writer, political commentator, Assistant Editor of The Irish Times).

Speakers on heritage in landscape, public sculpture and representations of repression in museums include Professor Liam Bannon (University of Limerick); Dr. Linda Ballard (Ulster Folk and Transport Museum); Dr. Paula Murphy (University College Dublin); Suzanne Bardgett, (Imperial War Museum); and Professor Patrick Duffy (National University of Ireland Maynooth). Discussions will be chaired by Dr. Margaret O’Callaghan (Queen’s University Belfast), Professor Mary Daly (University College Dublin), and Dr. Elizabeth Crooke (University of Ulster).

The conference will include visits to the Walls of Derry, Apprentice Boys Museum,The Museum of Derry, Tower Museum and The Guildhall.

Everyone associated with museums and galleries understands how important it is to display and interpret the shared histories and common heritages of this island. These issues will be addressed at the 2009 Irish Museums Association Conference in Derry City.