Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery reopening speech
Tuesday 22nd October 2024
As far as I am aware BMAG hadn’t closed since the second world war (which my daughter asked as im old, if I was there).
We really hope this is the last time we fully close for 100yrs Since opening in 1885 (and no I wasn’t around for that kid)
Over 100 million people have visited the museums we care for and a chunk of that was people visiting here at BMAG.
Museums were never just vessels for staring at art. They are places for people. People to feel something. People just being people in all their glory. Where you may take your first steps, Where you take your first date, a place to see wonder, a place to discover something old and something new… a place for a wee and free wifi.
We proudly have famous art, stuffed animals, vehicles of every type, old maps and even hats.
People who just like to wander the world in a gallery we got you.
You are amongst the first 500 people to breath life back into us.
We are most concerned with those who don’t have a voice.
We are attempting something that has never been done before. Both inside the organisation and with the public.
We need to work much harder for the public.
We need to be relatable and democratic and not be shy of continuous improvement
You are our heroes. the tiny sparks that are breathing life back into the museums lungs.
We need you.
The city needs you.
A hero can be anyone.
Heroes leave 5 star google reviews – I want 100 reviews by tomorrow!
If the museum could talk I think it would say:
Electrical wiring forced our closure but still i rise
Covid comes and knocks me down but still i rise
Global conflict and a cost of living crisis but still i rise
Section 114 declared our city bust but hey guess what, still i rise
AUDIENCE participation: After 3 shout “Still I rise”
As Mike Skinner [Birmingham born] from the streets said “ Let’s push things forward shall we?
Quote: Easy to understand
..Easy to understand difficult to do.
Quote by Nate Regier in Compassionate Accountability
Are “you” the blocker?
If life was binary. For every interaction you were either an enabler or a blocker. If YOU are the blocker I suggest reading The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.
Ashville weekly
Every week a new episode of the life and times of Daniel. I have been gripped and watched all 204 episodes to date
Good enough for now, safe enough to try
A principle to live by.
Introducing The Citizens’ Jury
Museums have been run successfully for over 100 years. However even museums need to move with the times. Being more useful to more people is a phase I say a lot here at BMT. One of my core principles is placing “user needs” at the heart of what we do.
In addition to the typical methods of asking existing visitors what they need from us we are experimenting with a Citizen Jury throughout the second half of 2024.
We have written about how The Citizens’ Jury works on our website.
In short the Citizens’ Jury are 25-30 representive people chosen from a lottery of 5000 people across the City. They will will deliberate our initial question:
“What does Birmingham need and want from its museums, now and in the future; and what should Birmingham Museums Trust do to make these things happen?”
Special thanks to NLHF for funding this activity.
I don’t have an opinion today on that
I was thinking today, what do I think about X? I turned thinking into overthinking and concluded that sometimes I’m not ready to give my opinion. I haven’t thought enough about it, I don’t have expertise in said area or just don’t even care enough to dig deeper.
I’m going to try and simply say to my inner self “I don’t have an opinion”.
ah much better.
Test your assumptions
You may well be correct in your thinking. History may repeat itself. Better to test your assumptions though than discover things have changed and you didn’t get the memo. The weather app may say it’s dry but popping outside to confirm is easy.
Art Funds 2024 Directors research
Important reading at a critical time.