The next Manifesto principle we will look at is community participation. This is described as:
Museums should develop innovative models of engagement which represent the cultural context of their communities and nations and that are brave and challenging. Community groups should be valued and fully engaged with all functions of the museum.
Communities are complex, multi-layered and fluid and their participation in museums is not passive or static. Participation should challenge institutions, staff, the communities we work with and our visitors.
The challenge can sit just as much with what a school group expects of its workshop, as with an exploration of the food and drink served on site with an under-represented group.
The uncertainty of the journey of community participation is a sign that it is true in its intent. Community participation has no end date, and there is always more that can be done.
The principle of community participation ties in closely with the Museum Association’s Power to the People Framework, which outlines clear steps towards deeper community engagement and participation.
The Museum Essentials course, Working with Community Partners, also offers an opportunity to look at community participation in more detail.
The following exercises ask you to reflect on how community participation relates to your professional practice. You will also have the opportunity to watch others in the sector talk about what this principle means to them and their work.