We are a group of young curators, about to start our careers, and we are facing an urgent need for increasing inclusivity within contemporary art spaces.
Part of our duty is to serve society and be open to the public, we are expected to be accessible, and inclusive, to foster diversity and sustainability. But are we meeting these expectations?
Cultural capital, encompassing non-financial assets like educational attainment and social status often plays a role in shaping who feels welcome or unwelcome in museum spaces. While it bears some positive impact, its unequal distribution brings negative consequences. Cultural capital is intricately linked with the existing value system of art, shaping how art is perceived, evaluated, and appreciated within society.
A by-product of this is an ‘invisible wall’ being created, that exists between those who are often marginalised in society being able to enter these spaces and more importantly feel welcome there. While museums in the UK are typically free, a part of public policy that is often celebrated, the intention behind this practice is to dismantle barriers associated with cultural capital across different social groups. However, the question remains: does this initiative effectively address and mitigate the disparities in cultural access?
Museums, despite being open to all, might still seem exclusive or intimidating, particularly for individuals who feel unfamiliar with art or cultural spaces. Some feel these spaces cater to specific cultural norms, leading to a sense of exclusion or alienation. Institutions might not always feel inclusive or welcoming to everyone, especially those from minority groups who may not see themselves represented or included in the exhibits.

Cultural capital also influences the validity of certain art forms, elevating ones associated with higher perceived cultural significance or historical importance over others and leading to practices that are socially engaged and often seen as lesser than in the contemporary art world. This is a problem. We are asking what can be done to change this perception, and we want to highlight the very importance of this type of practice. But why is it so important?
Our collective mission focuses on spotlighting the immense value of artists collaborating with communities. We’re passionate about showcasing the significance of community-based projects and programs. By engaging with communities through social practice we believe this helps to foster a sense of unity and solidarity among participants. Art, culture and curation are powerful tools that can help establish meaningful connections and partnerships. We believe in the making and curating of contemporary art that seeks to create space and give support to individuals and communities that are most marginalised as a result of social and political distinctions. Crucial to this approach is an intention to develop curatorial and artistic projects that are rooted in building community and advocating for change, both inside and outside of the art institution.

Socially engaged practices act as a powerful tool to help bring a voice to those often marginalised in our society. They can help to amplify voices, build communities and bridges and address social issues. By having these practices take place in an institution, it therefore gives value to them, legitimising them.
These practices also help to bring unique perspectives into the museum space.

Such projects challenge the boundaries of what is typically considered museum-worthy. By showcasing experiences like sharing food together in a museum space, they expand the definition of art and encourage a broader understanding of cultural expression. Projects like this help the museum to create stronger bonds with the surrounding community, directly working with people and helping to bridge the gap between the institution and its immediate environment. Challenging the definition of what ‘art’ means, and allowing those who may not have considered themselves to be ‘creative’ in the traditional sense, to feel more included and encouraged to participate.

As curators, the position we want to take to collaborate with social engagement artists is no longer “curating” a public programme or exhibition. We want to introduce the idea of hosting. To see it as a way to focus more on creating a space that welcomes marginalized groups to the public space. We also want to make sure the visitors could have more agencies to the place. They are not only come to join the activities but also participate in a process of co-creation.
We call on museums to enact a change, to shift their focus to a participatory-based model, encouraging visitors to become active participants within the museum space. Giving an opportunity to visitors to contribute their ideas stories or interpretations to displays within the museum. This can take form through various methods, such as co-creation, collaboration and contribution. An emphasis of these methods is that we do not continue to run museums as a top-down model, but look at how we can elevate visitor experiences, by seeing visitors as potential contributors to our museums. By using these models we can aim to build everyone’s cultural capability and therefore break down barriers to participation.