I'm interested in:
the Facilitating
Curators
the Gallery Team
the Participants in Research Group
the Audience
the Evaluator
Throughout the project the Participants in the Research Group identified these evolving emotional themes:
start
Journeys with ‘The Waste Land’ has been an innovative three year project, bringing members of the community and Turner Contemporary together to develop the gallery’s major spring 2018 exhibition. The starting point was T. S. Eliot’s famous poem, 'The Waste Land' (1922), parts of which were written whilst Eliot was convalescing in Margate.
Learning is at the heart of Turner Contemporary, evident in this unique project, where participation and engagement comes to the fore, testing and building a new curatorial method which incorporates the knowledge and insight of members of the local community at all stages of the curatorial process.
The exhibition was developed by Turner Contemporary, facilitated by external curator Professor Michael Tooby, and Research Curator, Trish Scott, in collaboration with local research participants and volunteers.
concept and inception
April 2015: Concept Development
Journeys with 'The Waste Land’ began many years ago, with conversations between Mike Tooby and Victoria Pomery long before Turner Contemporary opened. Formal correspondence around the concept of a community curated exhibition began in early 2013. A funding application was made in the Autumn of 2014. Trish Scott was appointed as research project co-ordinator/curator
the beginning of
formal talks at
Turner Contemporary
2013
April - August 2015: Recruitment and formation
Over the summer, Trish engaged with individuals and community groups in Margate, to gauge interest. An internship programme with the University of Kent tested the research methodology. On Friday 15th August, an open call was sent by email: "... if you'd like to get involved with researching the poem and contributing ideas for a ground-breaking exhibition, join The Waste Land research group. No experience is needed, just your enthusiasm."
125 people responded; 67 gathered at Nayland Rock Shelter for a reading of the poem..
setting up the project
67
number of people who
attended the first meeting
September - November 2015: Call to action
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September - November 2015: Start up research sessions
Trish programmed a series fortnightly meetings at locations beyond the gallery, to share and discuss each of the five sections of The Waste Land.
A range of inputs were designed to appeal to a broad range of interests and learning styles.
The attendance at these sessions averaged between 40-70 people.
There were additional ‘working’ meetings to discuss curatorial process and decision making with an emerging core group.
December 2015: Members take the lead
Group debates around the concepts of ‘agency’ and ‘intention’ were presented at the Herbert Read Gallery
A Research Group of ? regular members evolved.
A members’ project website was set up with support from University of Kent interns.
Separate, self- led meetings of a walking group and a reading group began were being held.
Participants brought their first suggestions for exhibits. From this emerging themes were identified.
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research and selection
January - May 2016
Thematic research
Fortnightly meetings of the Research Group. further defined the process, and generated a long list of possible exhibits.
In March funding from the John Ellerman Foundation funding confirmed, securing continuity through to the end of the exhibition.
June 2016
Deciding on artworks
The Research Group held a ‘selection’ day, devoted to identifying priority loans and key works.
The Coventry group began to meet, with introductory sessions run by Margate participants.