I was honoured when GEM Director Rachel Tranter invited me to represent GEM at the M+H Show in early May at Olympia West in London. I felt especially privileged to attend this event  as GEM Exhibitor and actively help out at the organisational stand. As a postgraduate student in museums and galleries learning, I was especially pleased to attend as the various sessions and themes presented during the show were incredibly pertinent to my course.

When I arrived at Olympia West for the second day of the M+H Show I felt a blending of emotions. As it was the first time I had the opportunity to join the M+H Show, I was very nervous and excited at the same time. After almost two years of the pandemic, it was great to be present in a room full of people who share the same passion and love as me and are active participators in the endeavour to enhance the learning nature of the sector.

After taking a short walk to the exhibition space, I found the GEM stand in the sector support hub section. Fellow professionals from Arts Council England warmly welcomed me and immediately we began to chat and get to know each other. One of the members of the team kindly gave me the Let’s Create information pack which explained their ambitious strategy aimed at blossoming creativity and culture across the UK. I continued to discuss with the team about the different ways Arts Council England can assist cultural organisations to apply for grants and engage with their strategy, Let’s Create. I was particularly interested in exploring more details regarding fresh ideas for funding applications as I had been tasked with preparing and writing a funding proposal as part of one of the assignments of my course MA in Museums and Galleries in Education. Having the unique opportunity to attend Emmie Kell’s session on the funding initiatives of ACE was a highlight for me. In her keynote, Emmie shared some great tips and ideas for applications, emphasing the need for cultural institutions to engage with ACE current strategy. She also invited more applications from museums and heritage sites highlighting the huge opportunities the ACE has to offer to the sector. When the session came to an end I left with a very clear impression on what would be expected to apply for funding to Arts Council England. Personally, this session offered me the appropriate tools and equipped me with me all the confidence not only for writing my assignment but also for my future professional development.

The other session I had the opportunity to attend was dedicated to an experiment in how immersive digital multimedia and creative practice offered new interpretation and changed the story of SS Great Britain transforming it into a multi-sensory exhibit. Kate Rambridge, Head of Interpretation at SS Great Britain Trust, working together with performance poet Saili Katebe and the Director of Limbic Cinema, Thom Buttery gave their dry dock a creative transformation into a huge digital installation and an immersive multimedia experience. Saili Katebe performance poet wrote a new narrative for the installation addressing universal themes such as migration and freedom. This session made me think and reflect upon the importance of making collaborations between museums and professionals from different sectors in order to give an alternative interpretation to the artefacts, talk about invisible aspects of (hi)stories, and trial new practices such as immersive storytelling.

It was fun and inspiring to manage our stand during the day and particularly interesting to connect with people and discuss the different and various ways in which GEM can support them to develop and expand their practical skills. I had the opportunity to meet an individual coming from a different sector wishing to start a career in museums and heritage sector. We spoke about the GEM Membership and Training Courses as an ideal starting point for her to explore how the museum and heritage sector works in the UK and to help her connect and build a network with other people who share the same career inspirations. Being a member of the GEM team and having the opportunity to introduce newcomers to the various aspects and the blend of support, advice, and networking that GEM can offer to them was a valuable experience for me. This way, in my opinion, our community becomes an organic and creative hub open and accessible to everyone interested in learning in museums  and heritage.

The Museums Mix networking zone at M+H Show was also particularly interesting. It was an informal session and contact area for constructive dialogue and critical conversations with fellow professionals on a wide range of themes regarding the sector. A few of my UCL classmates came specifically to join GEM’s Networking Hour and I was so happy to see familiar faces in the space. It was extremely helpful to hear their reflections about M+H Show and their initial impressions of the event. M+H Show gave us the chance to meet fellow professionals and connect with them as well as to learn about new developments within the museums and heritage sector.

During the networking hour, I met and chatted with professionals coming from the Jewish Museum London, the Cartoon Museum and Museum of London. They were all willing to share their knowledge and sector expertise. These conversations gave me a different perspective and provided me with fresh ideas and inspiration about the learning that takes place in museums and heritage sites. Specifically, one individual shared her experience and thoughts on how a graduate student can enter the sector and she suggested that we should start applying for jobs immediately after we finished the course.

It was fantastic to meet a range of people coming from various angles of cultural organisations to celebrate how museums and heritage sector can not only be creative and inspiring places but also have the power to change lives.

On a more personal level, I truly believe that this invaluable experience helped me to discover more about the learning potential of the sector, increased my knowledge and understanding, and enhanced my confidence. Thank you, GEM for inviting me on this amazing journey.

See you next year!