BARNSLEY MUSEUMS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

April 2021

Residents were encouraged not to keep their feelings bottled up, but instead share them – and their experiences of living through the pandemic – using postcards designed by artist Patrick Murphy.

The messages were portrayed in neon lights at locations around town in autumn, in similar fashion to Ian McMillan’s words ‘Barnsley’s fierce love holds you forever in its heart’, displayed at the Library @ the Lightbox.

“The messages and work collected as part of this project will provide a record of this time, and will also be used to create artworks, publications and exhibitions as part of the wider COVID memorial project,” said a spokesperson.

“Covid has brought people and communities together in a time of crisis.

“This project provides an opportunity for everyone to share their stories, acts of kindness, local heroes and positive messages as well as being an outlet to release their emotions.”

Knowing that residents in lockdown would be facing isolation, loneliness and a lack of opportunity to engage in cultural activities,

Barnsley Museums sought to continue their programmes in new and innovative ways. From heritage-based Barnsley Bingo to virtual pub trips and backyard forest schools, Barnsley Museums provided families, care homes and schools and many others with much needed cultural activity during the pandemic. They also used their existing connections to Barnsley’s refugee, asylum seekers and migrant communities to share vital public health information, helping to keep everyone safe. One of the more popular activities was the Cooper Gallery’s daily digital jigsaw challenge which has been played by over 250,000 people, as far away as Brazil.

In addition to online activities, the service acknowledged the need to ensure the offer went beyond digital programming. As part of the Barnsley Cares project, the service sent out 300 reminiscing and activity packs to every care home in the district, local charity partners such as the Alzheimer’s Society and Butterflies Dementia.

Barnsley Museums also partnered with Fusion, Barnsley’s Cultural Education Partnership to send Barnsley Museum Makes creative packs out through schools and family centres to support parents to support their children’s learning and development at home.

As a result of its work during the pandemic Experience Barnsley Museum was nominated for the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year 2021.