MANCHESTER MUSEUM CONFERENCE

At the conclusion of its 12 months as European Museum of the Year, Manchester Museum is hosting a conference looking at how, in an increasingly polarised world, we can create the museums our communities really need.

 When Manchester Museum won the European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA), the judges praised the Museum for “reimagining its mission, acknowledging and addressing its complex history by redefining the role of its collections and public programmes.”

 They highlighted the Museum’s pioneering approach to co-curation – working with local and diasporic communities to bring new perspectives to collections, challenge dominant narratives, and create a truly inclusive museum where people can see themselves reflected and represented.

This special one-day conference brings together museum professionals, academics, and community partners to build on this work. Through presentations, gallery tours, workshops, and panel discussions, the conference will explore:

• What meaningful co-creation looks like in practice.

• Community-led approaches to interpretation, collections, and programming.

• Decolonisation, repatriation, and ethical collaboration.

• Leadership, care, and institutional change.

Speakers include Esme Ward, Director, and members of the Manchester Museum team, Amina Krvavac, Executive Director of the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo and Chair of the European Museum Forum, as well as leaders and practitioners from Birmingham Museums Trust, National Museums Northern Ireland, Sheffield Museums, Bowes Museum, the British Museum and more.

Whether you work in public programming, learning, curatorial practice, engagement, or senior leadership, this conference offers:

• Practical insights grounded in real-world case studies.

• Space to reflect, question, and learn alongside peers.

• Tools and ideas you can apply within your own organisation.

This is an opportunity to learn directly from the current European Museum of the Year and to be part of a wider conversation about the future of museums, communities, and care.

Tickets cost £130 and a limited number of concession tickets are available for small independent museums and low-wage freelancers. Please email museum@manchester.ac.uk to find out more about concession tickets or for general enquiries.