Museum Remix: Power & Memory

Museum Remix is back! This two-day workshop gives you the opportunity to create provocative and creative responses to our objects, exploring the theme of Power and Memory.

Your challenge

This year, we're creating audio. How can we retell the stories of our objects in creative new ways through sound?

Working with a team, you'll investigate the collections and create new interpretation, which we'll make accessible to our audiences via digital gallery labels and online.

Think songs, poems, creative writing, audio drama, soundscape: it's entirely up to you. For inspiration, take a look at some previous Remix creations. 

Whether you're a student, an early-career creative or an emerging museum professional, join us for a "jaw-dropping, eye-opening new thinking experience" - in the words of a previous participant. Meet new people, gain a closer understanding of museum work, and change the way we think about our collections. 

Which collections are involved?

This year, we're working with the:

• Museum of Classical Archaeology
• Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
• Whipple Museum of the History of Science. 

Why Power and Memory?

The University Museums have complex relationships with power, particularly with histories of race and colonialism. It’s a theme we are increasingly exploring through our collections and spaces (including a major programme throughout 2022-24), and we need to hear what you have to say about it. 

Who has the power to choose which stories we remember and tell? Where can we find acts of courage, conflict or censorship in our collections? What can museum collections reveal about the histories of empire? What does change look like today?

Dates and times

Thursday 12 January 2023, 9-5pm, and Friday 13 January 2023, 9-7pm. You'll need to be able to attend both days.

Your challenge

• Day 1: You’ll join a team of “Remixers” to explore how our museums have complex relationships with power, particularly with histories of race and colonialism with the help of museum staff. You’ll then get the chance to reimagine how some of the objects from the museums can be re-engaged with by creating audio content about them. (For inspo, visit our Soundcloud. 
• Day 2: Explore the objects and in your teams create audio content at the Museum of Classical Archaeology.
• Day 2 will conclude with a private view of your work with family, friends, Cambridge museums staff and volunteers. This is your chance to discuss your ideas and challenge our museums to make changes.

What you get from us

• A unique museum professional development opportunity, with mini workshops in storytelling, ideation and developing a story from museum staff and storytellers.
• The opportunity to network with a bunch of friendly, like-minded people
• The chance to learn more about our project investigating the legacies of empire and enslavement across our collections and share what you already know.
• Free lunch on both days and (if you are travelling from outside Cambridge City) your travel covered. 

Who can take part?

• Students at the University of Cambridge or Anglia Ruskin University, regardless of degree level and subject specialism. However, we invite students with a background in sound design and media.
• Museum professionals and volunteers. We particularly welcome expressions of interest from people in visitor services/front-of-house roles and those early in their career. We will prioritise those from the East of England.
• We particularly welcome expressions of interest from members from underrepresented groups. 
• You need to be aged 18 or over.
• You don’t need to be a “subject expert”. We are very keen to hear from a range of different perspectives, so don’t be put off if you aren’t familiar with the collections. We’ll send out a short information pack ahead of the event.

How to get involved

Please complete our short online expression of interest by 11pm on Sunday 11 December. We can provide this in an alternative format.

Click here to access the online form

In the event of high interest, we may not be able to accommodate everyone who would like to take part, and will allocate places to ensure a breadth of experiences on each team. We will confirm your place by Friday 16 December.

Any questions?

Contact Ruchika Gurung, Communities Coordinator, University of Cambridge Museums on rg683@cam.ac.uk