News Curate Your Community Story at Maidstone Museum
Six months since the opening of ‘The Oldham Gallery’, Maidstone Museum is calling on local community groups to help curate a short-term display.
Set inside the new gallery, which tells the history of Maidstone from the Tudors to the 21st century, the Community Cabinet is a chance for local groups to spotlight their own story within the borough today.
The first collection in the Cabinet was selected by Maidstone’s Polish community and includes photographs, items of clothing, maps and objects from the home. The work that the community thoughtfully gave to the curation of these objects, from the selection process, to displaying and writing interpretation boards, shows that even ordinary items can tell powerful and fascinating stories of settling and living in Maidstone.
Speaking about her community contribution to the premiere Cabinet display, Dee Lukasik said:
It was a pleasure and a proud, emotional moment to be part of the Community Cabinet initiative in the new Oldham Gallery. Our display told the story of the Polish community in Maidstone, and having my own memorabilia included meant a great deal to me. I have lived in Maidstone for many years and stayed close to my Polish roots. Even when the display has finished, I know that each time I visit the museum I was part of something that preserved and shared our history. It showed that our journey matters and that it has become part of the borough’s story as the museum now looks to feature the next community.
Maidstone Museum recognises that it is crucial for people to feel represented in local museums through their own items and words, and this opportunity gives the chance for various groups to tell their stories. The Museum would like to open the doors to its processes, while building strong and sustainable connections with the wider Maidstone community.
Groups are now being invited to apply and help the Museum team to create the next displays, and there will also be opportunities to contribute to the events programme by hosting talks related to your chosen objects. The Museum staff will also be able to support you with object installation, de-installation and writing the supporting text, with the goal of building this rotating display together.
Cllr Stephen Thompson, Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) Cabinet Member for Healthier Stronger Communities, welcomes applications for the Community Cabinet, saying:
This rolling display captures what The Oldham Gallery sets out to achieve: to show the real, modern-day Maidstone. Of course, we can only do this with you, so I invite community groups in our borough to get in touch and let our wonderful team help to tell your story.
Application forms can be found on the Maidstone Museum website, along with further information and support. Paper copies are also available from the museum.
There is no charge to contribute to the Community Cabinet.
While all objects will be considered, the Museum will prioritise proposals that complement, enhance or develop Maidstone’s social history, including all communities in Maidstone today. All items will be returned after the agreed loan period has ended.
MBC owns and manages Maidstone Museum, and envisions a borough of ‘Resilient Communities’ where residents have a sense of belonging and ‘pride in place’ in an environment where different agencies can work together in a spirit of cooperation. The connections built and the stories told through the Community Cabinet reflect this MBC priority.