Access and Events

Providing the widest possible public access to the new collection has been an important project ambition. This has included museum staff hosting events both on and offsite for students, adults, families, researchers and community groups. Brighton Museum has also welcomed many groups of university students to view objects and to find out more about the project. Students have used the collection to explore different topics relating to courses in museum studies, art history, fashion, diaspora studies, brand design, and art and design.

A group of students looking at textiles and garments laid out on a table.
University student visit to view objects in the Fashioning Africa collection, hosted by Helen Mears, Keeper of World Art, 2018.

Museum staff and Collecting Panel members have contributed to talks, presentations and hands-on events for museum visitors introducing the project and collection, as well as speaking at conferences and workshops in the UK, Europe and Africa.

A group of people sitting in a museum gallery listening to a person talking about a display.
Lunchtime ‘bite-size’ curators talk, Edith Ojo introducing her ‘Aso-oke, A Celebration of Style’ display at Brighton Museum, 2019.

Events for adults included informal lunchtime talks for weekday museum visitors, a Wikipedia edit-a-thon, and evening talks and events, with opportunities to meet designers and creatives featured in the Fashion Cities Africa exhibition, and to showcase the work of UK-based African diaspora artists, writers and researchers.

Three people sitting working at a computer.
(from left) Tony Kalume, Collecting Panel Member with former museum staff members Ellen Hall and Stephen Kisko at the Fashioning Africa Wikipedia edit-a-thon event held at the Brighton Museum, 2017.

Family events included an African Arts Festival curated by Edith Ojo. The weekend of events, inspired by the project and new collection, included fashion, film and food, created in collaboration with artists, makers, musicians, writers, performers, cultural organisations and community groups.

A room full of people watching a speaker at the front giving a reading using a microphone.
‘Writing Our Legacy’ event, part of the African Arts Festival weekend of events at Brighton Museum, 2016.

By creating this digital resource we hope to widen access and provide an introduction to the collection and overview of the project activities, especially for those unable to visit the museum in person.