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‘One thing is for sure: The inaugural Next Generation Summit is not to be missed’, says MuseumNext Founder, Jim Richardson.
This new virtual conference which will take place in July gives a platform to new voices worth listening to, with thirty presentations by young museum professionals, students and freelancers.
An open call for speakers attracted exciting talk ideas from around the globe, and topics covered will include inclusion, representation, decolonisation, sustainability, audiences and technology.
What can the event tell us about the future of museums?
‘Our Next Generation speakers suggest that the future of museums is more diverse and more socially active. With the presentations being predominately about the role of museums in tackling social issues’, says Richardson.
MuseumNext started in England in 2009 when Richardson collaborated with Museum Director and Author, Nina Simon to put together a two day event.
‘MuseumNext started with a group of young museum thinkers asking what was next for museums. At the time the answer was a focus on participatory practice and the rapidly evolving role of technology. With this new virtual conference we are asking what is important to the next generation of museum workers and the response we’ve had is quite different.’
While the speakers for the summit are all thirty or younger, Richardson hopes that the event attracts museum workers at every stage of their careers. ‘Our speakers for this event are pointing towards the future of museums, and I think that anyone looking to stay up to date with the latest thinking and trends will learn from the Next Generation Summit’.
The Next Generation Summit has been kindly supported by Art Fund, the UK charity dedicated to supporting museums, galleries and those who work in them. Art Fund will also talk about their own work with young people in the conference.
The Next Generation Summit takes place online July 18th — 20th, with on-demand access to all talks available to delegates until the end of 2022. Full details of the speakers and the programme can be found here.
