Annual Review 2018-2019
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
AnnualAnnual ReviewReview 2018-20192018-2019 Our year of highlights On 20 April 1868, a new museum opened in Exeter, known as The last 150 years have seen momentous change but RAMM 2018 was an important year for RAMM, a busy year of it. Members receive a monthly e-newsletter, personalised the ‘Albert Memorial Museum, School of Art and Science and has remained true to the vision of its founders and central to celebration which saw 251,983 visitors pass through our doors. webpages, discounts in The Shop at RAMM, and other benefits. Free Library’. Since then, RAMM has been a place of wonder the cultural life of the city and county. It was also a year of commemoration as we marked the end of At a time when local authorities are facing significant financial and discovery, connecting people with the world around them the First World War with two poignant exhibitions: Canadians pressures, it is important that RAMM looks to its financial Of course, the museum couldn’t do this without its funders and encouraging them to be curious about their place in it. in Devon and Devon Voices. sustainability. The new membership scheme, alongside an and supporters. As well as the funding from Exeter City RAMM is Exeter City Council’s flagship cultural service and increased focus on fundraising and income generation from Council, RAMM is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Our 150th anniversary celebrations began in April 2018. holds a special place in the hearts of the people of the city. commercial activities, will become more and more important Organisation. It also benefits from the contribution of other Thousands of people shared a memorable and joyful day when in securing the future of RAMM. In September, as part of the museum’s 150th anniversary grant-giving bodies, sponsors, the support of its Friends, spectacular animal puppets and hundreds of masked children celebrations, RAMM was honoured by a visit from Her Royal Development Trust, individual donors and its army of filled the city centre for RAMM’s Carnival of the Animals. Over the year, the team has continued to work hard to open Highness, the Princess Royal. During the visit, staff, partners and volunteers. I would like to thank them all. The museum Throughout the year, we held celebratory concerts and up the museum to wider and more diverse audiences. volunteers highlighted some of the museum’s splendid work would not exist without them. exhibitions, commissioned Phizogs, a new artwork by award- We collaborated with a local community group to produce a such as the innovative Exeter: A Place in Time project, with the winning artist Bedwyr Williams, Alfie’s Night Out, a children’s temporary exhibition display exploring the First World War Councillor Rachel Sutton, Universities of Exeter and Reading, the newly refurbished Africa Camilla Hampshire, book about RAMM, and even produced a special 150th and its connections to people of Chinese, South Asian and Portfolio Holder displays in the World Cultures gallery and the involvement of Museums Manager and anniversary beer, Albert’s Ale. African heritage. We held a ‘takeover day’ for young people for Economy and Culture, Exeter’s Hindu community in the redisplay of the museum’s Cultural Lead with disabilities and hosted a festival of digital art created by One of the highlights of the year for me was the exhibition Exeter City Council statue of Ganesh. The visit made me feel immensely proud of young people. Our RAMMbingo project saw us working with Criminal Ornamentation: Yinka Shonibare MBE curates the Exeter’s museum, providing a snapshot of the wonderful work local disability organisations to produce a resource to help Arts Council Collection, bringing as it did over 100 high-quality it does. people explore the museum. From working with elderly people works by 50 artists to Exeter. This was part of our increased in sheltered housing to address issues of loneliness and social focus on bringing contemporary art to more traditional isolation to launching a supported internship programme museum visitors, and it attracted a younger audience too. including people with disabilities, autism and mental health We held our first RAMM Lates event in February, an after-hours issues, I am constantly moved by the difference RAMM can event combining arts, music and fun activities with food and make to people’s lives. drink in a stimulating museum environment. The event was Looking through this review, the hard work and dedication of very well received, with people commenting on how the RAMM’s amazing people shines out and I would like to thank Lates concept is a welcome addition to Exeter’s nightlife. them for everything they do to make the museum such a In September, we launched our free online membership wonderful place. scheme with the aim of building a community of people who support the museum and want a deeper engagement with 2 Annual Review 2018-19 RAMM Home to a million thoughts RAMM Home to a million thoughts 3 Annual Review 2018-19 Loaned out nearly TripAdvisor: RAMM’s website Facebook: RAMM welcomed 10p received and supported Our year in numbers 500 Average donation 4.5/5 4,766 objects to per visitor Rated #1 out of 353,462 followers 21 institutions around 94 things to do in views interns and student the world Exeter work placements Welcomed Welcomed Commercial 251,983 5,730 income generated from venue hire, up RAMM is 227 volunteers Instagram: visits guests at ticketed 13% of visitors operated by contributed events 49% spent in the shop 3,096 (up 7%) 32 full time and 14,492 hours followers 21 part-time staff Over 20,000 school children and students took part in learning activities and tours 4 Annual Review 2018-19 RAMM Home to a million thoughts RAMM Home to a million thoughts 5 Annual Review 2018-19 Celebration time! 2018 Marked RAMM’s 150th Anniversary Other 150th events included a wonderful After the death of Prince Albert in 1861, classical concert held at Exeter Cathedral, one of his Great Exhibition secretaries, performed by the Exeter Music Group Sir Stafford Northcote launched a campaign Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leo Geyer to raise public funds so that a fitting memorial and this time featuring Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of could be constructed to the Prince Consort the Animals. and the benefits of education and culture We held two special 150th exhibitions: Behind could be brought to the people of Exeter the Scenes at the Museum, was revealed and beyond. through the documentary photography of On 21st April 1868 RAMM first opened its Jim Wileman, and Alfie’s Night Out which doors to the public and celebrated with a illustrated the makings of the children’s book programme that included a parade through of the same title, following Alfie the sparrow’s the city of gentlemen who had supported exploration of the museum and its collections. the project; music and entertainment. We commissioned contemporary artist Bedwyr To celebrate this milestone anniversary RAMM Williams to produce a new temporary work curated a programme of celebratory events celebrating RAMM’s collections. Phizogs, which throughout 2018 which referenced the original made a dramatic statement in the Queen opening. The height of the celebrations Street hall, flipping the usual visitors’ view, occurred on 21st April 2018, when we held into one of being viewed. a different sort of parade, a Carnival of the On 24th September, RAMM was honoured Animals which led people through the city by a private visit from The Princess Royal. and into a sunny Rougemont Gardens to be The commemorative plaque marking her delighted by music, museum object handling visit and RAMM’s 150th Anniversary will be and circus style performers; then back to installed at the Garden entrance in 2019. RAMM for more music, Albert’s Ale for the The support we received throughout the adults and birthday cake for all. The event year showed that peoples sense of pride and was funded by Arts Council England, affection for RAMM is as strong today as it Exeter BID, the Friends and the RAMM was back at its origins. Development Trust. 6 Annual Review 2018-19 RAMM Home to a million thoughts RAMM Home to a million thoughts 7 Annual Review 2018-19 Highlights 2018-2019 RAMM Home to a million thoughts 9 Annual Review 2018-19 A YEAR OF HIGHLIGHTS RAMM Home to a million thoughts 11 Annual Review 2018-19 Alfie’s Night Out Exeter’s Fine Art Collection: Pop Art in Print Devon Voices Illustrator Victoria Byron Childhood Drawing from the V&A’s 1914-1918 created a new work for This exhibition explored the outstanding collection of pop Marking the centenary of the RAMM’s 150th anniversary. changing face of childhood art graphics, this exhibition First World War armistice, this Alfie the Sparrow sits amongst and child iconography from offered a comprehensive and exhibition used letters, diaries, the birds in the gallery. the 17th to the 20th century. exciting view of artists working photographs and objects to When all the visitors have left, Before the Enlightenment in in this style from the 1960s reveal Devon lives through something magical happens: the 18th century, children in to the early 2000s. Inspired this extraordinary period. the museum comes alive and art appeared as miniature by commercial graphics and A partnership project Alfie goes exploring. adults. This gave way to popular culture, the pop art between RAMM and the Victorian notions of childhood movement generated an The exhibition included Devon Remembers Heritage innocence and romanticism, innovative and prolific culture original illustrations from Project, the stories had been illustrated in the Kate of printmaking, creating art the book as well as Victoria’s uncovered by modern- Greenaway works The Stick which both mirrored and sketchbooks.