Impact Report

IMPACT REPORT

Image © Alan Russell Welcome Foreword Bristol Museums Development Trust (BMDT) is By Nigel Hardy, an independent registered charity which supports Chair, Bristol Museums Development Trust the work of Bristol’s museums and archives within Bristol City Council. Museums and galleries have the capacity to inspire creativity, foster new ways of thinking about the world There are seven sites across the city which play a huge and bring communities together. role in enhancing the cultural life of the city’s residents and visitors. The BMDT board of Trustees encourages To continue to do all the above and much more, the fundraising and awards grants towards collections and sector needs to become more sustainable in the activities across the venues. way it approaches funding models. Bristol Museums Development Trust is sowing the seeds that, in time, In doing so, the Trust supports the maintenance of will enable us to provide much greater financial the seven sites and over two million objects; supports support for the work of Bristol Museums. conservation, research, documentation, archiving and digitisation; and supports new acquisitions, displays Whilst we are eternally grateful for those donations, and community events. grants and legacies that support specific projects, we are also committed to increasing general donations which enable us to support a greater breadth of work.

I hope this brief introduction to the Trust demonstrates the many exciting projects that are giving both the people of Bristol and visitors to this wonderful city greater and more interactive access to our internationally acclaimed museum and archive collections.

2 The sites

3 Bristol Museums & Archives in numbers

artefacts, specimens and archive material held across all sites

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery alone holds over

paintings, and sculptures works on paper

There are over visitors a year across our venues making Bristol Museums the most visited free attraction in the South West

Over items have been digitised since 2002, making them accessible online

Bristol Museums and Archives holds around

photos,

films, and sound

recordings objects which were transferred in 2012 from the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum

4 Bristol Museum & Art Gallery alone attracts

visitors a year;

with visitors over one weekend for the Chinese New Year celebrations

The museums hosted

More than community events are organised across the museum sites each year pupil and student visits in the 2018-19 financial year; with of all Bristol schools having visited or participated in museum- led activities at least once in the last three years

The natural sciences collections in Bristol The museums are supported by are the largest in the South West, comprising enthusiastic geology and biology volunteers specimens collected since the late giving over 18th century hours

of their time, which equates to over Over

of visitors come from outside the city each year

5 From mission to impact “It has a relaxed effect, it gives me a wonderful opportunity to do something different and it helps me have a more fulfilling life.” Art Shed participant

Art Shed: Museums as medicine

The Trust funds a fortnightly arts and health project that provides workshops for people experiencing anxiety and depression. Art Shed, held at M Shed and Blaise Museum, allows participants to enjoy being creative with a variety of art forms and museum collections. Evaluation of participants showed a marked decrease in feelings of negativity and an overall increase in well-being.

“It’s given me a safe place to go away from home... A relaxed, friendly environment where I can unwind from stress.”

Images © Jon Craig Art Shed participant 6 y, it’s very bus very busy, it’s no time to so many peopleno coming, time to buying, so going, many people coming, buying, going, so manyno people timeno time tocoming, to buying, going, so manyvery people bus ycoming,, it’s buying, going, very busy, it’s (already on wall) & len & Get through alot of len Get through alot of Get through alot of lot of & & Get through a len len I can’t begin to what my life would be likewhat my life would be like what my life would be like I can’t begin to I can’t beginwhat to my life would be like I can’t begin to without the you make Bristol what it is … DJ and project participant DJ and project participant of at, of at, without the withoutof the at,of DJ and project participant Celebrating 50 Years without the at, DJ and project participant of of of hanade hanade of hanade hanade

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Busy, noisy, , exciting, smells, . Busy, noisy, , fruit. , exciting, are smells, ,Dee fruit. The of . TheBusy, noisy, of , exciting, smells, the , fruit. . Busy, noisy, , exciting, smells,are , fruit. , are The of are the , Dee The are , the sounds the into each other,the Local shopkeeper blur into each other, blur into each other, blur ‘Carnival is a cultural history of St Pauls The are , the soundsthe The blur are into each , the other, sounds and the struggle they went through. It’s nono time time to to are the the , are are the , are a link to when they first came.’ soso many many people people coming, coming, buying, buying,The going, going, very very busare bus y , it’s , the sounds To celebrate the 50th anniversary of y, it’s Dee Youth worker Listen to Arfan’s full story Dee St Pauls Carnival in 2018, we asked a ‘It’s really important to show all these of hanade group of volunteers to go out and gather things that are just wonderful’ of Get throughLocal resident alot of hanade Get through‘Every kid in St Pauls alot and Eastonof would I just stroll down, from the first stall I get to just turn up and jump on a lorry. This && from the first stall I get to Listen to Shanade’s full story a big bit of a big bit of personal stories about the event. was your chance to be a celebrity and be Carnival artist I just stroll down, from len len the first stalla big I bitget of to cheered on by your community’ ‘Carnival is a protest in lots of ways' a big bitI just of stroll down,from the first stall I get to You can listen to what they found here… Listen to Delroy’s full story I just stroll down, and just take in what’s it now, their Listen to Dee’s full story Community artist and project participant from all over the place come and I can’t begin to and just take in what’s and just take in what’s lan, lan, Community artist and project participant from all over the place come and it now, their I can’t begin to whatwhat my my life life would would be be like like lan, Community artist and project participant There are three ways of listening and just take in what’s lan, Community artist and project participant to the stories they just the itty, Shopkeeper and project participant their Red Stripe beer - the , they just the withoutwithout the the of Art Shed: their Red Stripe beer - the , itty, Shopkeeper and project participant of at, at, DJ DJ and and project project participant participant Police officer ‘I’ve always felt I have to be there for Carnival as one of the local officers. The volunteers on this project were: I don’t think I’ve missed one.’ Sharon Woma, Alex Mormoris, Jake Wittlin, On your phone At home Here Volunteer & lifelong punter and Listen to Chris’s full story ‘It’s a time when I feel really, really proud Antonette Clarke-Akalanne and Trevor White. bristolmuseums.org.uk/carnival at the touchscreen Breaking down barriers,of being mixed race we and to haveneed African to be celebrating and heritage,Breaking it’s a time to really celebrate down that barriers, we need to be celebrating Illustrations by Jasmine Thompson and also be proud that I’m from Bristol’ Museums asListen to Jessica’s full story jsthompson.wix.com/jasminethompson is all about, for me Mark, photographer and project participant ofof Original photography by Aiden Harmitt-Williams That’s what is all about, for me instagram.com/aidenhw Thanks for funding and support from That’s what Mark, photographer and project participant hanade hanade 35mm photographic images © Alan May Over time, it became known as St Pauls All other photography by Bristol Design, Bristol City Council Carnival and in 1991 was renamed Chef The first St Pauls Festival was in 1968. St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival to 50 years after that very first festival, ‘People come for the food innit, the This is just a small sample of the thousands of Carnival The organisers were local residents and Posters: Bristol Archives 43739/IM/PM/2/1, 43739/IM/PM/2/5, 43739/IM/PM/3/3. put greater emphasis on the African- Carnival still strives to celebrate St Pauls’ medicine different different food that people have Sound system MC tales out there. If you’ve got a Carnival story to tell, please activists who aimed to bring together the Caribbean community. rich cultural mix. A new organisation was never tried before’ ‘The community needs the carnival contact us at [email protected] or drop European, African-Caribbean and Asian from all over the place tocome bring them back and together. set-up in 2017 to help deliver the event for Listen to Glen's full story from all over the place come and it itnow, now, Early immigrants from the Caribbean settled communities and to challenge negative By this time, the event was attracting It has become controlled’ theirtheir your contact details at reception. We’ll record and add your Carnival kept growing, and in recent years future generations. in the St Pauls area of Bristol in the 1950s stereotypes of the area. thousands of revellers from across the city . Busy, noisy, , exciting, smells, , fruit. story for all to hear, helping us capture a rich oral history of has attracted tens of thousands of people Listen to Flex’s full story alongside other migrant communities from with its spectacular parade, booming sound Can Carnival maintain its community focus? Music manager The of In the early days, it was very much a from all over the UK. In the narrow streets The of . Busy, noisy, , exciting, smells, , fruit. Bristol’s most iconic community festival. Ireland and Asia. systems, and food stalls. It really depends on who you ask. ‘Carnival means that for two days of a community event with local residents selling of St Pauls, this was challenging, and year, you lose your colour and creed and their Red Stripe beer - the , Listen to the stories to find out more… are their Red Stripe beer - the they ,just the Many had been invited here to fill the skills home-cooked food from their front gardens. resulted in the event being cancelled y, it’s status, everyone comes together as one’ are the , Dee they just the gap following the Second World War and between 2015 and 2017. very bus blur into each other,the itty, Shopkeeper and project participant Find out more about St Pauls and Black History with our it’s Listen to Trini’s full story itty, Shopkeeper and project participant St Pauls provided affordable housing. very busy, The are , the sounds the are interactive story map: bristolmuseums.org.uk/stpaulstour Many have argued that it has become tooso many people coming, buying, going, The are , the sounds blur into each other,the are , Dee commercialno timeand too controlled, to no and time needs toto so many people coming, buying, going, return to its community roots. & len & len Breaking down barriers, we need to be celebratingLocal resident Breaking down barriers, we need to be celebrating‘I wasn’t very well last time, but I still dressed and of up in my bright colours and sat in my front and Getlot through of alot a big bit of from the first stall I get to garden. It was lovely to look down into Get through a I just stroll down, St Agnes park, it was all happening there.’ I just stroll down, a big bit of from the first stall I get to Listen to Joyce’s full story That’sThat’s what what is isall all about, about, for for me me Mark, Mark, photographer photographer and and project project participant participant what my lifewhat would my belife like would be like and just take in what’sand just take in what’s lan, Community artist and project participant no time to I can’t beginI can’t to begin to lan, Community artist and project participant so many nopeople time coming, to buying,so many going, peoplevery buscoming, buying, going, y, it’s very busy, it’s DJ and project participant of of at, DJ and project participant Get through alot of without the at, Get through alot of withoutto thedo I got my little doing The of & to do & my The of . Busy, . Busy, noisy, noisy, , exciting, , exciting, smells, smells, , fruit. , fruit. 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“a great introduction to the world of dinosaurs… and great to handle fossils and think about where they came from and what they were.” Teacher, Cam Everlands Primary School, Gloucestershire.

This interactive family exhibition took visitors back in Pliosaurus: time to when Bristol was covered by Jurassic oceans. The ambitious centre piece was Doris, a life size replica of a pliosaurus that would have swam over the face to face with city in shallow seas some 150million years ago. The exhibition took over two years to create and now Doris has a permanent home in the museum. The exhibition a Jurassic beast was partly funded by the Trust which also contributed to the recruitment and training of a large volunteer team to answer visitor questions. The exhibition attracted more than 76,400 visitors, making it one of the most popular of the past decade.

8 Engaging with schools The Trust contributed towards a Philosothon, a free “I felt I was exposed to many new annual event aimed at GCSE and A Level students. Working in partnership with Bristol Grammar School ideas, points of view and ways of and the Philosophy departments at the University of Bristol and University of the West of England, this communicating or sharing ideas” evening event on the theme of ‘Tobacco’ was attended by 50 students from seven different schools from GCSE student participant across the Greater Bristol area. During the event the students engaged in philosophical discussion, listened to other people’s viewpoints within different ‘communities of enquiry’ and thought through their own opinions.

9 10

Image © John Seaman local residents on future plans for the museum. plans future on residents local the from views seek can staff so atspace Blaise consultationthe development of acommunity funded Trust The at also Blaise. has workshops holding by project Shed to the Art access to able expand been team has Participation the developments, these Since to public. the opened rethatched been and re- also has Dairy The acquisitions. new and for registering access, and collections for research greater capacity providing volunteers, and skilled for staff workspace acentral isnow astore, previously Kitchen, The initiatives. into for public space community a office acurator’s from transformed been has Library The and the Kitchen. the Library and to repurpose and the roof to masonry repairs critical out carry to allocated Funds were history. social the city’s and chronicling akey in preserving role plays Blaise Blaise Museum Blaise Transforming Transforming

Image © John Seaman continue to run and be enjoyed by thecontinue public. by enjoyed and be to run can years, 40 for over of the railway part locomotive, and time, meaning that icons the such Henbury as both money and saves upkeep This in-house. repairs more volunteers to undertake railway the skilled and maintenancebuilt allows garage which bay Trust The of the creation apurpose funded expanded. to be needed at MShed the facilities viability, its Toelement of exhibits. MShed’s working maintain isan immensely popular Railway Harbour Bristol Harbour Railway Bristol

Image © Farrows Creative Funding the museums

It costs £5.8 million to run the museums each year. National government budget cuts mean that local councils have less money to spend and Bristol City Council has had to make reductions to spending across many services, including the museums, where “Superb show, you can the budget has been cut by 50% since the year 2000. really tell this was a labour We are grateful to all our donors for their support towards plugging this increasing funding gap. of love. Please keep it for future generations to enjoy.” M Shed visitor to the Bristol Music exhibition 12 Allocating funds

In recent years, an average of £200,000 is disbursed each year by Bristol Museums Development Trust towards the museums’ sites and activities.

The Trust allocates unrestricted income to support four core areas: I. Learning - providing cultural learning opportunities for children and young people in formal education from nursery to university. II. Community - delivering a range of work aimed at increasing under-represented audiences. III. Collections - conserving, restoring, recording, curating and exhibiting a vast range of objects. IV. Buildings - maintaining and modernising the buildings and facilities of the museums and historic sites.

The Trust also oversees the dispensing of restricted funds, including ring-fenced donations which support specific areas across the museums.

Did you know..?

• Bristol has the most significant collection of Chinese Glass outside of China • Bristol Museums & Archives hold Designated Museum status for a number of collections that are of national importance and rank within the top UK museums • The cranes outside M Shed are managed by Bristol Museums and they are the only working heritage dockside cranes in the UK - nowhere else can the public visit the cabs of cranes like these and take part in their operation • Records at Bristol Archives date back to the 12th Century and have been stored under lock and key since 1381 • The Banksy vs Bristol Museum exhibition in 2009 was one of the top 10 most-visited exhibitions in

You can help unlock more of the treasures cared for by Bristol Museums and Archives

We are faced with steep challenges in maintaining the organisation’s relevance and impact.

We need to:

• Preserve this vast range of world class collections for the future

• Continue to provide access for millions of people to experience creative and cultural heritage

To meet these challenges, we need support from individuals and organisations.

Whatever your interest in arts, history, education, culture and community, when you donate to BMDT, you are contributing to the work carried out by Bristol Museums - the city’s cultural heartbeat.

“InsideJapan Tours is very proud our brand, allowing us to share this to be a Bristol business and getting connection with our existing clients involved with Bristol Museums is whilst also reaching thousands a way that we can effectively raise more via Bristol Museums’ own our local profile whilst supporting marketing and those people visiting an institution that is at the heart of the exhibition we are sponsoring. Bristol’s cultural life. The team have It is also something for the team been a delight to work with and to be proud of as it is great to see help ensure that we get excellent the InsideJapan logo when out and value for money. Being associated about in town.” with Bristol Museums is great for Alastair Donnelly, InsideJapan

How you can get involved • Join our Patron Circle - Individual Patron £500; Joint Patrons £750 per annum • Give a regular gift by direct debit • Make a donation at our venues or online • Make a restricted donation to support the work of a particular collection or project • Leave a gift in your will • Sign up to Treasure, our free newsletter • Organisations can become Corporate Members - £1,500 per annum • Businesses can sponsor our events and exhibitions - from £2,500 There are many ways to get involved and support our mission. Please contact Katie Lee if you would like to find out more on ways to support our venues, activities, collections or exhibitions.

E: [email protected] T: 0117 3525 568 W: bristolmuseums.org.uk

15 “I think that Bristol Museums and Thank you Archives is an essential part of We are grateful to our main funders Bristol City Council and Arts Council Bristol. My children loved exploring England for their support. The Trust would also like to thank all individual the whole museum when they were donors, Patrons, trusts and foundations and corporate members and sponsors growing up, especially the nature for sharing our vision and helping us deliver great culture for everybody. section on the ground floor and the gypsy caravan, and since then I have continued to visit it regularly. That’s why I’m supporting it as a Patron.” Ros Kennedy

Bristol Museums Development Trust Registered charity number: 1137777 Company Registration Number: 06685688 bristolmuseums.org.uk/support

All images © Bristol Culture unless otherwise stated Designed and printed on sustainably sourced material by Bristol Design, Bristol City Council November 2019 BD12322