Ways of Seeing, A Sense of Place Project
“After graduating, I started working for the Ulster Museum as a Visitor Guide and especially
enjoyed engaging with its visitors and organising and delivering special events. During that
time, I studied for museum qualifications. I was keen to secure a place on the Community
Engagement Training Initiative because I wanted to gain the new and different practical
experience that is associated with working as an engagement/outreach practitioner. I also
wanted the experience of working in a different museum environment.
On placement at the Mid Antrim Museums Service, I am working on the ‘Ways of Seeing, A
Sense of Place’ project. This project aims to encourage community awareness of the built
environment, especially the built heritage in the Mid Antrim area using the museums’ Art
Collections as a starting point. I began the project researching the Art Collections at the
various Mid-Antrim sites before deciding which artefacts could be integrated into
engagement programmes.
CEI Trainee, Beth Frazer, residents of Sheils Housing Assosiation with representatives of Downshire
High School and Architectual Historian Rosie Hickey.
A varied range and age of audiences have engaged with the project to date including, rural
youth groups, community groups, residential groups, older peoples groups and university of
the 3rd age members.
I have designed innovative programmes to meet the needs and interests of these different
groups and audiences to support engagement with the art collections across museums sites.
Inspired by the museum’s art collections, I have encouraged an exploration of local and
social histories, and the work of Sir Charles Lanyon in Mid Antrim. In direct response to
participants needs I continue to resource learning activities and organise tours and talks on
local built heritage. What I have enjoyed the most is generating stimulating discussion and
conversations and offering participants the opportunity to develop their own creativity
based on MAMS artworks and the built heritage they contain. I have found that target
groups ‘sense of place’ in their locality and the heritage assets that their area holds has
provided an appetite for the engagement activity. Participants have personally responded
to their visual narratives within the construct of their experienced sense of place. These
activities continue to encourage civic stewardship of built heritage and museum collections
for participants on a group and individual basis.
Residents and members of Mallusk and Hydepark community action group on the ‘Exploring Sir
Charles Lanyon in Mid Antrim’ Bus Tour.
Groups have an opportunity to contribute to the planned Ways of Seeing, A Sense of Place
exhibition through text, image and audio. This group work has led to opportunities for
further audience engagement through a planned Lanyon Exhibition entitled Building
Legacies that will tour MAMS sites between April – August this year.
I am continuously gaining new knowledge, meeting new challenges and developing my
professional and personal skills on placement. I am enjoying using my creative skills to
progress the themes into programmes that the groups enjoy and connect with and have put
my own stamp on this project within the parameters of the original project brief,
encouraged by my mentor.
Looking forward, I will be reacting to feedback from consultation with groups gathered at
the ‘Beyond the Moss’ event which will progress the project further towards its stated aims.
In addition I’m looking forward to developing the two touring exhibitions and seeing their
impact on visitors.”