See Calke Abbey for up-to-date details of what’s on
Previous events
Unlocking Stories of Loneliness and Isolation: The Ethics of Interpretation
Thursday 9th May 2019, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Learning Room, Calke Abbey
As awareness grows of the enormous challenges posed by loneliness, how does Calke Abbey tell stories of loneliness in an ethical and responsible way? Through a mixture of lectures, workshops, tours and discussion, this public talk explored how HumanKind challenges traditional narratives and how an ethical framework was developed for interpretation at Calke. We also discussed some of the broader, ethical issues facing the National Trust today and explored questions of privilege, presenting multiple perspectives and interpreting difficult histories. It was a day for active thinking and engagement.
Speakers and facilitators included ethics specialist Janet Marstine (University of Leicester); Suzanne Macleod, Professor of Museum Studies (University of Leicester); Julie Howell (HumanKind Creative); Dan O’Carroll, Researcher (Falmouth University); and Alison Thornhill, Community and Engagement Manager, Calke Abbey (National Trust). The session was chaired by Jocelyn Dodd, Co-Director of RCMG (University of Leicester).
Exploring the role cultural organisations can play in encouraging us to think about loneliness, challenge stigma, and act to end it
Tuesday 12th March 2019, 2.30-4.30pm, Learning Room, Calke Abbey (free admission)
Today, as awareness grows of the enormous challenges posed by loneliness and the harmful impact of social isolation on more and more lives, how can cultural organisations present stories and insights and utilise their incredible resources to challenge stigma, get people talking, and prompt all of us to make small but significant changes in our lives to address this pressing social issue?
The discussion was led by speakers and facilitators from diverse perspectives, who included Kate Jopling – author of the Jo Cox commission report ‘Combatting loneliness one conversation at a time: a call for action’; Suzanne MacLeod – Professor of Museum Studies (University of Leicester); Alison Thornhill – Community and Engagement Manager (Calke Abbey National Trust); Paul Cann – Co-founder of the Campaign to End Loneliness and Chair of Entelechy Arts; and Laura Phillips – Head of Interpretation and Display (Derby Museum & Art Gallery).