This was the Spring School 2023
In 2023 and 2024, Museum Dr. Guislain, in collaboration with various partners, will organize a series of international training events in three European cities with a rich textile heritage: Ghent, Leeds, and Tilburg. Each edition will have a specific focus, however the common thread will be art-based activities using textile heritage.
The first edition of this series took place from at the Museum Dr. Guislain. Since the spring school is not only a training event but also an opportunity to network with people from other countries, learn from their practices, and enjoy pleasant moments together, we ensured enough social activities.
An overview
Day 1
The spring school was kicked off by Thomas Kador from University College London with a lecture titled "Cut your cloth... and spin your yarn: material, heritage, stories, and care over creative health" and working with communities. In the afternoon, there was a museum tour followed by a workshop on the "why" of well-being activities by Bart De Nil.
Day 2
Claire Wellesley-Smith started the day with an overview of her projects in the United Kingdom that connect heritage and well-being through material-based activities. This work explores the rich textile heritage of Northern England and engages with disadvantaged communities in this region. In the afternoon, participants engaged in the "Indigo Connections" workshop. The story of indigo offers many ways to work on community engagement. Participants had the opportunity to use an indigo vat and contribute to a collective project that will be exhibited in Ghent, Leeds, and Tilburg.
Indigo Connections workshop
Day 3
The entire group traveled to Antwerp for a field trip to the Red Star Line Museum. Through the new exhibition "Homesick”, they reflected on the processes that lead to community involvement. Finally, the Red Star Line facilitated a multi-sensory workshop with participants' stories of homesickness.
Red Star Line Museum
Days 4 & 5
The participants were given the assignment to develop a well-being project with a focus on textiles. They were encouraged to create a museum that:
Acts as a social hub, providing an environment where individuals can connect and engage with others, serving as a safeguard against loneliness and social isolation.
Makes use of green spaces to promote care and community involvement.
Harnesses the collection as a valuable asset for conducting well-being activities.
Creating a concept for a well-being project
On Friday, they shared four exceptionally imaginative ideas among themselves, leading to lively discussions. It is through these exchanges of thoughts and the exploration of new ideas that the core objective of the spring school is ultimately achieved.
Mission accomplished!
Mission accomplished!
Next edition: Winter School
In collaboration with Leeds Museum and Galleries and Arts & Sciences University College London we will organize the International Winter School Cultural Heritage & Wellbeing: Textile Cities from Monday, January 22nd to Friday, January 26th, 2024 in Leeds, UK.
Keep an eye on this website, our social media channels, or the Textile Cities Instagram for the opening of registrations.
For this first edition, Museum Dr. Guislain collaborated with the Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp and Arts & Sciences University College London.