Becky SolomonThe Yorkshire Museum has been nominated for the prestigious Clore Award for Museum Learning, a prize worth £10,000.
The Museum has made the long list for the award for its Celebrating Severus project and is one of only ten that made the list in the country. The Clore Award 2012 focuses on work with children and young people. The award recognises quality museum and gallery learning and achievements in learning programmes that develop knowledge, skills, values and enjoyment of the participants. It has been developed to enhance children’s and young peoples accessibility and enjoyment to culture.
The Celebrating Severus project was launched last year marking the 1,800 years since the Roman Emperor’s death in York. The exhibition incorporated a collaboration of works by young people from York and the Yorkshire area. Works included film, fashion, poetry and theatre. Contributions from York included performances from the Theatre Royal Young Actors and a fashion display from York College students on their interpretations of what Severus and his wife might wear today.
Septimius Severus was the first black citizen to hold Rome’s highest office. York became his home for the last three years of his reign, and brought with him a cosmopolitan period of culture and fashion that made a real impact on the city. He died in York on February 2, 211.
The exhibition incorporated fashion and film, exploring the Roman exhibition through new ideas, particularly fashion garments and film to help fuse young peoples connection with historic culture. By allowing students to showcase their own contributions the exhibition was transformed into an exciting and interactive project.
The Yorkshire Museum museum re-opened in August 2010 after a £2.2 million refurbishment, creating three new galleries on Roman York, Medieval York and Extinct, and also the Learning Level and the History of York audio-visual spectacular.
The Museum have stated if they won the prize money, it would go towards funding projects for young people to engage with geological collections. The short-list for the award will be announced on 14 May and the overall winner will be announced at an award ceremony at the British Museum in London.
