GLAMers: Enhancing GLAMs through youth engagement during the COVID-19 crisis.
The COVID-19 crisis has taken a toll on sectors of all human activity, but some were hit hardest than others, including the cultural and creative sector in Europe. This pandemic has shed light on the limited resilience of the cultural and creative sector towards unprecedented changes in human and cultural habits that (used to) relate to face-to-face encounters, visits and performances. Despite the EU’s attempts to create an action plan for reviving this sector, there is still lots to be done.
The majority of Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAMs) were unprepared in dealing with the pandemic’s consequences, including a sudden loss of income & low employment rates, as well as a severe disruption of their relationship with their audiences. These sectors were already suffering from poor community outreach over the past decades; therefore, it is hard to fathom how this health crisis has further contributed to their hardships.
Despite everything, however, civic participation against COVID-19 flourished in the form of bottom-up, community-driven initiatives for a social purpose in Europe, such as hackathons, youth activism for disadvantaged populations, 3D artifacts for citizens in need and crowdfunding initiatives. Many young people followed digital activities organised by GLAMs remotely in an attempt to support them and demonstrate solidarity with the cultural and creative sectors. What becomes evident here, is that citizens, and more specifically youth communities, are prepared to take a more active role in the support of the cultural/creative sector, should this sector offer more activities that engage the public in creative, enticing initiatives that contribute to better societies through civic empowerment.
How does one become involved then? Sometimes it takes a little more than a small step and you are there! This is where GLAMers comes in! Through our activities and open resources, our project aims to:
- provide a collection of best practices involving youth engagement as a means of GLAM recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic. This collection will be enriched with an analysis of challenges, opportunities and hidden potential of the value of youth engagement in GLAM rebirth;
- Offer advice and training opportunities to support GLAMs in their digital transformation through the participation of youth. This will allow GLAM institutions to carefully design digitally-enhanced activities, customized for a real audience;
- allow GLAMs to implement and then assess the digitally-enhanced activities involving youth;
- map social changes in relation to attitudes, stances and behaviours amongst GLAMs and youth (young persons, cultural youth organizations, young artists) in regards to cultural and civic values for better societies. All one needs is GLAMers and an appetite to help!
Who can get involved?
The GLAMers embraces a wide spectrum of stakeholders. For one, this includes Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAMs), and the cultural and creative sector in general. We also aim to involve youth organisations and young persons. All forms of youth participation are encouraged and embraced, namely:
- cultural youth associations;
- young artists;
- young activist groups for social change;
- young individuals, not belonging to a group or a community, wishing to be part of coordinated action towards a reinforced European identity.
Our EU Partnership:
Our project partners are located all over the EU and consist of a wide and complementary range of profiles: one University (Cyprus University of Technology), one NGO addressing youth communities (Citizens in Power), an SME on open and social learning (Web2Learn), a museum of national reach (Museum of Arts and Crafts) and a pan-European network of cultural organisations (Michael Culture Association). The consortium of partners has been specifically formed to ensure a pan-European outreach.
Erasmus+ KA2 project: Strategic Partnership for Youth
Main Objective of the Project: Innovation
Duration: 2021-2023
Project Applicant: Cyprus University of Technology (CUT)
This project has been funded by Erasmus+ and the National Agency of the Applicant Organisation, namely “Youth Board of Cyprus”
Website: www.glamers.eu