Put it in a museum!
“If the Museum of Chelmsford could collect just ONE object to show what your life in Chelmsford is like today, what would it be?”
That’s the question we’re asking as many of you as possible as part of our Collecting Our Futures project. If you’re already keen to answer that question then please do so, we’d love to hear your answers!
If you need a little more persuasion to tell us more about what you think that object should be, then please read on.
Last year, we joined forces with SPARK! - a youth movement of 13- to 25-year-olds using art and creativity to make Chelmsford an even more inspiring place to live. Along with Culture Chelmsford, and crucial investment from Arts Council through the National Lottery Place Partnership Fund, we came together to kick off the Collecting Our Future project – one of the four projects in the Young Cultural Changemakers Programme 2025-2027.
That sounds like a lot of people involved! But what does it mean for our museum visitors and the people of Chelmsford?
Through Collecting Our Future, we are developing a new collections policy that better reflects the diversity of Chelmsford’s communities today. We currently hold a wealth of objects and artefacts that tell Chelmsford’s story from the ice age right up until the 2012 Olympics and the start of our journey as a newly awarded ‘city’. Our museum galleries and off-site stores are brimming with interesting stories about local people who built their lives in Chelmsford.
Our story as a city doesn’t stop there, but can we truly continue to tell it in the way that we’ve been able to before? Should we? This is where SPARK! come in! As a youth movement, we are getting their involvement in reshaping what we collect and why. By partnering with young people to help us in connecting with as many communities we can, we want weaving their unique narratives into the collection, creating a rich tapestry of history for generations to come. We hope to create a legacy where the vibrant stories of Chelmsford’s communities come alive!
What does this future look like?
• Our collection shows Chelmsford’s many voices and cultures
• People feel connected to the museum and their city
• We will work with the local community to create and manage the collections future
• We create a growing collection of different stories that can help learning for many years to come
• There are strong links with schools, young people, and community groups
• We will welcome new and regular visits by people from all backgrounds
This all starts with a question. What object would show your life in Chelmsford today?
Collecting Our Future is produced by Culture Chelmsford and SPARK!, in collaboration with and funded by Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford City Council, Chelmsford College, Chelmsford For You and Arts Council England.