Intermuseum Festival 2016

The International museum festival “Intermuseum” is a greatest museum event in Russia which is held annually presenting a unique cultural space for the exchange of best practices and innovative ideas within the museum expert community, as well as for the promotion and popularization of museum activities and projects among the general public.

“Intermuseum 2016” will take place in Moscow, Russia, from 13th till 16th of May 2016. This year, the Festival is devoted to the theme - “Social Mission of the Museum in the Context of Intercultural Dialogue”. It will be held with the goal to highlight the role of the museum as an important instrument of social inclusion and cohesion, symbolically named "Museum without Borders".

Traditionally, the structure of the "Intermuseum" includes for parts: (i) expositions of Russian and foreign museums; (ii) competitive programme; (iii) business events, organized in the format of round tables and thematic discussions; and (iv) cultural programme.

The Festival is organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and prepared by the "State Museum and Exhibition centre ROSIZO" with the support of the Russian Committee of the International Council of museums (ICOM Russia), the Union of Russian museums and other partner organizations.

The international part of the business programme is prepared and coordinated by ICOM Russia. The preliminary programme include:

MUSEUM WITHOUT BORDERS. SOCIAL MISSION OF THE MUSEUM IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE

Museum is one of the most accessible public institutions, which safeguards and popularizes tangible and intangible cultural and natural heritage. By preserving the past, museums strengthen cultural identities, support social cohesion and serve as mediators in the sphere of intercultural communication. Museums around the world cease to be conservative institutions, designed solely to conserve heritage; nowadays individuals with all their aspirations and needs are in the center of the museum’s attention. The visitor is more involved in the museum activities, and museum pays an increased attention to issues of sustainable development. The museum becomes a socially responsible organization working with various social groups. This new role of museums is emphasized in the UNESCO “Recommendation Concerning the Protection and Promotion of Museums and Collections, their Diversity and their Role in Society”. “Museums are vital public spaces that should address all of society and can therefore play an important role in the development of social ties and cohesion, building citizenship, and reflecting on collective identities”

Section 1: “The Museum Potential in the System of Social Support: Strategies and Mechanisms of Interaction”

Museums should expand and strengthen their presence in the life of society and of each person. They are able to make significant contribution in improving the quality of life for people with disabilities and special needs, as well as in the process of cultural adaptation of migrants and socialization of the marginalized members of society. As a unique space for dialogue, communication, knowledge and creative expression, the museum becomes a driver for development for all members of society taking into account different socio-economic, psycho-physiological and other aspects.

Key questions for discussion:

• Museums and people with disabilities: the specifics of work;

• The role of museums in broadening of cognition for people with disabilities;

• The museum environment as a factor for transmitting of cultural values and improvement of the emotional state of children-orphans and children without parental care;

• Cultural adaptation in museums: migrants and refugees;

• The museum as a space and tool for (re)socialization of persons serving a sentence and ex-prisoners;

• Working with vulnerable groups outside the museum.

Section 2: “Museum and Local Community”

Today, the preservation of cultural and natural heritage, and the development of cultural tourism is considered in close connection with the surrounding landscape, socio-economic development of the region and the livelihoods of the local community. In the process of the management of heritage sites and the creation of cultural products, local inhabitants turn from simple observers to active participants. Their knowledge and experience contribute to the formation of museum expositions and interiors that most accurately reflect the historical reality and its relationship with the present and the future. The museum becomes a natural centre for the local community, a place for the development of the local economy and improvement of the living standards through efficient and responsible use of cultural resources.

Key questions for discussion:

• Can the museum form cultural identity of the city, region, country?

• How do new forms of social activity of the museum affect the realization of its basic functions (preservation, research and popularization)?

• Should the museum act as a mediator in solving complex social problems or conflicts?

• How educational programs focused on interpersonal and inter-group interactions can stimulate social cohesion?

• The museum as a guarantee of sustainable socio-economic development of the territory.

Section 3: “Museum as a Space for Dialogue and Understanding of the “Other”

One of the most urgent issues of the contemporary world is the creation of conditions for intercultural dialogue. The key to understanding cultures on a global level is to promote respect for different cultures and communities through cultural and educational institutions from an early age. By force of the specifics of their objects, collections and knowledge, museums can teach people to appreciate and respect the "other": other persons and cultures, other fields of science and arts, different human activities, practices, traditions and spaces. The museum forms a unique platform for communication for representatives of various social, cultural, ethnic, religious, professional, age and other groups of society as well as different states.

Key questions for discussion:

• The museum as a channel for communication, which widens horizons of intercultural understanding and interaction;

• Means and methods to get acquainted with different cultures (thematic excursions, festivals, educational programs, the celebration of international days related to cultural heritage and diversity);

• How to harmoniously introduce different cultures outside of their traditional context?

• How to involve representatives of communities from which museum objects and collections proceed to the process of their interpretation and creation of exhibitions;

• How to show different points of view on one historical/cultural event?

Section 4: “Museum Education”

Education, not being a primary function of the museum, however, permeates all museum activities. A distinctive feature of the museum education is its flexibility and variability. There are no strict standards and norms in the museum education, and it makes this environment more liberal and open to new information and communication technologies. Museums engage new audiences, use new languages and new media. Innovation enhances public accessibility of museums, and develops knowledge about heritage and strengthens the role of museums in educational sphere. In recent years, museums have been collaborating more actively with educational institutions and becoming one of the most important venues for lifelong learning, especially for education of the younger generation. Museums, while preserving the past, make huge investment in the future. Museum education promotes emotional and intellectual development of the society, which is the key to sustainable development of the state. At the same time, the ability of the museum to work with different generations and social groups makes it unique and extremely important educational venue.

Key questions for discussion:

• What is the place for the museum education is in modern society?

• Museum and school –  facets of interaction;

• The museum education from the status of additional education to the status of a support site for general and higher professional education.

• Museum education – education for all;

• What are the competences of specialists required for the implementation of the museum educational programs within its social objectives? Do museums have such specialist now?

• Higher educational institutions, students and museums as three players in preparation of new museum specialists.

Section 5: “Museum Language: How to Communicate with the Visitor”

The development of information technology and appearance of new means of communication force museums and other cultural institutions to find new possibilities of interaction with visitors. Global flow of information makes it difficult to attract, and most importantly, hold the audience's interest. Museums should elaborate new strategy of behavior in order to take its place in the hierarchy of visitor needs and preserve the position of desirable cultural, educational and social venue. What does this mean for museums? The modern concept of Museum 2.0 is based on the direct participation of visitors in the development of the museum projects. Museum tries to develop together with its visitors. This is possible only under the condition that they speak the same language.

Museum language – what is this? Museum opens channels of comprehension of past, present and future using the language of exhibitions and collections. This is a basis for its uniqueness and attractiveness. However, the need to attract a broad, multidisciplinary audience, forces museums to follow certain "trends" using popular discourse in the realm of leisure, easily understandable to the modern consumer. Should museum use such methods? How can museums compete with the energy of other media resources? While listening to the audience preferences and implementing different practices, how can museums preserve the essence of museum work which is not aimed at providing fun and temporary feelings,  but is called to transmit meanings and values through cultural objects? How can museums create more clear and understandable communicative discourse? Does the museum have power to guide and shape needs of the audience, raising interest and good taste?

Call for papers

If you wish to present a paper during one of the mentioned thematic sections, please send abstracts to ICOM Russia Executive directorate.

Abstract should include:

• Name of author(s);
• Organization and position;
• Title;
• Text of the abstract (150 – 200 words);
• Section in which you would like to participate;
• Contact details;
• Equipment that you will need for your presentation.

In your abstract you should specify projects that your museum has already implemented or started to develop, or proposals on concrete actions or events to execute social mission of the museum. This would be the main criteria for the selection process.

Deadline for the abstract submission - 08 of April 2016. All abstracts should be sent to:  icom.russia@gmail.com.

Applicants will be informed about the results not later than 22 of April 2016.