Camma Baharı Sanat ve Kültür Konuşmaları - The Writing on the Wall

Date: March 24, 2025 - Monday
Time: 09:00
Place: santralistanbul Campus, Energy Museum

Guest:
Melissa Forstrom, PhD
Chair - Associate Professor
Global Studies & Arts Management
Purchase College - State University of New York

The event will be in English only, with no translation available. The event capacity is limited to 20 people.
For registration: kpy@bilgi.edu.tr

Workshop: The Writing on the Wall: Writing Inclusive, Accessible, and Interesting Text for Art Exhibitions 

This workshop will provide students with practical experience in working towards accessible (physically and intellectually) museum interpretation and that are welcoming to all visitors, regardless of their background, abilities, or education.  It also encourages students to think critically about how language shapes the visitor experience and how museums can create more inclusive and equitable spaces. 

Detailing the history of interpretation in museums, from the first museum through contemporary practices, this workshop provides the foundations of interpretation theory in museum studies. 

Interested in meaning-making, this workshop is designed to build your understanding of how to make written interpretation in museum galleries more inclusive and accessible to diverse audiences. Over the course of the workshop, you will explore the principles of inclusive language, accessibility guidelines, and the specific needs of different visitor groups. You will then apply these concepts by revising or creating a piece of in-gallery written interpretation that is both engaging and accessible. 

Workshop Activities: During the workshop, you will be guided through a series of activities aimed at exploring accessibility and inclusion in in-gallery written interpretation. Activities will include: 

Analyzing Examples: You will review a selection of in-gallery written interpretations from various museums and critique them from an accessibility standpoint. 

Group Discussions: In small groups, you will discuss different visitor needs and perspectives on how written interpretation can be more inclusive and accessible. 

Applying Best Practices: Using the guidelines provided, you will either revise an existing piece of written interpretation or create a new example that incorporates best practices for inclusion and accessibility. This could be a label, panel, or other interpretive text used in an art gallery setting.