RECHARGE Diary

On the 1st of February the Hunt Museum hosted an online participatory session, the first of its kind within the RECHARGE project. The Hunt Museum’s primary objective throughout RECHARGE is the development of new participatory business models for museums, using the living labs methodology. By doing this we aim to develop longer term corporate social responsibility action, in conjunction with local community and museum needs. These new participatory business models are required to allow museums to survive and serve their local communities, as well as serving businesses who are looking to get more impactful/meaningful returns on their corporate social responsibility activities.

The Hunt Museum is seeking to engage with businesses which have a Corporate Social Responsibility budget and a desire to create a sustainable community impact. This should result in a long-term partnership approach, as opposed to the traditional modes of sponsorship. The Hunt is planning a co-creation workshop on February 10th to identify and explore these needs to collaboratively ideate a number of possible projects, delivered using the Living Labs methodology. 

To prepare for the workshop on the 10th of February, a group of 8 museums from Ireland attended a 90 min online session on the 1st of February. The aim was to establish what value adding propositions museums could bring to the commercial sector. In preparation, the participants were sent a presentation in advance, which gave an overview of the strategy that the Hunt Museum has for the Living labs, it included a definition of CSR and a list of the benefits of CSR for the intended stakeholders (the primary stakeholders being companies, museums and local communities). Participants were then encouraged to look at the various skill sets offered by museums and consider the unique value that they can bring to a business model akin to the one being considered by the Hunt Museum for the purpose of this Living Lab. 

To give an example, some of the skill-sets offered by museums included: Communication to diverse groups from local mens sheds to dementia sufferers, children, youth and elderly, Expertise in launching public discourse on social issues, Exhibition and display, Community engagement, inclusion and accessibility, Creative and innovative thinking, Curricula knowledge and educational skills - to name a few. The next section of the presentation included examples of areas where museum’s could add value to businesses. Here again a number of examples were given with the aim of spurring on idea generation in order to further develop the participatory nature of the conversation.

The session was hosted by Gina O’Kelly from the Irish Museums Association, and participants ranged from museums from across the country. After initial introductions, a brief overview of the RECHARGE project and the aims of the Hunt Museum through Living Labs. The participants engaged in a discussion relating to the various value propositions that they could bring to the Co-creation workshop on the 10th February. This conversation was lively and the mood was inquisitive and informative as the group contributed their thoughts and experiences under the headings Product & Service Design, Education, Culture, Health & Well-being, Community, and Environmental. Pivotal points made included the importance of looking at the collaboration between museums and businesses as a symbiotic relationship: whatever activity emerges from it shouldl be mutually beneficial and sustainable. Another was a greater understanding of the value museums can offer to the commercial sector. All participants emerged from the session armed with new ideas to bring forward for the co-creation workshop - and we look forward to discovering & sharing the results of it.