The aim of this good practice is the promotion of a cultural heritage product, in this case the ReInHerit Travelling and Digital Exhibitions, through the involvement of the main target group in a series of activities which promote co-creation, collaboration, creativity and interaction with the exhibits.
In the framework of the exhibition “ReThinking Identities: Gender, Diversity, Discrimination”, the following parallel activities took place with the aim to increase impact and visitor-exhibit and can be considered as Best Practices:
• An online talk on gender and its relevant internal conflicts titled “Emotional conflicts and bodily protests” took place in the framework of the exhibition. Organizing online or face to face talks which are thematically related to an exhibition spreads the word on an exhibition. At the same time, such opportunities promote dialogue between the museum and its local and global community. To reach a wider and international audience, this Best Practice was delivered in English. Registration was free. It focused on somatic symptom disorders (SSDs) that occurred in young women passing from puberty to sexual maturity in Ancient Greece and fin de siècle (late 19th century) Europe. It also examined adult women’s somatic disorders as a reaction to rethinking their roles as wives or mothers.
• A workshop with teenagers with the title “Identities” delivered by the Civil Non-Profit Company Cinemathesis. The workshop was completed in four sessions which spanned over two months. Through the use of photography, cinematography, photocollage, self-portrait, the analysis of visual and audio material, books, archives and personal references and iconic films of international cinema, the participants had the opportunity to approach the topic of gender identity, building a digital archive of their artworks which will be in dialogue with the “ReThinking Identities” exhibition. At the end of the workshop, a short film narrating the whole experience was created. It is suggested that a small group of participants is selected for this workshop. Collaboration with experts in the field is also required, unless your organization is expert in the field of cinematography.
• A creative workshop with the title “It’s a Shirt” with a youth group in collaboration with an artist and a designer and a psychologist took place in the framework of the ReThinking exhibitions. During this workshop, the participants had the opportunity to share their own experiences, discuss and create their own genderless shirts. The whole session was filmed and the video can be used for the promotion of the exhibition and the workshop itself. Following the workshop, a mini exhibition was organized in the framework of the exhibition. All participants’ shirts were exhibited so a mini exhibition within the exhibition took place further increasing impact. A small group of people who preferably feel comfortable with each other would be preferred for this workshop as also personal and deeper experiences are exchanged. Throughout the workshop, the designer helps the participants create their own genderless shirts, paint and decorate them in the way that best expresses themselves. Simultaneously, the psychologist also leads a conversation with the participants, which is based on the concept of gender, identity and how people see themselves.
• In the framework of the exhibition, a specially curated path with the title “Identities” has been created. This curated path, guided the visitors through selected objects from the four permanent collections of the Museum of Cycladic Art which are related to gender, diversity and discrimination.
