Episode 7 - Gathering of Strangers

This episode of the Arts First podcast reviews a recently published book, Gathering of Strangers, by Tate director, Maria Balshaw. While the book itself is aimed at museum managers, anyone who loves museums for their collections, and fears for their future, might want to pay attention. Balshaw has spent her career involved in the process of transforming museums from institutions of knowledge and education, centred around collections of historical objects and art works, to ‘facilitators of social change’, rewriting history to support decolonisation theses, instrumentalising collections in the name of diversity, equity and inclusion, and promoting artivism — social activism in the arts. We consider whether Balshaw’s negation of art and history threatens the future of museums. 

Joining Arts First cohosts, Wendy Earle and Niall Crowley, are Vicky Richardson, freelance writer, curator and consultant; JJ Charlesworth, writer and art critic; and Kevin Yuill, emeritus professor of history, University of Sunderland