How the Museum of Hartlepool aims to spend near £90,000 grant to 'rebalance narratives'

Borough council chiefs have confirmed the Museum of Hartlepool has secured a grant totalling £88,285 over two years from the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund.

Work on the proposals to gain the funding began in September last year, which will be used to deliver a project titled Stories from the Sea: rebalancing the narratives of Hartlepool’s maritime and global heritage”.

In December the Museum of Hartlepool was notified it was set to receive the funding, with Hartlepool borough councillors now formally giving the go-ahead for the deal.

A report from Gemma Ptak, council assistant director of preventative and community based services, outlined how the cash will be used to fund an engagement project that will support the “redevelopment of the museum”.

She said: “The project will actively work with communities who are under-represented and marginalised, including minority ethnic and LGBTQ+ participants, in order to rebalance museum narratives.

“Stories from the Sea will make a significant contribution to achieving the vision for the Museum of Hartlepool and is evidence of HBC’s commitment to empowering communities.

“Working with underrepresented groups, increasing access to collections and handing over power to participants to remove barriers to engagement aligns with the Museum of Hartlepool’s strategic goals.”

Plans include co-producing new displays for the Museum of Hartlepool with community co-curators along with delivering public showcases, workshops and pop-up exhibits.

The project aligns with the proposed vision for the Museum of Hartlepool.

This included improving access, creating new learning and community spaces for families and events, and renovating exhibition spaces.

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