UKC

Museum of the Great Outdoors - Call for Contributions

The Museum of the Great Outdoors is a new initiative led by the University of Sheffield. Building on Sheffield City Council’s rebranding of Sheffield as the UK Capital of the Great Outdoors, we aim to explore the unique relationship between Sheffield, the Peak District and its diverse communities of users and to capture the history, heritage, culture and creativity of the outdoor community in all its manifestations. Our pilot exhibition, hosted by the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (4-6 April), asks:

‘What goes in a Museum of the Great Outdoors?’

We welcome contributions to the pilot exhibition in the form of posters or other forms of exhibit. Proposals may cover areas of existing or planned research, enquiry, creative or practice-led activity. You can consider the Great Outdoors in relation to any theme, although we have some suggestions:

Communities: How have communities, both real and virtual, developed around and in relation to outdoor activities?

Urban/rural: To what extent has the great outdoors been assimilated into and influenced the identity of the city?

Histories and memories: What is the current 'heritage' of the Great Outdoors and what remains to be discovered?

Places and landscapes: How are places and landscapes given meaning and transformed through outdoor activities?

Wellbeing: What are the physical, mental and social benefits of the great outdoors and how can inequalities of access be addressed?

How to apply
To apply, please send us an outline of your idea using the guidelines provided below. Proposals should be up to one A4 page in length and submitted no later than 21 February. Production costs will be covered for accepted posters (A1 print - design assistance available) and exhibits (up to a maximum of £50), which will be put on public display at the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival in the Showroom Cinema, 4-6 April 2014.

Expressions of interest (not exceeding one A4 page) should include:
A short biography of the contributor(s)
A summary outlining the nature of the research or other activity
An indication of the format and cost of the exhibit (e.g. poster or other)
A brief statement explaining why this would make a good exhibit for the Museum of the Great Outdoors

Deadline for expressions of interest: Friday 21 February 2014
To: Oli Johnson (o.johnson@sheffield.ac.uk)
More info to follow here: http://museumofthegreatoutdoors.blogspot.co.uk/

In reply to Oli Johnson:

Is it just me who thinks it's just a tad presumptive to brand Sheffield as the "UK Capital of the Great Outdoors"?

In reply to redscotti:

Consider it a provocation - it's that question that we are trying to explore through the Museum of the Great Outdoors. What does it mean to be a major urban centre and an outdoor capital?

In reply to olijohnson:


That's a good question. It's probably up there with 'do people want fire that can be inserted nasally?'

In reply to Oli Johnson:

Half of my kit should be in a museum, you're welcome to make me an offer for these "valuable artefacts".