16 March 2026 Members of the SW Fed came together to explore the inspiring spaces and thoughtfully interpreted collections at the newly redeveloped Poole Museum. Interim Museum Director, Jaine Fitzpatrick, and Capital Project Manager, Alison Gudgeon, were generous with their time, leading a tour that brought to life the changes […]
An Inspiring Afternoon at the Shoemakers Museum in Somerset
Members of the South West Fed gathered at the brand new Shoemakers Museum in Street for a brilliant afternoon of learning and discussion. Sam (Deputy Director and Museum Manager) shared an overview of the museum’s wider strategy and the vision behind the capital works project. She spoke candidly about funding, income generation […]
Curating Art and Climate Change, A Visionary Talk by Kenneth Paranada
Can museums become engines of climate action? Kenneth Paranada, the UK’s first curator of art and climate change, believes they can, and his work at the Sainsbury Centre is proving it. In a thought-provoking talk, Paranada explored how art can help us imagine new worlds, spark dialogue, and inspire action […]
Russell-Cotes – A Unique Victorian Villa
Our festive South West Fed gathering at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum was a standout moment of the season. On a wild, rain-lashed Bournemouth afternoon, the house offered a wonderfully warm welcome, reminding us just how enchanting this extraordinary Victorian villa truly is. One of the day’s highlights was […]
From Store to Store Behind the Scenes at the Museum of Gloucester: Tackling the City’s Archaeological Backlog
The South West Fed, in partnership with the Museum of Gloucester and Cotswold Archaeology, hosted a special event exploring the museum’s long history and the future of its collections. Talks from museum staff and archaeologists were followed by tours of the stores and the new Discovery Centre, giving members a […]
Co-curating Manchester Museum’s South Asia Gallery
Reimagining Representation: Inside Manchester Museum’s South Asia Gallery “Whose stories do we get to see in a museum—and from which perspective?” This question, posed by Nusrat Ahmed, Lead Curator of the South Asia Gallery at Manchester Museum, became the guiding principle behind one of the UK’s most ambitious and inclusive […]