Ferens Art Gallery has been shortlisted for a national award from the Museum Association’s (MA) Museums Change Lives Awards for the team’s work on the Jason Wilsher Mills: Are We there Yet? exhibition.
The exhibition, which took place from February to June this year, is up for the Championing Social Justice Award, with winners announced at the MA conference on Tuesday 12 November.
The annual awards recognise and celebrate outstanding practice by UK museums delivering social impact, promoting the best examples of work by museums and individuals that support communities and engage with contemporary issues.
Jason Wilsher Mills: Are We There Yet? was a high-impact exhibition with access at its heart; exploring artist Jason Wilsher-Mills’ life as a working class disabled person, stories of disabled people and carers he has worked with and his ongoing connection with Hull. A key work in the exhibition was “The Changing Places Argonaut”, a mega-scale inflatable artwork highlighting the campaign for fully accessible toilets.
The gallery’s work with disabled and neurodiverse artists to deliver the exhibition’s public programme and develop inclusive interpretation to engage with disabled communities, low-income families and non-art audiences, have been key factors in the shortlisting.
The gallery commissioned and acquired a new work for its collection, which took inspiration from Jason’s childhood connections to East Yorkshire and the Iron Age Roos Carr Figures in its collection. The exhibition saw 51,623 visitors and 298 participants in targeted SEND activity. The project has enabled the gallery to develop approaches and partnerships that it will embed in future programming, including implementing accessible interpretation across the museum service.
Jason Wilsher-Mills said: “‘Are We there Yet?’ was such an important show for me, as not only did I work with such a wonderful and supportive team at Ferens, but I was also given a chance to put into practice my manifesto for supporting other up and coming disabled artists in Hull through providing them with professional opportunities. We were able to fund two local disabled artists to create work, in response to my exhibition, for which they were paid.
“This makes me incredibly proud, and I would like to take the opportunity in thanking the team at Ferens for all of their care and support, which ultimately made the show such a success. I am also incredibly grateful that they believed in my work so much that they purchased it for their collection.”
Kerri Offord, curator of art at the Ferens, said: “It has been a privilege to work with Jason and the team to create an exhibition and public programme that places disability at the centre of the Ferens. Jason’s work explores his own experience of disability and of the communities he has worked.
“The stories told are done so in an accessible and engaging way, while managing to address difficult and emotional subjects. His work addresses ableism head on, while introducing aspects of human rights to new audiences, such as the need for more changing places and dignity within the healthcare system.
“By working with D/deaf, disabled and neurodiverse groups, artists and SEND schools, the team and Jason have created aspirational programming that reaches thousands. For the first time, many people feel represented at the Ferens. The newly acquired work by Jason was the icing on the cake and this award nomination is the cherry on top!”
Councillor Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for culture and leisure, said: “Congratulations to the Ferens team and to Jason on this shortlisting. This important exhibition really resonated with visitors and I’m pleased to see it recognised. Good luck to them at the awards!”
Find out more about the Museum Association awards here.
The Ferens Art Gallery is open 10am-4.30pm Monday to Saturday and 11am-4pm on Sunday. Find out more at www.FerensArtGallery.co.uk