2024 Education and Outreach (Ed+O) Forum

We invite you to join us at the 2024 Education and Outreach (Ed+O) Forum at the Law Society of Ireland, Dublin, on Thursday 2nd May 2024.

The IMA and NIMC are once again partnering to present this annual day of discovery and sharing of knowledge, as we explore projects in museum learning and community engagement. Join us at this key event in the calendar for museum practitioners and educators from the wider cultural sector to meet and discuss topics of interest to their learning programmes, with a focus on the impact of museums on our communities. 

Ed+O provides an informal and supportive platform for exchanges of learnings, reflections on practice, and engagement with colleagues. With ample time for debate, it affords a place for critical engagement, examination and experimentation of ideas; where a lasting contribution can be made to the development of life-long learning and social impact in the museum context. 

Programme:  

10:00 - 10:25: Registration and Tea/Coffee

10:25    10:30: Welcome, Gina O’Kelly, Director, Irish Museums Association (IMA)

10:30 – 11:45: Session One:                    

The Art Library: an innovative approach to sharing artworks with isolated communities. Meadhbh Healy, Albers Curator of Collections and Public Engagement, Glucksman 

Heritage 4 Health - Social prescribing post covid. Beth Frazer, Heritage for Health Programme Coordinator, NI Environment Link

How (dis)ability is driving positive change at the Hunt Museum. Maria Cagney, Curator of Education and Outreach, Hunt Museum

11:45 – 12:35: In focus session: Ukraine

Claudia Kohler and Olena Tsarenko, Kerry County Museum, and Lily Cahill, Hazel Hogan and Kate van Khauste, MoLI (Museum of Literature Ireland)

12:35 – 13:20: Lunch (vegan, vegetarian and G-F options)

13:20 – 14:35: Session Two: 

Soil Your Pants for Science! The World of Soil Experience at Airfield Estate. Dr. Kirstie McAdoo, Director of Education and Research, Airfield Estate

Glebe Gallery Ancient Classroom. Adrian Kelly, Curator, Glebe House and Gallery (OPW)

Story vs Storytelling – using the techniques of traditional Irish storytelling in museum education. Catherine McGuinness, Research and Education Officer, Cavan County Museum

14:35 – 14:45: Comfort Break (tea/coffee)

14:45 – 16:00: Session Three:

Re-imagining the Islandmagee Witches. Shirin Murphy, Collections Access Officer, Carrickfergus Museum, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council & Dr Helen Jackson, Research Director, Centre for Communication, Media and Cultural Studies, Ulster University

Archaeology 2030: Lessons learned from a year of outreach events. Hannah Parker and Bronagh Murray, Curatorial Archaeologists, Historic Environment Record of Northern Ireland (HERoNI)

Making our own histories. Helen Beaumont, Education & Outreach Officer, National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History

16:00 – 16:10: Closing Comments, Catherine Doran, Development Officer (Education and Outreach), NI Museums Council

Registration fees: 

Light lunch and refreshments are included in registration fee. 

• IMA & NIMC members: €30
• General Registration: €45

Making your booking:  

Simply register and make payment via the form below! 

Note: NIMC members should click on General Registration and apply the discount code provided by the NIMC. 

IMA Institutional member staff can register via their account or contact office@irishmuseums.org for the discount code (discount provided up to number of allocated memberships under their tier: 2 discounted places for Type A museums; 5 for Type B; 10 for Type C). 

How to get there

The forum will be held at the President's Hall, Law Society of Ireland, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7. This is accessed through the main entrance and turn right to the end of the corridor. 

Google maps link to location: https://g.page/lawsocireland

Disability Access for Blackhall Place

With awareness of escalating costs and budgetary constraints, the forum has been scheduled to enable easy access to-and-from locations across Ireland within the day and minimise the need for overnight accommodation. 

• By bus: Bus Eireann and Translink run regular services from main locations across Ireland to Dublin. Dublin Bus is Dublin’s local bus service and the forum location is serviced by several bus routes that stop on Burgh Quay: 37, 39 or 70.
• By train: For information on national train timetables and ticketing information visit the Iarnrod Eireann or Translink websites. The national network serves Heuston and Connolly Stations, which both have frequent transport services to the conference location. The nearest local light train/tram stop is served by the LUAS (Central Zone on the Red Line) near Smithfield and the National Museum of Ireland.
• By car: Nearby parking can be found at Park Rite (Smithfield Square) 5 mins by foot, and Q Park (Four Courts) on Usher Quay, 10 mins by foot. Both can be booked online in advance.