Lorna Lee reveals how William Morris Gallery boosted its visitor numbers from 17,000 to 110,000 by engaging local people.
The London Borough of Waltham Forest in north east London is a highly diverse borough with relatively low levels of cultural engagement. This was reflected in low levels of resident awareness of the William Morris Gallery, owned and operated by the council. Its visitor numbers had been in decline: 17,000 annual visits at the lowest point, and only a small proportion of visitors from the local area.
We have benefited from venturing further and more regularly outside the walls of the gallery including popular half-term activities in the local shopping centre
With its collections and stories, the gallery had immense potential to become a local and national destination. With political drive and the right team in place, the ambition was set to transform it and make it meaningful to local communities. William Morris, born in Walthamstow, had believed passionately in art and education for all, and his lifelong goal was to bring art, beauty and creativity into the lives of ordinary people. So these fundamental principles underpinned the £5m redevelopment, funded by the council, Heritage Lottery Fund and a range of charitable trusts and funders including the Monument Trust. As a result of the redevelopment, the gallery went on to be awarded Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2013.
We recognised that we needed to create a more sophisticated offer for different age groups, from our new young curators’ group (16 to 22 year olds) to our late openings with an exciting range of music, art and poetry for adults. We have also developed new art and reminiscence sessions for older residents of 65 and over, focussing on Morris’ interest in Indian textiles and dyeing techniques and designed to support wellbeing.
The family programme is a flagship feature of our offer for local families and children, many of whom had not visited before, and indeed were nervous of entering the building. Our family offer is fully integrated into the gallery’s artistic programme providing different ways for families to engage with the displays and collections. We have benefited from venturing further and more regularly outside the walls of the gallery including popular half-term activities in the local shopping centre, and workshops at our ‘Get Together’ programme of summer festivals across the borough. Our partnership with the local children’s centre in particular has enabled us to engage with groups and individuals with more significant and complex barriers to participation.
We realised that many local people would not be familiar with Morris, so we created a new introductory gallery called ‘Meet the Man’, where visitors are offered an overview of his achievements and his connection with the local area.
Working in partnership with local artists and organisations has also helped to widen our reach and keep the programme fresh and exciting. Another major success factor has been the co-operation, skills sharing and joint programming between learning and curatorial staff, as well as our volunteers who play a key role in welcoming visitors and supporting our programmes.
Last year we had over 110,000 visitors to the gallery, and engaged with many more through our off-site programmes, with positive press and visitor feedback. Much has been achieved, but the job is not complete. We are committed to continuing to listen to and work with our local residents to ensure that the gallery continues to develop at the heart of the community.
Lorna Lee is Head of Culture and Heritage Services at London Borough of Waltham Forest.
www.wmgallery.org.uk
www.walthamforest.gov.uk
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