Activist Museum Awards 2024 winners announced by Research Centre for Museums and Galleries

Research Centre for Museums and Galleries (RCMG) has announced the winners of the prestigious Activist Museum Award 2024.

UK-based Museum X, Salt Museum in Greece and international collective Lusophone Museum of Sexual Diversity have each been recognised by RCMG for their work to foster activist thinking within the museum community.

Museum X, based in London, is an experimental museum bringing people, places, and stories together to test ideas and reimagine African and Caribbean heritage in a whole new way.

Salt Museum in Messolonghi, Greece works to promote sustainable salt harvesting through education and awareness. More than half of the salt produced by Greece comes from Messolonghi.

Lusophone Museum of Sexual Diversity works to recover the history, reaffirm the present, and design the future of LGBTQ+ communities across ten countries and regions in Africa, America, Asia and Europe, whose official language is Portuguese.

Each winner is awarded £1000 to support the development of their ideas. They will also be invited to showcase their work with students, researchers and practitioners across the cultural sector.

This year’s awardees were nominated by the RCMG’s Honorary Fellows and Collaborators, Janet Dugdale (Executive Director of Museums and Participation, National Museums Liverpool) and Mathieu Viau-Courville (Director, Office de coopération et d'information muséales (OCIM), Université de Bourgogne).

The award was launched in 2019 and is a vision of Robert R. Janes in recognition of the pioneering work of Professor Richard Sandell, Co-Director of RCMG.

Previous recipients of the award include People’s History Museum (Manchester), Museum of Homelessness and Jean Campbell. All previous winners of the Activist Museum Awards can be found here.

Sandra Shakespeare, Founder Director of Museum X said: “This is incredible news for Museum X - I am deeply honoured to accept the esteemed Activist Museum Award as the UK recipient. My heartfelt thanks go to the RCMG panel at Leicester Museum for the nomination.

“This award will not only empower our experimental platform but also bolster our research efforts in exploring narratives of black cultural heritage while reimagining new forms of museums. It truly underscores the collective dedication of all who have contributed to our vision.”

Despina Kanelli, Manager of Salt Museum in Messolonghi said: “In its role as an activist, the Salt Museum not only preserves local heritage but also champions the fragile ecosystem. Through responsible social engagement, community mobilization, and fostering a sense of togetherness, it leaves an indelible mark on both visitors and the local community.”

Franco Reinaudo, Artistic Director of Lusophone Museum of Sexual Diversity said: “The achievement of securing the 2024 Activist Museum Award could significantly enhance the efforts of the project of the Lusophone Museum of Sexual Diversity.

“As a new and distinct museum procedure, the recognition and visibility as an award winner, draws attention to the museum's mission and accomplishments, both within the activist community and among the public.

“The heightened visibility has the potential to attract a greater number of visitors, volunteers, and potential collaborators, thereby enhancing the museum's impact and reach.”

Professor Suzanne MacLeod, Co-Director of RCMG said: The RCMG team was excited to receive nominations that reflect the variety of ways that museums can harness their resources to be a force for positive change.  We are grateful to Robert Janes for his commitment to supporting ethical and purposeful museum thinking and practice”.

Professor Richard Sandell, Co-Director of RCMG added: “We look forward to learning more about the ground-breaking work of our three awardees in the coming months and sharing their inspiring practice with the wider international community later in the year.”

RCMG sits within University of Leicester’s School of Museum Studies. Founded in 1966, School of Museum Studies is the only autonomous department dedicated to the study of museums and galleries in the UK. RCMG is Co-Directed by Professors Suzanne Macleod and Richard Sandell and School of Museum Studies is headed by Professor Tilly Blyth.

School of Museum Studies is the oldest and the largest academic unit of its kind in the world. More information about Museum Studies at University of Leicester can be found here.