FAUK’s focus on “Collections & Diversity”

FAUK’s Autumn meeting held online on 21st November was well attended and included a wider number of staff from our Member archives for 2 special presentations with a focus on Collections & Diversity.
Archivists and cataloguers from across the UK joined the event to listen to Elspeth Vischer (Project Coordinator) –   Northern Ireland Now contemporary collecting project
and Andy Robson (Consultant, Film Hub North) – who has been working on the BFI Audience Network  ‘Screen Heritage Resource Guide’ and, an ongoing project,- ‘Exhibiting the UK’s Hidden Moving Image Archives’ 

 

Elspeth from Derry based Creative Media Arts Organisation, Nerve Centre  highlighted the work of the Northern Ireland Now project, launched in Nov 2023 and funded by BFI National Lottery. Working in partnership with Northern Ireland Screen, the project has looked to address underrepresentation in the Digital Film Archive and champion equality, diversity and inclusion.

With an aim to concentrate on contemporary collecting, community outreach, film archive exhibition and diverse collections, Northern Ireland Now has been very much community and public outreach focused to champion equality, diversity and inclusion and addressing the underrepresentation in the Northern Ireland Screen’s digital film archive.
Community group workshop

Elspeth explained how their working with relevant community group partners involved travelling to hold workshops in situ in remote places across Northern Ireland.

 

  • Andy Robson showcased the BFI Film Audience Network research he had been working on to produce the Screen Heritage Resource Guide, bringing together best practices, resources, materials and up to date contacts for BFI Audience Members to have in one place.

Established 10 years ago there was a lot to bring together and consolidate for the Film Audience Network and this new resource includes archive contacts, best practice on screen heritage programming, case studies on what had worked well and advice on how to collaborate with film archives.

Andy also presented on an ongoing report on ‘Exhibiting UK’s Hidden Moving Image Archives’ looking at marginalised collections outside regional film archives that might focus on Working Class, Women, Disabled. LGB+, Black South Asia, East Asia and other global majority. He had reached out to Broadcast Archives, Higher Education Institutions, Libraries, Galleries, Heritage Organisations, Film & Video workshops/collectives/co-ops and Community 3rd Sector Organisations.

His research findings are currently with the BFI and will look to be shared in the New Year as another resource to share across the BFI Audience Network.

Andy was also keen to hear from FAUK Members with any suggestions from their collections that could be included.

All presentations were well received and prompted much discussion and questioning particularly with regard to the contemporary collecting which is an important focus for all film archives.