Appointments
The Thackray Museum of Medicine has appointed Edward Appleyard as its Chief Executive, who will begin the new role this month. Appleyard most recently served as Director of Engagement at Harewood House Trust since 2018, and before joining the museums and heritage sector led the re-branding of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO).
The Design Museum is to seek a new Chair of trustees to succeed Lord Mandelson, whose six-year term of office expires in Spring 2023. Asif Khan MBE, Deputy Chair of the Design Museum, said “We are immensely grateful to Peter Mandelson for all that he has done in leading the board of trustees through an eventful time. He managed the succession of the museum’s director, appointing Tim Marlow in 2020; steered the museum through the Covid period when the museum was closed and had no revenue from visitors; and has overseen the creation of the Future Observatory project. His experience in government coupled with his longstanding love of design made him an outstanding Chair of the museum’s board.”
Tate has appointed Dr David Dibosa as Director of Research and Interpretation. Taking up the role in April 2023, he will lead the development of a research community within and beyond the organisation. Dibosa will also support Tate’s interpretation team in engaging audiences in the galleries as well as online.
Liz Power, Museum Director at London Museum of Water & Steam, is to take a new role as the Director of Historic Building and Places, formally known as the Ancient Monuments Society. Power will leave the museum in mid-January for the new role.
The Southbank Centre has announced the appointment of five new members to its Board of Governors. Joining the board are Kieron Boyle, Chief Executive at the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation; Anaïs Hayes, Head of Brand Innovation at Google; Salman Mahdi, Global Vice Chairman at Deutsche Bank Wealth Management; Jerome Misso, retired Partner and now Senior Adviser at Balderton Capital and Ndidi Okezie OBE, Chief Executive Officer at UK Youth.
Filipino curator John Kenneth Paranada has been appointed in a role new to the Sainsbury Centre, in Norwich. The new Curator of Art and Climate Change role is a first of its kind in any UK museum and has been funded by the John Ellerman Foundation’s Museums and Galleries Fund, which supports curatorial skills and innovation. Paranada will lead research and deliver a range of activities that promote sustainability and engage with the climate crisis.
Zofia Kufeldt, Programme Officer at People’s History Museum, has announced a new role at the Slavery Museum. On Twitter Kufueldt said the new Curator of Contemporary Histories role will begin in February.
Exhibitions
The People’s History Museum’s 2023 Banner Exhibition will feature 25 banners united by the fact that they carry messages calling for change and have been created by people seeking a fairer society. Banners from trade unions, young climate activists, and a range of banners made for rallies are on display. Opening on Saturday 21 January 2023.
To mark the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in November 1922, the British Museum has opened a new, free display looking at the many ways this ancient Egyptian king was viewed, in his own time and in the modern era. The free ‘Asahi Shimbun Display Tutankhamun Reimagined’ exhibition will feature artwork by contemporary Egyptian graffiti artist Ahmed Nofal alongside a statue of Tutankhamun (EA 75) which was discovered before his tomb was found.
The National Science and Media Museum has announced its programme for 2023. It begins with ‘Stephen Hawking at Work’, which explores objects from Professor Stephen Hawking’s office and the working life of the world-renowned theoretical physicist. Objects include a rare copy of Hawking’s PhD thesis, his wheelchair and Hawking’s most treasured office possession – a blackboard filled with academic doodles and jokes. The free exhibition opens 9 February 2023.
For the first time in 500 years, two prayer books belonging to two of Henry VIII’s wives will be reunited and displayed together in a new exhibition at Hever Castle in Kent. Catherine and Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers is the second in a series of exhibitions about Anne Boleyn at her childhood home, following 2023’s Becoming Anne: Connections, Culture, Court. A 1527 prayer book belonging to Catherine of Aragon on loan from the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York will be seen alongside the 1527 Book of Hours which belonged to Anne Boleyn, already on display in the Castle. Runs 8 February – June 2023.
At Manchester Jewish Museum, a new sound installation is to be revealed to visitors. The project has been created by a group of celebrated writers, local communities and members of the Imperial War Museum’s Second World War and Holocaust Partnership Programme’s (SWWHPP) with the help and expertise in sound recording provided by StoryFutures Academy. ‘One Story, Many Voices’ features immersive ‘sound worlds’ and eight stories detailing the diverse experiences of Jewish communities during the Second World War. Runs 6 January until 10 February 2023.
Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums has also announced its 2023 programme. It begins with ‘Visions of Ancient Egypt’ at Laing Art Gallery. This exhibition examines the enduring appeal of ancient Egyptian motifs in art and design by exploring how ancient Egypt has been imagined and re-imagined across time. Artworks on display include ancient Egyptian objects and contemporary works by Chant Avedissian, David Hockney and Chris Ofili. Runs 28 January – 29 April 2023.
Funding
Art Fund has announced that it has awarded a total of £1.8m for projects which will help museums reimagine engagement with audiences. A total of 45 projects will receive funds to develop access, expertise, and digital capacity on top of the 63 projects supported in previous rounds.
Last year ICOM proposed extraordinary grants to support museums and museum professionals in Ukraine. Now, six projects have been selected for ICOM funding, which includes the ICOM UK project ‘Digitalization of the archival materials of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”’. The project aims at the enhancement of the technical base and safeguarding capacity building of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”. This is achieved through the digitalization of the Preserve’s archive materials kept in its archive and fund collection.
