//REWORK THIS
Treasuring Things of the Least: Discover new worlds in Manchester Art Gallery!
Summary
This is an opportunity to develop your own research project or creative piece inspired by a new exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery. The project is open to all disciplines and will last for 6 weeks (requiring approximately 4 hours of your time each week). and will culminate in a show and tell to show off your work. Read on for further details…
Further details
Things of the Least is an exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery created with very young children. Working with babies and toddlers has shown us new ways to look at objects and artworks and to treasure the ‘things of the least’ in exhibition making – small stories, movements, sounds, actions and everyday objects.
Through the exhibition we have learnt that you can discover new worlds by looking at things from a different angle and would like to work with an interdisciplinary team of students to explore new ways that different perspectives can keep the exhibition alive. Students have the opportunity to get involved in the exhibition by designing their own projects inspired by the space.
The projects aim to include students from different disciplines across the university to use their unique skills and knowledge to share their own take on the exhibition. We have 4 briefs that incorporate students across the humanities, arts and natural sciences.
The four briefs are:
Creative Writing: what stories (real or imagined) surrounds the objects that sit behind the glass in gallery display cases? Using the objects, photos and structured environments in the TotL exhibition, develop a piece of creative writing or response that explores one or more themes of the exhibition. This writing can be in any form such as poetry, prose, short story or song.
Procession and Celebration: what rituals can bring new life to an exhibition? Considering the rituals that happen around the different objects in the exhibition, and in exhibitions in general, consider a new ritual that can be activated in the space that builds on the different sights, objects and atmospheres that are present. This ritual might take the form of a pageant, procession, a feast or a rite of passage and should actively involve visitors to the exhibition in some level of participation.
Performance: how can movement and/or sound add something new to an exhibition? Focusing on the different materials present in the exhibition and the different movements and or/sounds that occur in the space, develop a short performance that explores what sensory experiences are made possible within the exhibition. This performance can be in any form such as theatre, dance, sound, spoken word or virtual.
Microbiology: what hidden tiny worlds live in the exhibition alongside the objects and artworks? Conservationists and gallery teams work hard to protect collections from hazardous materials but galleries, like most environments, hold tiny worlds of microbes that we don’t usually see. With this in mind, develop a small research activity that engages with the microbes in the gallery and consider an accessible way to translate this invisible world to visitors.
What we can offer you:
– Exclusive access to the exhibition and collection with a chance to see up close objects that are too fragile to exhibit.
-Opportunities to shadow professionals in workshop delivery and family engagement.
– Training in processes relevant to your project such as conservation, front of house or research practices.
– Opportunities to present your project or creative piece to professionals and researchers.
– Opportunity to collaborate with students from different disciplines.
– Opportunities to attend a programme of conferences, symposiums and workshops hosted during the exhibition.
Travel expenses will be available if needed to enable participation.
How to apply:
Complete an expression of interest of how you would intend to carry out the brief.
Tell us a little bit about yourself including your area of study, any experience relevant to the project and the skills that you would like to develop.
Send your expression of interest by Monday 19th January.
If selected, you will be invited for an informal discussion and opportunity to talk more about the project on the 27th of January.
The project will last 6 weeks across February and March 2026.
If you have any questions or would like to know more details about the project email Ruth at r.whitby.boycott-garnett@mmu.ac.uk
We look forward to hearing from you!
Associated Badges:
In A Nutshell...
- Create... your own mini research project or creative work bringing your passion and skills to an exciting exhibition around the theme of ‘things of the least’
- Share...your project with students, practitioners and members of the public as part of the exhibition programme using inventive ways to present your work.
- Collaborate...with other students, artists, researchers and the gallery team to get the most from this interdisciplinary project.
- Develop...your skills in project management, team working and communication alongside enhancing your understanding of exhibition making, cross sector working and family spaces with the option to take part in an additional programme of workshops and seminars.
- Earn up to 300 Rise points ... which can be recognised within your degree.
Schedule
-
11:00 to 12:00 on 03/02/26 - Manchester Art Gallery
Initial Meeting This is a chance to talk about the project, explore the TotL exhibition and meet the team -
08/02/26 to 13/02/26 - Platt Hall
Collection Visit (date tbc) You will see behind the scenes of the collection with dedicated time to design and propose your project/creative piece. We will support you to ensure that the project is achievable and manageable (date tbc). -
27/01/26 to 22/02/26 - Manchester Art Gallery
Exhibition visits During February you will have opportunities to visit the TotL exhibition (dates tbc). -
02/02/26 to 09/03/26 - Manchester Art Gallery
Project development sessions During three visits to the exhibition you will carry out your activity within the exhibition space with opportunities to share your work in progress with gallery visitors (Various Tuesdays in Jan/Feb 2026). -
10:00 to 14:00 on 16/03/26 - Manchester Art Gallery
Present your project In this final session you will present your final piece of work to your fellow students, exhibition team and gallery visitors (date in March tbc) -
27/01/26 to 30/11/26 - Manchester Art Gallery
Workshops and training opportunities You will have the option to become student ambassadors of the exhibition with further opportunities for training and development and support in developing next steps for your project (various dates).