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Art Fund Museum of the Year
This is an annual award honoring museums with the most outstanding, valuable, and meaningful activities in the United Kingdom during the year. The Art Fund Museum of the Year is also the largest museum award in the world today.
Opening up new spaces for interaction.
Due to prolonged social distancing, the operational trends of museums have changed, with on-site services no longer being dominant. Therefore, museums have evolved into three spatial models: on-site, online, and offline. Each space is important and has its own value, but regardless of the space, human interaction remains paramount.
Turning limitations into opportunities, the Firstsite Art Museum – a visual arts institution based in Colchester, Essex (UK) – has fostered stronger existing connections while expanding engaging online experiences to connect the museum's artwork with people all over the world.
Firstsite was established in 2011, and the 2021 Arts Foundation Award marked the museum's 10th anniversary.
The museum's exhibitions take place on a six-monthly cycle and there is no permanent art collection.
From the very first days of social distancing in the UK, Firstsite created online activity packages featuring over 50 artists and numerous prestigious artworks, which were downloaded by nearly 100,000 households. They also encouraged people to express their creativity by creating their own artwork and displaying it in the Creative Studio area on the Firstsite website. In addition, the museum presented the documentary "Welcome to the Essex Exhibition" by artist Michael Landy, which was enjoyed by thousands of international viewers throughout the past summer.
The Great Big Art Exhibition showcases artwork submitted to the museum by people around the world, and thousands of pieces have been uploaded to the Creative Studio.
Not remaining detached from the issues of the times.
Beyond connecting culture to the community, Firstsite also has meaningful initiatives, including the exhibition of the "My name is not Refugee" collection.(My name is not Refugee)Managed by the social organization Refugee Action Colchester, and the Art For Life exhibition - An exhibition aimed at raising awareness about the impact of Covid-19 on mental health.
Alongside its online experiences, Firstsite also demonstrated the museum's responsibility to the community throughout the challenging times of the pandemic. They devoted themselves to helping local people in need, becoming a vaccination center, lending the museum building for charitable activities, and using part of the building as a restaurant, providing free meals and activities for children during holidays.
With the aim of innovating and expanding spaces.innovative, accessible, and community-focused.Firstsite Museum has successfully fulfilled its "mission" of spreading positivity to the public while fostering long-lasting, deep relationships with local artists and communities. It is precisely these qualities that have earned them the "Best Museum" award of the year.
Innovate but remain intact.
Jenny Waldman, Director of the Arts Foundation and the person behind this prestigious award, said Firstsite is a "standout example of innovation and integrity." "At the heart of Firstsite is the power of contemporary art, placed in a gallery where anyone can have a space to reflect; from artists and museum staff to local families and even refugee groups."
"Everything should be constantly innovating," shared Sally Shaw, Director of the Firstsite Museum. "From how we operate the restaurant and what's available inside the museum, to the difference we can make in a town like Colchester. It requires constant innovation."
On its official website, Firstsite is described as an art space that is "constantly innovating".
In a new trend, many museums in the UK are seizing the opportunity to reach, connect with, and understand their audiences more effectively through the adoption of digital platforms. They have gained deeper insights from audience data and are using crowdfunding platforms to raise funds from the community, increase revenue, and turn their museum enthusiasts into active supporters.
In addition, another crucial task is for museums to plan for long-term sustainability across their three current spatial models. What Firstsite has achieved so far has become a common standard for other museums in the UK, and globally, in their efforts to maintain sustainability, support well-being, and provide positive energy for visitors and the community.
