Lesson Plan | English for Creative Careers | The Museum of the Year Awards
Art School English Teachers, find here the resources to present an art school English class about the Art Fund Museum of the Year, 2023
About the 2023 Art Fund Museum of the Year Awards
This lesson plan is an introductory guide to all 5 of the UK museums/galleries shortlisted to win the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year (2023) award.
There have been top quality pedagogic resources produced supporting & publicising this prize.
I’ve embedded some here, there are many more online.
Consider them for independent study activities.
Art School English Lesson Plan | The 2023 Art Fund Museum of the Year Awards
This lesson plan is for Art School English Teachers – easily adapted by any ESL teachers who want to bring contemporary British culture into their lessons.
English level (intermediate-advanced).
Class time 2hrs.
Teaching Notes
- As well as learning English for Creative Careers, by looking in detail at this award, your class will get a great introduction to the UK’s top-class contemporary cultural institutions.
- Advanced students can listen for the different regional accents each video has!
Keep it Live
The judging of the Art Fund Museum of the Year (2023) award is currently underway, with local celebrities and artists adding to the hype by speaking out in favour of their local museums.
Much of the battle is being fought on social media.
Students can check these out for an independent study activity.
Part 01 | Warm Up
Ask Students Why a Museum Wants to Win Such an Award
The Art Fund Museum of the Year (2023) award is a big deal for all involved – as winning the title will draw crowds and income into the respective cities for years to come.
Brainstorm what impact winning will have on the town?
(You can use both 1st & 2nd Conditional here – pick one to revise it).
Vocabulary List reasons why tourists flock to museums & galleries when on holiday.
Make a list of all relevant words & phrases the class can think of, relating to this list/topic & help them find more..
Part 02 | The Museums
Museum Shortlist No. 1
The Scapa Flow Museum | Orkney Isles
Scapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. The nature of its geography has made it a watery grave for numerous boats and ships – both through accident and deliberate sinking (scuttling).
Few can see below the water’s surface, so the museum shows you what is hidden…
“In waters off Orkney a century ago, 52 German warships were sunk in one day – but this huge naval loss was not inflicted by enemy forces.
Instead, the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow was a deliberate act of sabotage ordered by a commander who refused to let his ships become the spoils of war.
It was the single greatest loss of warships in history and the nine German sailors killed that day were the last to die during World War One. The final peace treaty was signed just a week later.”
It’s not just German ships which line this seabed. The battleship HMS Vanguard, blew up through an internal explosion of its magazines on 9th July 1917 in Scapa Flow.
843 men lost their lives.
Discussion Topics In your opinion, does the Scapa Flow Museum successfully share this underwater graveyard with its overground visitors?
Extra activity. What were the student’s opinions of the recent Titan Submarine accident? Are boat wrecks valid sites for tourism?
Museum Shortlist No. 2
The MAC | Belfast
The MAC is a contemporary art centre.
It is “Belfast’s home of international art exhibitions, the best live theatre, top shows and events, and all manner of weird and wonderful goings-on”.
The MAC is a world-class venue for contemporary art in Belfast’s now fashionable Cathedral Quarter (The MAC has been a big part of the area’s gentrification).
The MAC is home to all kinds of exhibitions, theatre performances, experimental works and “endless goings-on”.
“The MAC is for everyone and when it comes to family fun, this is the place to be.”
What is unique (ie: prizewinning) about this contemporary art centre?
Of particular interest to international art school English learners is the MAC’s website, which has a great archive of artist interviews and audio files. Check out this excellent Watch and Listen section here.
Museum Shortlist No. 3
Leighton House | London
Leighton House is the former home and studio of the leading Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896).
This hidden gem in west London was reopened in October 2022 following a major redevelopment.
As well as hosting Leighton’s eclectic collection, it now has a pioneering programme of exhibitions exploring themes of identity and cultural interaction.
(I visited this museum before its revamp. What was singular about it them was the jumble and cluster of objects together – almost as if visiting an antique shop.
The sense of eclectic Victorian collector was strong and I liked that about it. It felt like travelling back in time – albeit in quite a claustrophobic way).
The new look Leighton House has expanded and become more accessible – including being stair-free, which is mind-boggling as I can remember the press of the visitors all using the small staircase.
This redesign is truly one for architects to admire how a small space can feel spacious.
how has this more spacious and organised Leighton House changed for the better?
Are there any disadvantages to the redesign?
Museum Shortlist No. 4
Natural History Museum | London
Home to over 80 million objects, this truly global museum contains what it describes as ‘the world’s most important natural history collection’.
The Natural History Museum is presenting itself as a competitor for the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023, not just because of its physical collection and continual educational outreach – but because it “uses its unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today”.
Its exhibition ‘Our Broken Planet’ welcomed 1.2 million visitors – and encouraged them to take action on climate change.
More than 300 scientists actually work from the museum.
It has also developed an index to provide the most accurate data tracking of ways human activity is affecting the world.
Much more than the spectacular fossils it was once famous for, this museum is rewriting the role of a museum collection including aiming for political and corporate decision-making.
Should a museum & art gallery be didactic and try to change human behaviours?
And should it be judged by this in a competition between museums and art galleries?
Museum Shortlist No. 5
The Burrell Collection | Glasgow
Part of the fabric of Glasgow’s cultural life, this renowned museum was reopened by King Charles in March 2022 following a 6-year refurbishment. It has subsequently welcomed over 500,000 visitors through its doors.
The Burrell Collection renovation is one part of the City of Glasgow’s commitment to a culture-led regeneration, taking Glasgow from a city in post-industrial decline to a creative, cultural force.
The Burrell Collection is home to 9000 art objects and – 6000 years of history.
Sir William Burrelll‘s collection is considered one of the greatest gifts to any city in the world.
The Burrell Collection is a destination on a Blue Noun English Immersion holiday.
We take our guests there to discuss how the museum practices inclusivity. It’s a shining example – from gender-neutral toilet facilities, tactile exhibits for the visually impaired – and even a lovely well-lit lunch area for pack lunchers (who more often get bunged into low-priority spaces).
The new look Burrell Collection doesn’t just offer major structural redesigns, it offers contemporary sensitivity in pioneering, subtle ways.
What are the ways this museum makes different minority groups both welcomed and culturally represented?
How important is this in the overall remit of a museum?
Part 03 | Conclusions
What are museums prioritising in 2024?
Discussion: How does this compare with your home country?
After reading & watching the sources, ask the class to vote on which institute they think should win,
Why?
Divide the class into groups to present their opinion as consultant experts to the jury - or gallery representatives making the bid.
English for Art Schools
Blue Noun are specialists in English for Creatives / English for Creative Careers.
In the same spirit as our physical space, we invite internationals to join us online to practice speaking all things art and culture.
We offer one-to-one coaching to arts professionals and have a variety of services for art schools, to provide either supplementary practical English experience for their students or to deliver the entire English training for the art school.
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