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A big thank you to everyone who attended #GlamCares2025 from across the UK! A great day exploring care for practitioners in all models of engagement work and lots to take away!

Photo shows a long piece of paper with a drawing of the UK and the text 'whete are you from?'. In different colour pen, people have labelled the cities they travelled from to attend the conference. Cities from the Midlands to the east of Scotland are labelled

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Our final workshop explored how making zines can help you explore and present ideas, construct futures and think creatively. As a tool for participant and practitioner wellbeing, zines give space for reflection and community building #GlamCares2025

A photo of a screen explaining 'what is a zine', with images of some zines and the words small, self published, pamphlet style small books, hand made'

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Setting us up for a workshop to try out some wellbeing activities, Tom Hughes from Dumfries and Galloway sets the scene for simple and low cost activities museums can offer, including warm spaces and wellbeing walks #GlamCares2025

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The Art House share their programme for perinatal mental health care using creativity., building on a need recognised by midwives. the-arthouse.org.uk/maternal-jou... #GlamCares2025

A slide is shown about the Maternal Journal project, supporting birthing parents with mild or moderate mental health needs, using creative activities and prompts to boost wellbeing

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Our final session explores Creative Health, a practice we've heard a lot about. Creative activities can support a huge range of participants as well as practitioners, and work at all scales. First, a presentation on creativity for birthing parents, then hands-on activities! #GlamCares2025

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'real life is messy and unpredictable, and community engagement should reflect this'. Plan and allow for adaptation from the start to better care for staff, participants, and increase impact #GlamCares2025

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-speak to funders to ask for flexibility when things change -understand the pressures and ambitions of partner organisations and work together to define success -explore different ways to capture impact -realistic targets, value meaning over mass participation #GlamCares2025

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Tamsin C Russell @tamsincrussell.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Pallant House has a long-running art engagement programme, and explore how to plan for the unexpected - exciting or challenging, from unrealistic targets to unknown participants to magic moments. Change your definition of a successful project! pallant.org.uk/learn-with-u... #GlamCares2025

A large screen shows a yellow slide asking 'have you ever led a project that didn't turn out how you'd expected? Have you ever experienced outcomes you couldn't have foreseen?'

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Lovely to hear from Bryony talk through the availablity of autonomy and agency within your space. #GLAMCares2025 @glamcares.bsky.social

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Questions from Bryony to ask yourself about some of the things that may be taking up your energyb- think about what is in or outside your control, and putting your energy into the things that you can control. #GlamCares2025

A large screen shows the questions, what is the cost to you, what is within your control, what do you need to let go of, what impact would this have on you?

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Tamsin C Russell @tamsincrussell.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

GLAM cares board member Bryony Rowntree now leads a workshop on centring and empowering yourself, exploring spheres of control and giving tools to take away. #GlamCares2025

A group of people are shown standing up from the back. At the front a large screen shows a slide with a picture of a tree and the phrase 'root deep, stand strong, branch out'

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Great to hear about the work of York Museum Trust to develop a new framework for community engagement. www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/community-en... #GLAMCares2025 @glamcares.bsky.social

yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk

Community Participation | York Museums Trust

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Qu - how do you get buy-in for creative research? - creativity opens up different conversations - it allows for flexibility and responsiveness - 'messy' research can demonstrate real impact #GlamCares2025

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Qu for the panel - ways of working with people with specific lived experience? - work with partner orgs who have their best interests in mind and expertise - treat people as individuals - take time to build trust - work 'with'/'by' people, not 'about' them #GlamCares2025

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York Museums Trust created a framework for participation, defining what it means to them, what a 'conmunity' is, and why this matters to the organisation. They brought teams together to create the framework and embed it as a way of working. #GlamCares2025

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Food and Drink Oral History Project | Birmingham Museums

Birmingham Museums Trust is in a unique partnership with the council's Public Health department, looking at how heritage can change health behaviour, and using participatory research and balancing museum methods and Health data needs. www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/about/what-w... #GlamCares2025

birminghammuseums.org.uk

Reinterpreting our oral history collections through a public health lens In an innovative partnership, Birmingham Museums Trust and Birmingham City Council

Dulwich Picture Gallery used Participatory Action Research to genuinely listen to what communities needed from the gallery. A year of working in local venues and sharing power built trust and is changing the way the gallery works in the future as well their offer. #GlamCares2025

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Our afternoon sessions start with a presentation, panel and workshop on community engagement. Advocating for staff wellbeing in this work, and empowering yourself while planning for the unexpected! #GlamCares2025

Advocating for the value of community work can be a challenge, and recognising that the relationship is as/more important as a physical output #GLAMCares2025

Feedback from attendees includes the need to formalise processes of care and get senior leadership buy-in. Front of House staff mustn't be forgotten, as they mediate content for visitors and should be trained and supported. #GLAMCares2025

And questions for everyone in the room - or for us all to think about - in the workshop: - what have you learned from your practice? - what support would benefit you? - how can you request this from your organisation? #GLAMCares2025

Photo shows a room of people looking at a screen. The screen is green with three discussion questions as listed in the text above

Tamsin C Russell @tamsincrussell.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

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Lovely to see some @museumsassociation.org resources highlighted around participatory practice and wellbeing. Including one penned by myself. #GLAMCares2024 @glamcares.bsky.social

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Our final morning session with staff from the University of York shares findings from research on participatory practice in heritage. The research highlights challenges to staff in running projects - practical and emotional challenges #GlamCares2025

Photo shows a room full of people looking at a screen with a presentation saying 'advocating for staff support!

Photo shows a research paper on a desk. The publication is called 'conversations on participatory heritage praxis'

Tamsin C Russell @tamsincrussell.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

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Creating in person spaces that are warm, welcoming and relaxing was key to supporting wellbeing and balancing in person spaces with opportunities for digital access@glamcares.bsky.social #GLAMCares2025.

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Tamsin C Russell @tamsincrussell.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

@glamcares.bsky.social #GLAMCares2025 Hearing about the wellbeing of nurses and how and who cares for THEM. Some great lessons learned from other sectors where individuals are working in emotionally laden spaces. Projects to support this community were creative and inspiring.

Co-creating exhibitions also gives nursing staff new skills, connections, and a voice to share their experiences #GLAMCares2025

Photo shows a presentation on screen exploring exhibition co creation l, with topics including prison nursing and children's nursing

Photo of a screen highlighting the benefits of exhibition co-creation

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Now Royal College of Nursing is highlighting how creativity and culture can support wellbeing of nurses/midwives, who suffer with high levels of stress and poor mental health #GlamCares2025

Photo shows people looking at a presentation on a screen. The presentation shows before and after pictures of a wellbeing area for nurses

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Tips include: -professional supervision for staff -building in downtime - don't go from a difficult session straight to a meeting -add staff wellbeing to risk assessments #GlamCares2025

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GLAM Cares @glamcares.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

Our second annual conference is underway. A fantastic first panel shared their projects working to support mental health and wellbeing in participants, with top tips for caring for staff too... #GlamCares2025

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We finish the day with sessions looking at Creative Health, from building your network, to simple tips to add wellbeing in your work, and ending with zine making to take away! Do book and join us and participants from across the UK, just £25 - docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... #GLAMcares2025

Yellow bordered square with the words 'GLAM Cares Conference 2025' top right over a yellow heart. The conference date and location, Thursday 26th June 2025 at Leeds Museum, are top left. Below is a photo of a speaker at the event with the text 'Building a network of creative health practitioners: maternal journal in Wakefield and West Yorkshire, Jessica Bradley, University of Sheffield, and Diane Saxon, Art House Wakefield.'

GLAM Cares @glamcares.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

Our post-lunch session focusses on Community Engagement and Participation, with a panel, workshop and presentation giving you best practice and tools to take away. #GLAMcares2025

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GLAM Cares @glamcares.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

There's still time to book for the GLAMCares conference next week - join us in Leeds on Thurs 26 June! We have a packed programme with great speakers, workshops and panels. Book at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F.... The day starts with sessions on Mental Health & Wellbeing... #GLAMcares2025

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GLAM Cares @glamcares.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Want to... - learn how to advocate for staff support - hear how zines validate external voices - explore how museums care for health care professionals - empower yourself in your work - easily include wellbeing in your programmes and more? A few spaces left on the GLAMcares conference, just £25!

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GLAM Cares @glamcares.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

Don't forget to sign up for our conference next month! Full programme coming out this week, but expect presentations, panels and workshops on wellbeing, community engagement and creative health, all for just £25!

Tamsin C Russell @tamsincrussell.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Reposted by GLAM Cares

As someone brought up on Richard Scarry booked I highly recommend his approach to Self-care. For more hints and tips around caring within museums come along to @glamcares.bsky.social annual conference - 26 June 2025.

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GLAM Cares @glamcares.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Save the date! The GLAMcares conference is Thurs 26 June in Leeds Hear how museums, galleries and libraries are reshaping how we care for our audiences and ourselves. Explore creative health, wellbeing, and participatory practice. £25, book at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

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GLAM Cares @glamcares.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

A big thank you to everyone who came to our session on Trauma Informed Practice in museums and galleries, run by Louise Thompson from MindfulMuseums.org We are looking to repeat the session, so do follow us here/LinkedIn and sign up for our mailing list for info!

mindfulmuseums.org

Louise Thompson

Visit the post for more.

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Dr Alexandra Woodall @alexandrawoodall.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

A brilliant session this morning for @glamcares.bsky.social by Louise Thompson of mindfulmuseums.org on trauma-informed practice for galleries, libraries, archives and museums. This should be essential for everyone in my view (especially those connected with education in its broadest sense).

mindfulmuseums.org

Louise Thompson

Visit the post for more.

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GLAM Cares @glamcares.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

We've been overwhelmed with bookings for this session - fantastic to see so many people taking this seriously! Bookings on hold for now but we're looking at future dates for a repeat - watch this space and sign up for our newsletter for info!