Sparking imagination
Kia ora and hello everyone,
Where has the year gone? As always, the end of the year comes around quicker than we think!
We finish 2024 with a look at how arts and culture can spark imaginative learning and support climate action. And we look ahead at an exciting project we are embarking on in 2025 and an inspiring conference to start the year with.
Enjoy reading!
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Image: Genessa Panainte on Unsplash
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Sparking imaginative learning
A recent data story from the US annual survey of museum goers explored the topic of imagination and imaginative learning. Almost all museum visitors seem to agree that museums spark our imagination. Each individual, however, uses their imagination in different ways and attributes different outcomes to those imaginative experiences. They range from recharging mentally to gaining a better understanding of others to promoting critical thinking. The authors suggest that the more museums talk about and support imagination, the more they help visitors to feel good about their own imaginative learning, and the more effective their learning experiences and outcomes will be.
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Image: Element5 on Unsplash
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The skills to thrive in a changing world
Encouraging lifelong learning seems more needed than ever. The OECD asked, “Do adults have the skills they need to thrive in a changing world?” with their latest Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC also known as ‘PISA for adults’). The results give a mixed global picture of literacy, numeracy and adaptive problem-solving proficiency. Over the past decade, average literacy proficiency improved only in two countries. Numeracy outcomes are more positive, with eight countries improving their scores. Most of the countries and economies that experienced skill declines saw literacy and numeracy proficiency decrease across different age groups. The OECD sees an urgent need for policymakers to focus on lifelong and life-wide learning, ensuring that education and training systems are more adaptive to evolving demands.
We wrote about literacy in the previous newsletter - and what a superpower it is that museums, libraries and other culture organisations can bring to encourage and enable lifelong learning.
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The missing element of climate action
… is arts and culture according to Caroline Lucas, former leader of the British Green Party. She thinks it’s time for the cultural community to get their voices heard: “Culture defines who we are, what we treasure and how we live. The arts speak to hearts and minds, helping us understand the climate and nature crisis through storytelling and shared experiences. They have the potential to move us to reimagine our world and inspire communities to take climate action.”
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The Weather Project, Olafur Eliasson. Image: Jason Webber01 on Morguefile
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Ecological art in times of climate change
Ecological art can bring us closer to understanding nature. How this looks in the era of climate change is reviewed in this article from University of Technology Sydney. Artists can bring ecology to life in ways that scientists sometimes fall short. Ecological art can communicate the results of scientific studies, create opportunities for community-based interventions, and can even function in their own right as restorations of ecological systems. They can engage new audiences and develop understandings that help convince people and organisations to take action on climate change.
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Image: CNZ
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The arts funding garden
Talking of nature, Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa wanted to explain the arts funding ecosystem in Aotearoa New Zealand and their place within it. Toby Morris illustrated it in his engaging style as an Arts Funding Garden. We especially love this description of art experiences: “...This kind of community wellbeing is essential, like jobs, housing and healthcare. It’s happiness, identity, new ideas - all the stuff that makes life make sense and feel good.”
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Museums, health and wellbeing
The Museums, Health and Wellbeing Summit is coming up again in January – it’s always great to start the year with inspiring stories about culture and wellbeing. Among the speakers will be David Sheldon from Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū (you might remember our interview with him earlier this year). For the past two years the Gallery has been measuring and exploring its impact on visitor wellbeing with support from QWB Lab. In his presentation he will speak about the process, positive outcomes, and the challenges of the work so far – we are looking forward to it!
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What's new at QWB Lab
We are excited about winning a grant by FFG, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency. QWB Lab is part of a consortium with Kärnten Museum, the Carinthia University of Applied Science and Technology, and Fluxguide, a digital museum experience developer. We will explore how digital mediation of cultural assets can contribute to cultural education and societal wellbeing. One of potential benefits is making museum visits possible regardless of geographical boundaries, or lack of visitor mobility, by using gigabit (5G) technology and its expansive connectivity as a vehicle to facilitate cultural experiences. Furthermore, by analysing the interactions and emotional responses of users in both real and virtual environments, a comprehensive understanding of the contribution of culture to quality of life will be developed. Over the two year duration of the project, we hope to learn more about how the integration of technological innovation and the social sciences can promote greater inclusion and promote a more sustainable and resilient cultural sector.
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Image: Kostiantyn Li on Unsplash
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That’s it for this month, and this year. Thank you for reading our newsletter, we know life is busy and we appreciate your interest. We hope we managed to spark your imagination from time to time.
We wish you happy holidays, whether in the snow or on a sandy beach, and a fabulous start into the new year. Make sure you put wellbeing on your list of new year’s resolutions.
Meri Kirihimete me ngā mihi o te Tau Hou!
We look forward to sharing more news with you in 2025.
Warmest wishes
Your QWB Lab Team
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