What an honour it was for us to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Treasures of the Brotherton gallery, extraordinary  Cultural Collections cared for by the University of Leeds.

Over the years, they have co-curated exhibitions with academics, artists, communities, students and volunteers, from Shakespeare’s First Folio to the Women’s Aid and the RJC Dance archive. Free and open to all, it is a space that celebrates different voices and brings new research to different audiences.

Everything within the archive represents Leeds’ rich history, an insight into the imagination and creativity of acclaimed authors and poets, from the Brontës to Elizabeth Gaskell. Curators past and present  reflected on the exhibitions that have inspired thousands of visitors, through thought-provoking research and world-class collections.

Alongside Charlotte Dew, consultant on Animated Activism, and Sebastian Glasper, SASHA, RJC Dance Director, Kathy Williams MBE OLY, was one of three Creative Collaborations panelists, speaking about how the gallery can be an asset to the communities of Leeds.

‘A gallery becomes an asset when it serves the city, when it serves those communities. We’re proud to have our archive here at the University. As well as the archive living [in] and belonging to the University, it also belongs to the communities’ Kathy Williams MBE, OLY

 

New collaborative opportunities were looked at alongside the exploration of how to tell stories using the collections in creative and engaging ways. Partners and future collaborators were invited to join an invigorating discussion – What might Treasures of the Brotherton look like over the next ten years?

The Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery is a renowned museum and exhibition space located within the Parkinson Building at the University of Leeds. It houses and displays rare books, manuscripts and artwork from the University’s Special Collections, which were largely established through a gift from industrialist Lord Brotherton. You can learn more about the gallery and the RJC Dance archive on their website.