For over 30 years, the CSM Museum & Study Collection has acquired work from graduating students to diversify its collection, enhance its teaching and tell stories about CSM’s dynamic community. As that community has changed, the way we work has changed too, generating exciting new opportunities for collaboration.
In 2019, Head of CSM Museum, Judy Willcocks, brought together a paid advisory panel to understand how the collection could better serve and represent students and the public. “We wanted to do some deep listening to those impacted by racism or marginalisation” says Willcocks.
This process led to key changes, such as the introduction of a prize - the Graduate Award – and a paid graduate selection panel who work with Museum staff and CSM’s academic leadership teams to select winners, whose work is then collected by the Museum.
The Graduate Award represents the themes and issues that our students care about, including gender, sexuality, health and race. Collectively, the 2024 winners have created work that celebrates culture, heritage and identity, challenges entrenched narratives, engages in social and political commentary and explores materials in extraordinary ways.
You can also view the collection online.