In Spring 2024, 3^rd Year BA (Hons) Media Communications students partnered with creative consultancy Bright White Ltd and contemporary art institution Site Gallery as part of their Final Major Project unit to address the issue of disengagement among young audiences with archives in the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector.

The client briefs tasked students with two persistent real-life challenges in the sector: how to maximise visibility of contemporary art institutions and their value to Gen Z and, in turn, encourage them to discover, appreciate and actively engage with archives. Students developed ethical and inclusive approaches and strategies to grow engagement and accessibility, presenting “energetic, vibrant solutions with a contemporary edge and diversity of thoughts,” as Bright White stated. Their wide skillset enabled them to tackle industry challenges on multiple levels, from ideation, creative direction, to production and execution. The creative solutions showcased the media preferences and digital habits of Gen Z emphasising immersive experiences, interactive games, animation, 3D models of pop-up physical spaces, AR, VR, and projection mapping.

This small-scale, yet powerful, collaboration, which gained Special Commendation under the Student and Graduate Futures category at UAL’s KE Staff Awards 2024, highlights the educational value of engaging students with real-world industry challenges, which opens doors to graduate employment opportunities, such as consultant roles and internships. BA (Hons) Media Communications students gained exposure to the GLAM sector and heritage interpretation field, which they may not have previously considered as graduate employment destinations.

You can read more on the project insights in an article in the Association of Heritage Interpretation journal by unit leaders Irida Ntalla and Thomas Giagkoglou.