Projects involving York Museums Trust shortlisted for three York Cultural Awards

1 November 2017

Three projects which York Museums Trust (YMT) collaborated with partners on have been shortlisted in this year’s York Cultural Awards.

York Castle Museum’s Forward to Victory theatre project with York Theatre Royal’s Youth Theatre was included in the Best Cultural Partnership category.

The Viking Virtual Reality, created in partnership with DC Labs for the Yorkshire Museum’s Viking: Rediscover the Legend exhibition, was shortlisted for the Excellence in Media Arts category.

Susan Aldworth was also shortlisted for best Visual Artist for her installation A Dark Self at York St Mary’s.

All three will find out if they are winners at the awards ceremony on November 23 at York Minster.

Reyahn King, chief executive of YMT, said:

“We are delighted to have had such a diverse range of projects recognised in this way. Some of the best work the Trust does is by collaborating with partners to create new and imaginative ways to bring heritage to life and to engage people in culture.

“The three projects shortlisted are perfect examples of this partnership: the creative and artistic talent of DC Labs, York Theatre Royal and Susan Aldworth have matched York Museums Trust’s ambition always to present our visitors with cutting-edge and exciting ways of experiencing culture. We are looking forward to November 23 to see who the winners are.”

Forward to Victory saw the Trust work collaboratively with the York Theatre Royal to commission a bespoke, site-specific play for the Youth Theatre. It was performed on Kirkgate, the museum’s recreated Victorian street, from March 30 to April 1 2017.

The play, written by Rachel Barnett, was inspired by the Museum’s First World War gallery and collection, and was brought to life by the Youth Group’s 14 – 16 year olds with the audience being very much part of the performance. The project was part of York Castle Museum’s Changing Spaces project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Curators and digital experts from York Museums Trust worked with DC Labs from the University of York to create the most realistic Virtual Reality of the Viking world ever created. The various scenes depicting the Viking winter camp Torksey, were shown on specially designed headsets as part of the major new exhibition Viking: Rediscover the Legend which runs from May 19 until November 5 2017.

Susan Aldworth’s A Dark Self was inspired by Susan’s research into sleep during her three year residency at the University of York. The exhibition transformed the historic space of York St Mary’s from June 7 until September 3.