Fairfield House Bath CIC was set up to preserve and celebrate Emperor Haile Selassie I’s legacy at his home in exile in Bath. He is an extraordinary figure in historic, political, faith and cultural terms. Since the beginning of October (Black History Month) we have been piloting public opening events which include the Tafari Art Gallery & Museum .
This micro-internship will assist in curatorial support in the Tafari Museum: undertaking object research, improving display, writing/designing interpretation, seeking conservation advice and analysing visitor feed back.
The context of the project is that Fairfield House has highly engaged communities of interest covering Rastafari, Ethiopian and Elder communities and is also looking to better reach local communities of interest.
Your tasks could cover:
Identifying objects donated to the museum for the catalogue via online research and in discussion with experts (academics, scholars and members of our communities)
Researching display methods and sourcing mounts, stands and cabinets
Writing and producing labels for interpretation
Assisting with working out appropriate storage methods
Coming up with ideas to dress the space, move furniture and improve presentation and impact
You will be supervised by board members Celia Mead or Ras Benji Pettit. You may work other members of the team and volunteers. You will have the chance to observe a board meeting (by zoom) if desired. There may be further opportunities to volunteer.
It is envisaged that you will visit at least once and have a catch up call at the end of each day worked remotely. We can be flexible about how much of this micro-internship is on-site and how much is remote.
You will gain insight into the amazing legacy of HIM Emperor Haile Selassie I and his significance to our communities of interest as we build on our vision to create and open a multi-cultural centre, multi-faith, unique piece of heritage. You will also gain skills in museum display and presentation and working with rare artefacts.
Candidates will be considered from humanities and social sciences. You will need to demonstrate:
Ability to research independently
Good written skills
Knowledge of museum presentation (from observation/visiting)
