Culture-led wellbeing: investigating the changing skills of the cultural workforce, ESRC DTP Collaborative Studentship, University of Leicester and University of Oxford Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM)
The Midlands Graduate School is an accredited Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). One of 14 such partnerships in the UK, the Midlands Graduate School is a collaboration between the University of Warwick, Aston University, University of Birmingham, University of Leicester, Loughborough University and the University of Nottingham.
The School of Museum Studies (SMS), University of Leicester, as part of Midlands Graduate School is now inviting applications for an ESRC Doctoral Studentship in association with our collaborative partner the University of Oxford Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM), to commence in October 2021.
This project will examine the emerging professional practice of culture-led wellbeing. GLAM has an established portfolio of innovative health and wellbeing programmes embedded in strategic plans, using collections from across its venues (Bodleian Libraries, Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum, Ashmolean Museum, History of Science Museum, Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum). This collaborative PhD will work with GLAM staff to support this activity, and the aims of the research are:
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To conduct an in-depth exploration of GLAM staff views on their emerging roles and skill sets in relation to health and wellbeing activity.
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To produce recommendations for organisational change for cultural organisations seeking to embed this practice.
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To develop training for the cultural, heritage and healthcare sectors for wellbeing-focused practice and careers.
The research will adopt a qualitative, action-research methodology, with the opportunity to select a number of venues for in-depth research while based in Oxford. Through the PhD, the student will develop expertise in theories of museum practice, wellbeing and social work. Collaborative outputs will include writing internal and external recommendations, and the student will be supported to develop training for the sector.
