Civic Responsibility in Times of Crisis: Museums and Galleries in Northern England during the Covid-19 Pandemic

During the Covid-19 pandemic, museums and galleries were forced to rapidly rethink how they engaged with their publics. While some focused their energies on reaching wider audiences (often via digital and online provision), many asked what they could do to help the communities that immediately surrounded them. The north of England was hit particularly hard by the pandemic, experiencing extended lockdowns and high-tier restrictions. From interviews with over thirty gallery, museum and arts workers in the north-east and north-west of England, the authors identify an increase in community engagement and outreach from galleries and museums throughout the pandemic.

The chapter examines the community engagement and outreach activities provided by these institutions and asks: How do galleries and museums provide support during unprecedented times? Who do galleries and museums serve? Who benefits from this provision and can it be sustained in the long term? What are the implications for the workforce, missions and business models of galleries and museums? How do these practices inform new narratives of ‘levelling up’ and post-pandemic recovery within areas already highlighted for investment? In responding to these fundamental questions about the civic responsibility of arts institutions in times of crisis, the chapter undertakes a close analysis of three case studies: a large art gallery; a local authority museum; and a small, embedded arts organisation.