© UAL Archives and Special Collections Centre
This is the first UAL Institutional Archive update by the new Archivist in this post.
Since taking over this role last month, I have been busy getting to know the archive and promoting it to a wider audience. A great way to do this is to get the material out of the repository an onto a public platform. With this in mind, I have been working on the installation of a display which is currently in the Meeting Room display case at London College of Communications (LCC) in Elephant and Castle (room M404).
The aim of the Institutional Archive is to capture, preserve and make accessible the University’s institutional memory, which has long-term value to researchers. This archive promotes greater knowledge and understanding of the University’s past and present, and also acts as a resource to stimulate new educational and creative practice.
© UAL Archives and Special Collections Centre
Given these aims, as well as the audience of University staff and external visitors that this material will be exposed to, the display was curated to highlight the story and strategy of UAL. This story is both historical; how the university came to be, and also the story of how it exists now; with material relating to its various activities and accomplishments.
To present this narrative, I created six separate themes which represent different aspects of UAL; History, Research, Prestige, Community, Learning and Creativity. When shown together, these ideas illustrate the broad range of material within this archive, and also indicate the wider sphere of activity of the University itself.
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- © UAL Archives and Special Collections Centre
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- © UAL Archives and Special Collections Centre
From July, this display will become part of the Collaborating Collections programme and move to a case located in the Typo Café within LCC. In October, the display will then be rotated to Lime Grove at London College of Fashion.
For any queries, please get in touch: h.grout@arts.ac.uk