A review of the BRA 2024 Conference ‘Curtain Up! The Practice of Archiving Performance’ by Helen Epega
I was delighted to be awarded a free place at this year’s British Records Association (BRA) conference, Curtain Up: The Archives of Theatre and Performance in the UK, held in London on 29 October 2024. As a first-time attendee and a relative newcomer to the BRA, I was intrigued by the theme, given my deep interest in the preservation and accessibility of cultural records. I wanted to attend to learn more about cultural representation in archiving, why some things are archived, who chooses what to archive and why, the process of archiving and whether I should explore archiving items from the ground-breaking opera I wrote and composed, Song Queen: A Pidgin Opera. The conference provided an excellent opportunity to explore archives of the performing arts, broaden my understanding of their scope, and connect with professionals and enthusiasts in the field.
Widening Access to Collections
The day began with a warm welcome from the BRA and the Association of Performing Arts Collections (APAC), followed by an engaging session on widening access to theatre and performance archives. Erin Lee’s presentation on active archiving at the National Theatre was the first highlight of the morning. She highlighted how collaboration between the National Theatre and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama has enriched their collections and made them more dynamic. Erin’s emphasis on creating a “collection collaboratively” resonated strongly, showcasing how partnerships can breathe new life into archival work.
Erin Lee, National Theatre and Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Robyn Greenwood and Rachel Sharpe from the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) followed with an inspiring session showcasing their innovative approach to co-curating collections. Their projects emphasized collaboration with artists, communities, and local organisations to create transformational experiences. It was inspiring to see how archives can become living entities, bridging the past and present in creative ways.
Georgina Donohue continued with a fascinating account of a heritage mural commissioned for the Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Nottingham. The collaboration with Handmade Theatre captured local stories and histories, highlighting how performance archives can enrich community identity. This was a particularly poignant reminder of the power of archives to connect people to their heritage.
The morning concluded with an engaging presentation by Maggie Gray and Caoimhe Mader McGuinness, who revisited Cartoon Theatre. Their focus on engaging archives within academic and community contexts provided new perspectives on making historical material relevant for diverse audiences.
Maggie Gray, Senior Lecturer in Critical and Historical Studies, and Caoimhe Mader McGuinness, Senior Lecturer in Drama, Kingston University
Records at Risk Panel
After a short break, we delved into the pressing issue of records at risk. Philip Gale and James Hodgson from The National Archives (TNA) discussed efforts to rescue performance arts archives, providing insight into the challenges posed by underfunding, shifting priorities, and the fragility of digital records. Dr Toni Sant’s reflections on the Malta Music Memory Project underscored the importance of questioning permanence in digital archives and ensuring that cultural heritage is preserved in ways that future generations can access.
Dr Toni Sant, Digital Curation Lab, University of Salford.
The panel discussion that followed was lively and thought-provoking. Panellists debated strategies for safeguarding archives while balancing the pressures of funding, technology, and access. It was clear that collaboration between institutions, archivists, and communities is vital for addressing these challenges.
Collaborative Curation
Jane Pritchard’s exploration of dance archives at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) provided a fascinating insight into the unique challenges of curating materials related to movement and performance. From costumes to photographs and films, the V&A’s approach underscored the importance of preserving ephemeral art forms in meaningful ways.
Dr Barry Houlihan’s presentation on the creation of a digital oral history archive of contemporary Irish drama brought a fresh perspective on the intersection of storytelling and archival preservation. His work demonstrated how digital tools can capture the voices and experiences of practitioners, ensuring their contributions to theatre history are not lost.
Beyond the Object Entry Form
The final session of the day featured Sarah C Jane and Julian Warren, who shared their experiences with the Kneehigh Theatre archive and the University of Bristol Theatre Collection, respectively. Sarah’s presentation on the Kneehigh Theatre archive was a heartfelt tribute to the spirit of the company, capturing its legacy through thoughtful preservation and innovative engagement strategies.
Julian and Sian Williams delved into the often-overlooked process of working with record creators. Their insights on building trust and fostering collaboration offered a compelling reminder that archives are as much about people as they are about objects and records.
Final Thoughts
The conference closed with reflections on the day’s themes and challenges. It highlighted the importance of addressing issues such as funding, inclusivity, and accessibility in the preservation of theatre and performance records. The speakers’ passion and expertise in their respective fields shone through, offering valuable insights into the dynamic and collaborative nature of archival work.
Overall, Curtain Up! was an inspiring and enlightening experience. The friendly and collaborative atmosphere fostered meaningful exchanges of ideas, leaving me with fresh perspectives and a renewed appreciation for the importance of preserving our cultural heritage. Bravo!
I was privileged to be awarded the free place at this year’s British Records Association (BRA) conference, Distilling the Archives: The Records of the Drinks Industry in the UK, held in London on 5 October. I am not a BRA member and this was my first time attending a BRA event, but the theme appealed to me as I am writing a history of the former Ind Coope brewery in Romford, East London – the town where I grew up and where I had my first experience of heritage work in the local museum which now occupies part of the old brewery site. I hoped that the conference would help me identify potential new archive sources to explore and give me an opportunity to network with other researchers interested in brewing history, and the day certainly delivered on both counts.
TNA and Warwick Modern Records Centre
Rachel MacGregor, Archives Manager at the Modern Records Centre (MRC), University of Warwick points to a slide that says ‘A glass of good beer is better than a pint of tea’. Photograph by Amanda Engineer, BRA Secretary.
Following a welcome from BRA Chair Matti Watton, the morning session began with Keith Mitchell, Volunteer Projects Officer at The National Archives (TNA) and Rachel MacGregor, Archives Manager at the Modern Records Centre (MRC), University of Warwick, each highlighting areas of interest in their respective collections for researchers of the drinks industry. Reminding us that it’s “not just about taxation”, Keith demonstrated how the long history of wine consumption and retailing in Britain can be traced in a wide range of TNA’s records, such as Stationers Office files, import registers and even the newly-digitised Prize Papers of the High Court of Admiralty. As the principal repository for the archives of trade unions, employers’ associations and pressure groups, the MRC is an important resource for researchers of all branches of industry, and Rachel introduced us to their primary holdings relating to brewing and the pub trade. We were treated to some gems from the collections of the British Beer and Pub Association and the National Trade Defence Association as well as the newly-acquired Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) archive, which continues to accrue. Rachel’s invitation to researchers to get in touch with the MRC to help inform its future digitisation priorities will, I’m sure, be enthusiastically taken up!
The National Brewing Library at Oxford Brookes, and Brewing, Pubs and the Arts
Dr Robert Curry and Annabel Valentine of Oxford Brookes University presenting on the National Brewing Library. Photograph by Amanda Engineer, BRA Secretary.
‘New perspectives’ was the theme of the next half of the session. Dr Robert Curry and Annabel Valentine of Oxford Brookes University reflected on how they used the recent 20th anniversary of the National Brewing Library (NBL) to focus on telling more diverse stories with its collections, which has helped to revive visitor and enquiry numbers since the Covid lockdowns. Women in brewing was a key theme of the NBL’s anniversary programming and it was interesting to hear how female craft brewers today are reclaiming the historic term ‘brewster’ from their medieval counterparts. Dr Emma West of Birmingham University then spoke about a little-known but fascinating intersection between brewing and the arts by exploring the artistic patronage of Britain’s leading brewing companies in the 1920s-60s. Emma revealed how the likes of Whitbread, Ind Coope and Mitchell and Butlers organised classical music concerts, plays and poetry readings in their pubs as well as commissioning original art from leading names of the day such as John Piper. Ostensibly designed to open up the arts to a wider audience, these innovations trod a fine line between democratisation and gentrification, and Emma noted that the reactions of the pubgoers who were exposed to them are not often captured in the archives.
Promoting Distilleries in Scotland
Samantha Case, Archivist at Dewar’s (Bacardi). Photograph by Amanda Engineer, BRA Secretary.
After lunch, it was whisky galore with two fascinating case studies on Scottish distilleries from Samantha Case, Archivist at Dewar’s (Bacardi), and Joanne McKerchar, Senior Archivist at Diageo. Samantha explained how mounting a 125th anniversary exhibition at Dewars’ Aberfeldy distillery presented a challenge, since the archive comprises mostly modern records. This compelled the archive team to think creatively about the stories they could tell and to seek out alternative sources like the British Newspaper Archive to supplement their research. Joanne revealed how Diageo’s archive proved fundamental to their project to reopen the mothballed Brora distillery in 2021, allowing them to faithfully re-establish production and reach out to former employees with vital specialist knowledge. It was evident from both presentations how much Bacardi and Diageo value their archives, not just as tools to support business-as-usual activity but also as a means of celebrating the heritage of their constituent brands. This attitude is extremely heartening, as many of us will be all too aware of other business archives that have been lost, or are currently under threat,. variously due to corporate oversight, lack of resource or interest, and under-appreciation of the value of historic records.
It’s All in the Brewing!
Catalogue Editor Claire Titley gave us a broad survey of breweries from London Metropolitan Archives. Photograph by Amanda Engineer, BRA Secretary.
The afternoon rounded off with a focus on brewing company archives. The London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) holds the records of more brewing companies than any other local record office (150+) and Catalogue Editor Claire Titley gave us a broad survey of their rich and varied content. Acknowledging that they are an underused part of LMA’s collection, Claire demonstrated how the brewing archives can be a treasure trove for genealogists, provide a valuable record of lost London buildings and street life, and offer insights into social issues such as pub violence, racial segregation and sexism in advertising. Speaking to Claire beforehand, I was also delighted to learn that she manages the LMA’s long-running project to index the policy registers of the Sun Fire Office, which have been a vital source for my own brewery research. Finally, we moved from brewing companies to The Brewers’ Company, as Archivist Hannah Dunmow initiated us into ‘the Mystery or Art of Brewers of the City of London’, tracing the livery company’s history and functions from its medieval origins to the present day. Hannah’s talk dovetailed well with Claire’s as most of the Company’s archive is cared for by the LMA and stored at Guildhall Library – a long-running arrangement which thankfully saved it from destruction when Brewers’ Hall was destroyed during the Blitz. It was interesting to hear that the Brewers’ Company archive contains one of the earliest references to football in the English language, from 1422 – sure proof that beer and football have always belonged together!
Final Thoughts
The end-of-day panel discussion covered concerns over digital collecting and preservation, with some speakers acknowledging that they collect little or no born-digital content and others highlighting skills gaps which prevent them knowing how best to preserve and make use of such material. In today’s work environment where so much discussion and decision-making happens via email, video calls and group chats, the panellists agreed that more needs to be done to raise awareness among employers of the importance of preserving born-digital files to avoid leaving future generations an archival black hole for our own time period. The increasingly complex ownership structures of modern businesses were acknowledged as another complicating factor in acquiring new archives, as companies can be frequently absorbed into and traded between larger corporations, and research is usually outsourced to external agencies. On the specific theme of the day, there was a consensus that those managing drinks industry archives should make more effort to collect material which documents the negative effects of the industry on public health and the environment, as well as material relating to charities and pressure groups combating issues like alcoholism.
This was a varied and extremely interesting programme and the speakers all brought a great deal of expertise and enthusiasm to their individual topics. I was particularly struck by the friendly and collaborative atmosphere in the room, which others also commented on, and which is sadly absent from some other conferences! It was marvellous to see academics, archive professionals, volunteers and amateur researchers (like me) exchanging knowledge on an equal footing, forging new connections and identifying opportunities for future collaborations. Cheers!
by Jessye Persse, Library, Information and Archive Assistant, Stockport Council
Photographs by BRA Secretary Amanda Engineer
As an artist and graduate of an Illustration degree – who is also currently undertaking an apprenticeship in Library, Information and Archive Services at Stockport Local Heritage Library – I was immediately drawn to the Creative Encounters conference as it combined both of my worlds. I was fortunate enough to attend after submitting a written application for a free place from the British Records Association, organisers of the conference.
Leah Benson, Archivist, National Gallery of Ireland giving a presentation on the Denis Mahon Archives.
The first speaker of the day was Leah Benson, Archivist for the National Gallery of Ireland. She discussed the Denis Mahon Archives; an enormous collection created by the art collector and historian, taking up almost an entire townhouse in London. It was boxed up and brought to Ireland by the archivists themselves after Denis donated it, and includes artworks (mostly Italian Baroque art), books, letters and extensive research into the artworks and their history. The amount of work and care that has gone into collecting, cataloguing and preserving this archive is a testament to both the staff of the National Gallery of Ireland, and to Denis Mahon for his valuable contribution to the art world.
Chloe Julius Library Fellow from the Paul Mellon Centre giving a presentation on Brian Sewell’s archives. The slides show covers of his books.
Next were Archivist and Records Manager Charlotte Brunskill and Archives and Library Fellow Chloe Julius of the Paul Mellon Centre, who spoke about the archive of art historian and critic Brian Sewell. Throughout his career, Sewell was involved in many controversies and was known for giving cutting reviews in his Evening Standard newspaper column. When asked by an attendee if this posed a challenge in having his archive open to the public, Charlotte explained that it didn’t, as Sewell’s opinions were already available to the public through his column and books. I found this discussion around censorship and the closure of records to be really important, particularly when working with the archives involving contemporary people.
Wellcome Collection Archivist Elena Carter showing bundles of documents in Audrey Amiss’ archive
The last morning session was by Collections Development Archivist Elena Carter and Conservator Stefania Signorello of the Wellcome Collection. They shared the deeply emotive archive of artist Audrey Amiss; a significant and varied collection of artworks, sketchbooks, photo albums, logbooks and more. This posed unique challenges for the team. For example, many of Audrey’s scrapbooks contained food or food packaging which required a creative conservation solution from Stefania accounting for any pest control challenges. It was very moving to see that Audrey’s original order and dating had been preserved in the cataloguing done by Elena. It was hard not to feel the level of care and responsibility that Elena and Stefania felt for both Audrey and her collection, which led me to think about the idea of getting to know someone that you have never met through their archives. Throughout this talk, there were also discussions around mental health, as this is a strong theme throughout Audrey’s artwork and life, and the speakers were very sensitive in ensuring that they were always using Audrey’s own words when highlighting this.
Stefania Signorello, Conservator at the Wellcome Collection showing a page from a scrapbook with a yogurt lid and sweets that she has conserved
After the lunch break, Mark Pomeroy, Archivist at the Royal Academy of Arts, gave us an insight into the life of artist Sir Thomas Lawrence, a self-taught child prodigy who became president of the Royal Academy in the early 19th century. This speaker gave more of a biographical discussion of Lawrence’s life and how this is told through his archives. He touched on the importance of the collection in telling the story of Lawrence’s life, and how there are missing records from the years before Lawrence moved to his final address, leading to gaps in their knowledge of him. He also emphasised the recurring theme of how you can get to know someone you have never met through studying their archives.
Dr Giorgia Bottinelli, Curator of Historic Art at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery spoke about John Crome, an artist of the same era as Sir Thomas Lawrence but of a very different character. Crome was a teacher and landscape painter who lived in Norwich and exhibited artworks in London. This talk was mostly a biographical discussion about Crome. However, there was a particularly interesting anecdote about the ingenious way that she was able to date an artwork of Crome’s. This was done by researching elements of the painting, such as the unusual colours of leaves on a tree, which was only present after particularly hot summers. By looking at records of temperatures in the timespan that it could have been painted, the date could be narrowed down to one year. Stories like this highlight the importance of preserving records for future generations to learn from.
Giorgia Bottinelli Curator of Historic Art at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery showing a manuscript of John Crome’s.
Next was Freelance Archive Consultant Victoria Lane who spoke of her experiences working with contemporary artists on their archives. She outlined the challenges of this, as artists often see only their actual artwork as the archive and not the records, journals and letters they produce. Yet these records tell the story of an artwork’s creation and the artist’s life. Artists may want their archives to be arranged in a way that goes against archival best practice too. However, Victoria stated the benefits of working with creators is that they can provide context to why particular items have been kept or arranged in unusual ways. I found Victoria’s knowledge and expertise in this area to be very helpful for my own role, where it can often be challenging to decipher the original orders of archival donations.
After a tea break, there were three shorter presentations, posing the question ‘If it exists at all, where does the boundary between art and document lie?’ The first was by was by Artist and Researcher Michael Takeo Magruder, who shared his artwork which was created using archives, and shows how they can interact with digital technology. The second presentation was by Archivist and Researcher Sarah Haylett, who discussed the overlap between art and archives, with a particular focus on oral histories. Sir Charles Saumarez Smith, Chairman of the Royal Drawing School presented last and discussed the idea of keeping the different elements of an archive together as opposed to separating them.
Sir Charles Saumarez, Michael Takeo Magruder and Sarah Haylett answering questions on the final panel
I would strongly encourage those working or interested in the archive or records management fields to attend future conferences hosted by the BRA, as this conference was of a high professional standard, with speakers from esteemed institutions and organisations that have inspired my way of thinking within my own practice.
