20th February 2024
Two community creators have joined forces with Hull Maritime to curate an exhibition showcasing Hull’s maritime past.
For the last six months, Hull Maritime have been working with eight secondary schools across the city on our exciting Young Maritime Creatives Project. Students aged 11-16 are participating a wide variety of creative activities inspired by Hull’s maritime story.
Hull Maritime is pleased to announce that, as part of the project, we are now working with two community curators, Kris McKie and David Wright, who will be engaging with our partner schools to design and curate an exhibition to showcase our young people’s amazing work.
This exhibition at Ferens Art Gallery will provide our students with the opportunity to have their hard work displayed in a nationally significant Gallery and seen by thousands of people.
Kris McKie
Kris is an experienced heritage professional and qualified archivist who grew up in Hull. He has managed a wide range of heritage archive and museum collections at institutions including Durham University, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, National Archives of Scotland and Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books. Passionate about community engagement, Kris has worked with diverse community groups, including schools, to explore heritage and work with collections.
Kris McKie, Young Maritime Creatives – Community Curator, said: "We are delighted to be working with the wonderfully creative young people at these eight Hull secondary schools and excited to explore their unique artistic works that celebrate the city’s history. Together, we will create an exhibition that showcases these artworks and offers visitors new and creative perspectives on Hull’s maritime heritage."
David Wright
David is a museum curator who with experience in various roles across Tyne & Wear Archive and Museums, Great North Run Culture and Seven Stories and currently works for Durham University. He is enthusiastic about projects that encourage learning and participation as a way to connect audiences with important ideas. As well has curatorial experience, David brings a wealth of experience in delivering workshops with different groups.
Together, Kris and David have helped deliver a number of community-led exhibition projects working with local and national organisations including Crisis, Sporting Heritage and Showtown Museum Blackpool. Below are a few examples of the exhibitions they have worked on:
‘Michael Morpurgo, A Lifetime in Stories’ – Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books (2016) – A community-led exhibition exploring the life, work and archives of one of Britain’s best loved children’s authors that toured nationally including the V&A Museum of Childhood.
A Homeless History of Newcastle’ – Crisis (2018-19) – A unique exhibition taking place in different venues around Newcastle, Kris and David worked alongside a community group made up of people with lived experience of homelessness.
‘Second World War Blackpool’ – Showtown Museum (2022 – 2023) – An upcoming temporary exhibition on life and entertainment in Second World War Blackpool.
The Young Maritime Creatives exhibition will be on display at Ferens Art Gallery in November 2024 until March 2025.
