The Nordic Centre for Heritage Learning and Creativity (NCK), based in Östersund, Sweden, in collaboration with the Research Centre for Museums and Galleries (RCMG) at the University of Leicester’s School of Museum Studies, UK, is offering a week-long course entitled "Socially Purposeful Museums and Archives", that will explore how museums and archives can become more dynamic, inclusive and socially purposeful organisations. The course will take place in Östersund between 17 and 21 October 2016. During those days, participants will gain a better and more in depth understanding of the social role of museums and archives and their use as resources for shaping cultural values, memories and understandings. The course is intended for anyone working in museums and archives who are interested in exploring and developing their institution’s social value, political relevance, and its resonance for communities. Specific themes addressed throughout the five-day programme include the following:

• What is the socially-purposeful museum and archive?
• Who visits and who uses museums and archives?
• What are the issues of significance to society?
• Unlocking collections
• Research and evaluation

The content for the programme emerges from RCMG’s research and practice in museums. RCMG values inform and enrich creative museum thinking, policy and practice to support museums and other cultural organisations to become more dynamic, inclusive and socially purposeful institutions. Grounded in theory as well as Nordic and Baltic international practices and case studies, the course offers opportunities for active learning, collaborative activities, discussion and debate. Participants are encouraged to draw upon and use examples from their own professional context as part of an assignment that invites them to reflect critically upon the discussions emerging during this course. The course is led and facilitated by Jocelyn Dodd and Ceri Jones, RCMG, and other speakers include Bernadette Lynch and Peter Daniel. Registration for the course is open until 1 September. For additional information about "Socially Purposeful Museums and Archives", please visit http://nckultur.org/nckleicestercourse2016/