Contested Desires, Constructive Dialogues: Background Research

Contested Desires: Constructive Dialogues (CDCD) is a three-year arts and heritage programme, co-funded by the EU Creative Europe, engaging artists to examine European colonialism’s legacy in museums and heritage sites. CDCD aims to challenge the destabilising and divisive impact of the current political landscapes of Europe and beyond, through a deep recognition of the potential of museums and heritage to become sites where complex questions of culture and identity can be hosted, framed and explored in ways that are inclusive, accessible and productive. 22 artists from 11 countries will work with heritage partners and local communities to respond to specific contentious collections and sites and generate new artworks, exhibitions, workshops and events, alongside a series of knowledge exchange workshops and seminars. CDCD has, at its heart, an ambition to be a driver of innovation and change, generating new interpretations and relationships and driving inclusive transformation in both the partner heritage organisations and amongst participating groups and communities. As project lead ECCOM (2024) sets out: ‘The most important outcome of the project will be to provide heritage professionals with methods, resources and – above all – the confidence to use contested heritage as a focus for constructive, democratic dialogue that reflects the best of European values and contributes to reconciliation across the divisions of the past’. As part of the programme, RCMG was commissioned to provide background research of direct use to the CDCD consortium. The final RCMG report provides background research on: key terminology and the conceptual framings of ‘decolonising’ and ‘decoloniality’ in European museums; the role of art and artists in generating meaningful dialogue amongst visitors and stakeholders related to contested collections, histories and identities; wide-ranging examples of arts-led and arts-centred decolonising practices focused on collections and from a range of lineages of socially engaged art; RCMG’s work on ethical frameworks and how this method could support CDCD collaborations; RCMG’s work on evaluation and the ways that an emphasis on decoloniality and collaboration will impact what is evaluated and why.