Museum as Muck recently delivered a workshop for students on UCL’s MA Archives & Records Management programme, a professionally accredited course for those building careers in the GLAM sector. Through interactive activities and open discussion, we explored how class inequality shapes access, progression and belonging within cultural institutions.
Together, we unpacked how “normal” sector practices, from unpaid experience and informal networks to expectations about qualifications, can quietly reproduce inequality. Students also examined how class operates at multiple levels: individual bias, workplace culture, sector norms and wider political systems. Creating a more equitable cultural sector isn’t just about recognising the problem; it’s about changing the systems that keep it in place.
Huge thanks to the brilliant MA cohort for bringing thoughtful ideas and energy to the session. If your university or cultural organisation is ready to delve deeper into class inequality and build more inclusive practices, Museum as Muck offers workshops, training and tailored support.