Campaign!
Poster
Mural
Historical Contraceptive
Campaign! Make An Impact
In the Spring term of 2009 the Thackray Museum worked with Primrose High School on the Campaign! Make an Impact project.
45 year 9 students (13 & 14 yrs) used objects and archives from the museum to explore the historical campaign for Birth Control. They then went on to work with artists to develop their own campaigns based on subjects that they cared about.
The students visited the museum, where they encountered birth control equipment from the past, from animal gut condoms to bizarre wishbone pessaries! They also got to look at historical campaigning material, including the works of Marie Stopes and ‘The Wife’s Handbook’, a Victorian women’s guide to health and contraception by Leeds doctor Henry Albutt.
Back in school, they produced posters, animations, a mural and a drama piece, campaigning for children’s rights, and against antisocial behaviour, bullying and crime. The students produced fantastic work, with everyone being extremely proud of what they had achieved.
Some of the students visited the British Library in London to display their work to people high up in museums and education. They also appeared on ITV’s Calendar news programme, promoting the work they and their classmates had done.
Campaign! Make an Impact is being rolled by the British Library and MLA Council working in partnership over 2009-2011. It is a national programme funded through the DCMS/ DCFS Strategic Commissioning Programme.
For more information and teaching resources, visit www.bl.uk/campaign.
