YOUNG OFFICE, the youth department of the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht, has commissioned Joop de Jong and his research team, consisting of Sandra van Helden and Ward Schoonbrood, to conduct a research project on the impact of Young Office.
YOUNG OFFICE’s goal is turning the museum into a dynamic location for young art lovers to meet, by organising various events and activities.
YOUNG OFFICE keeps an eye on the other museum departments by giving welcomed and unwelcomed opinions as young museum experts. YOUNG OFFICE is involved behind the scenes, asks critical questions and gives its own touch to what a museum can stand for to a younger audience. The events it organises are up-to-date, fun with a critical approach and accessible for a diverse crowd.
YOUNG OFFICE is part of a worldwide change of vision on audiences of cultural organisations. Becoming more inclusive, reaching and attracting more diverse audiences with different backgrounds and preferences, is the shared ambition of YOUNG OFFICE and the Bonnefantenmuseum. The special focus of YOUNG OFFICE is on youth participation.
The main emphasis in most studies of youth participation programmes is on the impact on participants. However our research will focus on the impact of YOUNG OFFICE on the museum organisation. How is YOUNG OFFICE positioned within the organisation, how is it perceived by museum staff members, how can YOUNG OFFICE help others? The research project will also include a benchmark with some comparable youth departments in other museums. The results of the research should help to increase the impact of YOUNG OFFICE.
