“Engaging visitors and building trust: Everyday Objects Transformed by the Conflict Exhibition tours LibrariesNI”

International audienceDealing with the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland remains a contentious issue and the lack of an agreed narrative is often cited as a reason that nothing constructive can be done regarding the history of the conflict. The Everyday Objects Transformed by the Conflict Exhibition (EOE) gathers a range of items lent by people from different backgrounds and political viewpoints. It was set up by the cross-community organisation Healing Through Remembering as a catalyst to help open up a platform in which diverse voices and experiences of the conflict could be heard. After an initial six-month tour in 2012, it was requested by visitors, host venues and those who lent items that the exhibition continue because it demonstrated how much could be done by creating a space for different voices to be heard, even without one agreed narrative. Visitor feedback gathered at every venue has shown broad support for EOE’s curatorial practices in representing conflict. The exhibition has been touring various museum and non-museum venues (community centres, arts centres, churches, empty shop units, offices) in Northern Ireland and the border counties since 2012. This session will focus on EOE’s tour of the LibrariesNI network (April 2022-May 2023), when the exhibition was displayed in 25 local libraries. Based on first-hand observations, feedback and specifically designed educational resources, it will focus on how to engage visitors with difficult objects, disseminate better understanding of the past and foster empathy and trust within the community