RLUK ICIL - It’s All a Show: Fairground Showmen, Identity and Mental Health

Inclusive Collections, Inclusive Libraries is an RLUK programme of events that aims to foster conversation around decolonisation and inclusive practice in collecting, describing, presenting, and engaging with content in research library collections. It seeks to raise awareness about the opportunities and challenges of dealing with, contextualising, and engaging with offensive collections while also identifying and sharing examples of good practice.

It’s All a Show: Fairground Showmen, Identity and Mental Health

Arantza Barrutia, Senior Archivist at the National Fairground and Circus Archive and 7^th generation fairground Showman Sheldon Chadwick will be talking about their partnership, Sheldon’s research into the British fairground community and the links between identity and mental health. The main focus of the project is engagement and inclusion, bringing to live the hidden voices of the fairground community and connecting with new audiences, especially the ones that have been traditionally excluded from the archive.

The National Fairground and Circus Archive is a unique research archive dedicated to the collection and preservation of travelling popular entertainment history.

The collection covers every aspect of the travelling entertainment industry and its culture from the seventeenth century to the present day represented by British and international companies, showmen and artistes. Within the core collections are several focussed specialisms including: Magic; Sideshows; Cinematograph Shows; Pleasure Gardens; Amusement and Theme Parks; Menageries; Seaside Entertainment; and World’s Fairs and Expositions.

At the centre of the Archive are the personal, and family collections, which provide a unique insight into the lives, businesses and careers of the people behind the collections.

This event will be held virtually via Zoom. Attendees will receiving joining details the day before the event. Please ensure email addresses are entered correctly during registration (you should receive a confirmation email soon after registering) and check junk folders if no emails are received.