CREA Workshop at the IWM

How do people learn in museums – and how can such learning be researched? These questions were at the centre of the two-day CREA workshop held at the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) in Tübingen. CREA stands for Crossroads of Research and Experience of Art and brings together researchers and museum professionals to explore how art and cultural spaces are experienced and how these experiences relate to learning.

Crossroads of Research and Experience of Art (CREA)

The format is designed as a shared space for dialogue between groups that often pursue similar questions but rarely meet in their everyday professional contexts. The workshop was initiated by Gemma Schino from the IWM’s Aesthetics and Learning lab. Discussions focused on key issues such as: What role do museums play in learning processes? How can forms of “deep learning” or “slow looking” emerge in museum contexts? And should such processes be actively fostered – or allowed to unfold organically?

Alongside conceptual discussions, participants also worked hands-on. In small groups, they developed their own definitions of learning in museums and drafted research designs – from the formulation of research questions to methodological implementation. Condensing a process that usually takes months into just a few hours led to intensive exchanges, new ideas, and first steps towards future collaborations.

In the long term, the insights gained during the workshop are intended to inform guidelines and practical tools that facilitate collaboration between research and cultural institutions.

The CREA series will continue: The next edition is planned to take place in a London art gallery.