Derry Girls Blackboard On Display In Belfast

A new exhibition on cultural stereotypes in Northern Ireland has launched at the Ulster Museum, and what better way to delve into local identities than with the famous 'Differences' background from the hit TV series Derry Girls.

The iconic prop is on public display for the first time as the museum seeks to test visitors' preconceptions and traditional stereotypes, as done in the popular Channel 4 show.

Visitors will also interact with the stories of real people across Northern Ireland and border counties, collected from participants of Making the Future engagement programmes and brought to life through animations by BAFTA nominated artist John McCloskey.

CEO of National Museums NI Kathryn Thomson said the overall purpose of the exhibition is to invite people to take a good, hard look at the cultural stereotypes that we all know surround us in Northern Ireland.

"The CultureLab exhibition has been designed to explore the cultural state-of-play in Northern Ireland, challenge stereotypes and ask new questions. It has been fantastic for National Museums NI to be a part of the Making the Future project which is helping to empower people to explore the past and create a powerful vision for future change."

Ms Thomson continued: "Our museums and collections offer a shared space and real stimulus to widen community discussion and participation and encourage respect for different traditions whilst celebrating our cultural diversity."

David Lewis, Making the Future Project Lead, said: "We're delighted to be working with National Museums NI to deliver this exciting CultureLab exhibition and to offer a space for people to experiment with issues of culture and identity in Northern Ireland in such a unique space.

"CultureLab is a part of the Making the Future programme which engages people from across the region to take part in innovative programmes that encourage them to make their voices heard, tell stories relevant to their lives and project ideas for a shared future."

The Culture Lab exhibition is now open and will continue until November, accompanied by a series of events and talks.



(JG/CM)