The NEMO Members’ Meetups provide a welcoming space for exchange, peer learning, and dialogue among members. This edition of the Meetup gathered 47 colleagues from across Europe, alongside NEMO representatives and invited speakers, for a conversation on how museums can support mental health, care, and resilience - both within their institutions and in their wider communities.
The session opened with a series of short inputs highlighting different approaches to wellbeing and resilience in museum practice.
- Aida Vežić, Secretary General of the Balkan Museum Network, introduced the Network, its members, and its collaborative approach to strengthening museums across the region. She outlined key themes and current priorities for Balkan museums as well as challenges, achievements and trends within the region and network. Also highlighted was the open call of the Headley Southeast European Cultural Heritage Fund.
- The second input focused on museum-based art psychotherapy. Brina Casey and Sinéad Rice from the National Gallery of Ireland presented NEMO’s latest publication, Art, healing and museums. Exploring museum-based art psychotherapy practices, commissioned by NEMO’s Working Group LEM – The Learning Museum. They introduced the publication’s key messages and shared insights from the No Words programme, the Gallery’s pioneering initiative supporting mental health through art psychotherapy, highlighting the growing role museums can play in care and wellbeing.
- Next, Olivia Braun and Elfi Carle, leaders of NEMO’s newly established Working Group Resilience and Care, introduced the group’s aims and areas of focus. They shared their vision for supporting museums in building more resilient and caring structures and offered a preview of the upcoming study visit to Stuttgart, Germany, in June 2026, inviting members to engage actively with the group’s future activities.
- The final presentation offered a perspective on cultural resilience in practice. Sandra Baranovska, Manager of the Korsak Museum of Contemporary Ukrainian Art and representing one of NEMO’s 2026 Trial Members, introduced the museum’s work and shared first impressions of participating in the NEMO network. Her contribution highlighted how museums continue to operate, create meaning, and build resilience in challenging contexts.
The session concluded with an open discussion, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences from their own institutions, and exchange reflections with speakers and fellow members. The conversation underlined the importance of collaboration, care, and peer support in navigating the complex realities museums face today.
The next Members’ Meetup will take place in the autumn. Exact date and time will be announced in due time.
