Information Scotland The Journal of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland ISSN 1743-5471 Issue contents | Journal contents | About the online edition of the journal August 2004 Volume 2 (4)

Project work

An enchanting experience

Gerry Torley describes how Glasgow's Mitchell Library Reading Room was transformed into an 'Enchanted Land' and the teamwork that made it happen.

For two months earlier this year Glasgow's Mitchell Library hosted the exhibition 'The Enchanted Land: Puccini's landscapes, lights and colours'. This article describes the planning involved in transforming a reading room into a space good enough to house an exhibition considered as being of international significance – and how the specially created Project Team was integral to its success.

As part of an ongoing cultural collaboration with the Italian Province of Lucca, Glasgow City Council agreed to host the exhibition of Italian art from 16 April - 19 June 2004. The exhibition took its theme from the landscapes of the Lucchesia as seen through the eyes of British and Italian painters from the middle of the nineteenth century to present day. The Serchio valley in the region has been described as the 'Enchanted Land'. The event would highlight the many links, both cultural and commercial that exist between Scotland and Tuscany in general and between Glasgow and Barga in particular.

A suitable venue in which to locate the exhibition was crucial, as the main City Council exhibition venue, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, was closed for a multi-million pound refurbishment. The Mitchell Library's Main Hall Reading Room was identified as a possibility. Glasgow City Councillor Alex Mosson, who originally proposed the exhibition, the Mayor of the Italian City of Barga and officials from the Province of Lucca inspected this in November 2003. One look at the Reading Room captured their collective imaginations.

Although functioning as the Library's Information and Business Services section, the size of the room, the high vaulted glass ceilings, the intricate coving, the marble and wood panelled walls, and magnificent detailed pillars presented the perfect location for the exhibition. In addition, the Mitchell Regeneration programme had identified the Main Hall as having potential as a future focal point of a visitor attraction. Housing this prestigious event would be the ideal opportunity to test the theory and put in place the right conditions to suit an exhibition environment.

The paintings

The Italian Curators estimated that around 100 paintings would be involved, sourced from a variety of public and private lenders. These paintings would be representative of the artists working in the Province of Lucca in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The artists include Eugenio Cecconi (1842-1903), Lorenzo Viani (1882-1936), Plinio Nomellini (1885-1943), Moses Levy (1885-1968) and Alfredo Meschi (1905-1981). Scotland's own John Bellany, who has lived near Barga for some years, takes inspiration for his work from the local countryside. He contributed several canvases to the exhibition, including 'The Enchanted Land', a large two-panelled work. For insurance purposes, the value of the exhibition was noted as being in the region of £4 million.

The scale of this exhibition, and the interest it had generated in both cultural and political circles ensured full concentration of effort and commitment of resources from staff in the Mitchell Library. Under the guidance of the Information Services Manager, Pamela Tulloch, who took on the role of Lead Officer, a Project Team was assembled. This team comprised four members of staff from diverse backgrounds – Conservation, Graphic Arts, Librarian and Acquisitions. Each was charged with a specific remit, such as conservation, layout and display and research. While team members, individually, had limited knowledge of involvement in such a project, collectively members had previous professional experience which the contributed.

Project teamwork

The Project Team, which first met in October 03, was made aware of the timescale and the extent of what had to be achieved. A public section of the Library had to be closed, all staff, furniture and book stock relocated to another identified area, and the Reading Room to be prepared for the exhibition. Just a small part of the duties included replacing, repairing, sanding and varnishing the entire floor; installing necessary electrical and communications points; and identifying security issues.

The timescale was particularly tight. A Critical Dates schedule identified each specific target and the date by which it had to be achieved. The timetable was circulated to Team members, and could be updated regularly to ensure everyone was kept aware of progress. A programme of weekly meetings was established with each team member allocated specific duties to perform before the next meeting. While members had their own particular function, as a team we discussed each member's work, helping to identify solutions to particular concerns and keeping up to date with progress. We all had to continue with our regular work duties too, therefore maintaining regular contact provided a sense of bonding, team spirit and loyalty towards the common goal.

Due to the timescale, the Project Team requested specialist support from Glasgow Museums staff, who provided invaluable guidance on display equipment and efficient exhibition layout. The Reading Room was vacated on 10 December, removing all books, shelving and moveable furniture. This allowed the carpet to be lifted in January 2004. The gallery panels were erected following a layout plan discussed between the Graphic Designer and the Italian curators.

In early April, communication from the Italian curators prepared us for the arrival of the paintings. The vision of 97 paintings being removed from their individual protective crates and packaging, and placed on to the gallery panels, was wonderful. The sense of achievement that we now had an exhibition in place demonstrated that the planning, communication and research had prepared the Team for all eventualities. The conservator assisted in ensuring Condition Reports were performed on the paintings and that they were in an appropriate condition to be viewed.

In mid March, we invited a security official from Glasgow Museums and a Community Police Officer who specialises in this field. Both were satisfied that our precautions were acceptable, that we had thought out potential problems and that we had taken the trouble to alert the Police that something different was taking place in the library. The Italian curators suggested that a line on the floor approximately one metre from the panels would be sufficient to advise visitors not to go near the paintings.

The launch

Running parallel with the work of the Project Team another group was planning the Civic Reception for the exhibition launch on 16 April. First Minister Jack McConnell would be performing the launch, in the presence of the President of the Province of Lucca, the Lord Provost of Glasgow Elizabeth Cameron, the Leader of the City Council Charles Gordon and the Mayor of Barga. Launch day morning commenced with a flurry of activity. Finally, 400 invited guests enjoyed a Civic Reception consisting of an evening of speeches, viewing the fabulous paintings, food, wine and music and song from the Puccini Festival Orchestra.

With favourable reviews appearing in the press including The Herald and The Scotsman, and with marketing evidenced by flyers, leaflets, bus and rail advertising and the Council website, the Enchanted Land exhibition proved a popular attraction. Activities to enhance the visitor experience were put in place. While viewing the paintings, visitors listened to background music from various works by Puccini; library staff acted as guides in the exhibition area; and information packs consisting of research notes and images were available. Educational workshops were created, including tours and descriptions of the exhibition, specific tours for school pupils, and guest lectures from various academic and commercial bodies. Visitor numbers reached 10,000 during the 10 weeks of the exhibition, and comments in the visitor's book were overwhelmingly positive.

Looking back

After the event an evaluation meeting offered an opportunity for those involved to comment on the process. The conclusions were clear. The success of the exhibition was based on the establishment of a Project Team, a detailed Critical Dates schedule to cover all expected and unexpected events, clear communication between all agencies and planning to include as much notice as possible, trust in team members to perform, and and overall sense of wanting to make the project a success. Ability to be flexible and to look beyond the limited job outline is essential for Project Team players.

"...an excellent example of cooperation"

As Jack McConnell wrote in the catalogue to accompany the exhibition:

"It is an excellent example of cooperation between the regional government of Tuscany and the Glasgow City Council, and I warmly congratulate all those involved in arranging this exhibition. It is also fitting that these beautiful works of art, inspired by Tuscany's magical landscape, should be in the magnificent Mitchell Library, alongside other world class collections".

The creation of the exhibition space has demonstrated how a group of individuals was assembled into a team with a common goal, and which reached a very satisfactory conclusion. Through leadership, teamwork, communication and planning, the sense of achievement experienced through such a successful project has established confidence and a sense of pride in all the team members.

Gerry Torley is Supply and Acquisition Officer, Glasgow City Council. The Project Team consisted of: Lead Officer Pamela Tulloch; Archie Fisher; David Freckleton; Joan Stewart and Gerry Torley.

Information Scotland Vol. 2 (4) August 2004

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