Pavitt’s essay discusses the parallel discourses of ‘creativity’ employed by the British Labour government and the public museums in the UK during the late 1990s and early years of the 21st century. Focusing on the case of the V&A Museum, Pavitt examines the real and imagined roles of the public museum in the formation of a ‘creative industries strategy’ by government, as well as the public presentation of contemporary design. In particular, Pavitt contrasts the uncertain approach to creativity articulated by different branches of government with an expanded emphasis on active and participatory creativity that is being embraced in the museum sector.
Drawing on her extensive research and curatorial practice in this field while she was University of Brighton Principal Research Fellow in Design at the V&A Museum (1997–2010), Pavitt examined a number of policy documents and reports produced by government departments (in particular the Department of Culture, Media and Sport), museums and think tanks, as well as the audience research data gathered by the V&A. Pavitt analysed the varying impacts of these strategic statements on curatorial strategies, gallery design and event organisation as well as on learning and interpretation strategies at the V&A during the period. This is set in the longer history of the museum, and in particular its founding aim of stimulating British design.
Pavitt was invited to research and write this essay after speaking at two workshops in 2007, entitled ‘Counting Creativity’, co-organised by the Design Council London and Leeds Metropolitan University. The workshops brought together design professionals and academics to consider the relationship of the creative industries to business and government, and how changes in political attitudes have affected the processes and practices of design.