Whose Power?

The Power of Trust: Creating Safe Spaces in Participatory Research

In the first episode of series 2 of Whose Power? Abigail Harrison Moore and her co-hosts Lauren and Rahesa explore the critical role of trust in participatory research. Focusing on the Preservative Party at Leeds City Museum - a collective of young curators aged 14–24 - they discuss how creating a protected, deadline-free environment empowers authentic self-expression and meaningful activism. Abigail reflects on the emotional labour involved in this work and the importance of lived experience in research. Together, they uncover how trust, care, and collaboration can reshape not just museum practice, but society at large. 
Read a full transcript of this episode
Find out more about the Preservative Party on their LinkedIn or the Leeds Museums & Galleries website. 
This is a Research Podcasts production.
 
Episode Credits
Presenters:  Abigail Harrison Moore, University of Leeds, Lauren and Rahesa, Preservative Party
Guests: Jordan Keighley , Leeds City Museum
Producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts 
Studio and sound: Helix, University of Leeds and Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts
Music: Aura, by Tae, Preservative Party 
Artwork and graphics: Preservative Party with Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts 
Photography: Andrew Lord 
Funding: Research England Participatory Research Fund 2024-25
 

Learning to Lead Participation

In Episode 5 of Whose Power? we are in conversation with Preservative Party mentors Lauren and Grace. 
Together they discuss how the group is working to empower young people to break down traditional barriers to influence and drive the way museum exhibitions are curated and presented, what participating in academic research means to them, what barriers and challenges they have faced along the way, and how they have helped to create new knowledge and bring about meaningful change in the sector with and for the young people they support. 
Grace talks about why there needs to be wholesale change in academia and museums to create the space for young people’s voices to be shared and heard. And Lauren explains how the Preservative Party has helped them develop the confidence to pursue their own academic career. 
Read a full transcript of the episode
Episode credits
Presenter: Abigail Harrison Moore, University of Leeds
Guests: Grace and Lauren, Preservative Party
Producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts
Studio and sound: Kerr Hunter and Alex Neish, Helix, University of Leeds
Music: Aura, by Tae, Preservative Party
Artwork and graphics: Preservative Party, Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts
Photography: Andrew Lord
 
 

Whose Power? Series 2 Trailer

In this second series of Whose Power? Abigail is joined by Preservative Party mentors Lauren, Rahesa and Tae, who, together with other members of the group, have been exploring the nature of power and how participatory research can bring about new knowledge and understanding.
They're talking about how we create and maintain safe spaces, amplify the voices of those least listened to, and what real collaboration looks like. By sharing the stories, insights and opinions of members, and the people they've worked, they hope to shed light on the power of trust, what it is to work collectively, how we create change and the power of the podcast as a medium and space to do meaningful participatory research. 
Episode one drops June 4th. This series has been supported with funding from the Research England Participatory Research Fund 2024-25
Read a full transcript
 

Connections and Confidence

In Episode 4 of Whose Power? we find out how Preservative Party member Tae came to participate in the Whose Power project. 
They discuss how the group is working to empower young people to break down traditional barriers to influence and drive the way museum exhibitions are curated and presented, what participating in academic research means to them, what barriers and challenges they have faced along the way, and how they have helped to create new knowledge and bring about meaningful change in the sector with and for the young people they support. 
Tae tells Abigail about why and how they questioned the original research plan in order to produce new questions that represented everyone in the Preservative Party and what inspired them to create the theme music for the Whose Power podcast.
Further information
Access and download a full transcript of the episode
Episode credits
Presenter: Abigail Harrison Moore, University of Leeds
Guests: Tae, Preservative Party
Producer: Christine Garrington, Research Podcasts
Music: Tae, Preservative Party
Artwork and Audiograms Preservative Party and Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts
 
 

The Professor at the Party

In Episode 3 of Whose Power? Preservative Party members Bobby and Rahesa put Professor Abigail Harrison Moore in the hot seat to ask what she has learned about participatory research through her involvement with the group. 
Together they discuss how and why Abigail wanted to work with them, what she has done to gain their trust and buy-in to the project and what she’s learned about her work and the role of participatory research in engaging and empowering young people. 
Read a full transcript of the episode
Episode credits
Presenters: Bobby and Rahesa, Preservative Party
Guest: Abigail Harrison Moore, University of Leeds
Producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts
Studio and sound: Kerr Hunter and Alex Neish, Helix, University of Leeds
Music: Aura, by Tae, Preservative Party
Artwork and graphics: Preservative Party, Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts
Photography: Andrew Lord
 

The Preservative Party and Me

CONTENT WARNING: Please note this episode includes conversations about experiences of homelessness
In Episode 2 of Whose Power? we find out what the Preservative Party means to members Bobby and Rahesa and what they have learned about the power of participating in research from the Whose Power project. 
Together they discuss how the group is working to empower young people to break down traditional barriers to influence and drive the way museum exhibitions are curated and presented, what participating in academic research means to them, what barriers and challenges they have faced along the way, and how they have helped to create new knowledge and bring about meaningful change in the sector with and for the young people they support. 
Bobby tells Abigail why they thought twice about getting involved and what they think academics need to think more carefully about when looking to engage with young people. And Rahesa talks about the struggles they have faced in their education and how the Preservative Party has given them the confidence to speak and be heard. 
Read a full transcript of the episode
Episode credits
Presenter: Abigail Harrison Moore, University of Leeds
Guests: Bobby and Rahesa, Preservative Party
Producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts
Studio and sound: Kerr Hunter and Alex Neish, Helix, University of Leeds
Music: Aura, by Tae, Preservative Party
Artwork and graphics: Preservative Party with Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts
Photography: Andrew Lord
 

New Perspectives on Participation in Museums

In Episode 1 of Whose Power? we find out how and why Professor Abigail Harrison Moore from the University of Leeds started researching histories of women and energy in the home with an inspiring group of young curators based at Leeds City Museum. 
Abigail is joined by Esther Amis-Hughes, Community Engagement Manager at Leeds City Museum who set up the Preservative Party 13 years ago. She's also joined by Youth Engagement Curator Jordan Keighley, an original member of the group, now its facilitator.
Together they discuss how the group is working to empower young people to break down traditional barriers to influence and drive the way museum exhibitions are curated and presented, what participating in academic research means to them, what barriers and challenges they have faced along the way, and how they have helped to create new knowledge and bring about meaningful change in the sector with and for the young people they support. 
Further reading
Read a full transcript of the episode
Empowering Women; Co-producing Histories of Women and Energy in the Home (AHRC funding page)
Open minds with the Preservative Party (Blog)
Episode credits
Presenter: Abigail Harrison Moore, University of Leeds
Guests: Jordan Keighley and Esther Amis-Hughes, Leeds City Museum
Producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts
Studio and sound: Kerr Hunter and Alex Neish, Helix, University of Leeds
Music: Aura, by Tae, Preservative Party
Artwork and graphics: Preservative Party with Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts
Photography: Andrew Lord
 

Whose Power? Series Trailer

Whose Power? is a podcast that explores the power of participation and seeks to amplify the voices of young people to create new knowledge and understanding.  
The podcast is a collaboration between Abigail Harrison Moore from the University of Leeds and The Preservative Party, a group of young curators at Leeds City Museum who empower young people to break down traditional barriers and influence the way museum exhibitions and events are curated and presented. Together they’ve been exploring how participation can help us better understand power, who has it, and how it’s used in different settings. Listen to Abigail explain what you can expect from this inspiring podcast series! Episode 1 drops July 11.
Read a transcript of the series trailer
Series credits
Presenter: Abigail Harrison Moore, University of Leeds
Producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts
Studio and sound: Kerr Hunter and Alex Neish, Helix, University of Leeds
Music: Aura, by Tae, Preservative Party
Artwork and graphics: Preservative Party with Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts
Photography: Andy Lord Photography