The Centre of New Enlightenment

The Centre of New Enlightenment (TCoNE) is a permanent programme of experiences, events and opportunities, that begins with a cinematic and hand-held-computer tour, for young people at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, Scotland. The aim is to use the museum environment, and in particular its collections, staff and spaces, to help young people develop life skills (positive psychology) and to apply them in different circumstances. The outcome is that teenagers use the museum collections to discover their own character strengths, and this improves their self-confidence.

In the year 2000, a World Health Organisation (WHO) study indicated that levels of personal self-confidence amongst children of school age were low across Europe, particularly in Scotland. The objective of The Centre of New Enlightenment is to improve young visitors’ confidence and help them find the hero inside themselves – to believe that they are not victims of circumstance, but architects of their own futures.

In April 2009 the Centre of New Enlightenment was shortlisted for the Art Fund Prize. The other three shortlisted projects were Orleans House Gallery, Ruthin Craft Centre and Wedgewood Museum. Members of the public have been asked to vote for their favourite of the projects, and their votes will count alongside the judging panel's votes.

See Also

Positive organizational scholarship

Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS) is “the study of that which is positive, flourishing,...

Psicanica: A Short Course

Psicanica is a self-help philosophy. According to psicanica, human beings can control their...