News / Black South West Network
New initiative to collect, preserve and share stories of Black identity
A “groundbreaking” initiative has been awarded £1.25m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund “to deliver an innovative, decolonial reimagining of the ‘museum'” in Bristol and the South West.
UnMuseum from Black South West Network (BSWN) promises to collect, preserve and share stories of Black identity and belonging.
The cultural heritage project aims to place Black and Racially Minoritised communities in control of how their cultural heritage is defined, curated and celebrated.
The project will work with Black-led organisations “to deliver participatory events, commission new cultural works, and create spaces of learning, healing, and celebration that will open up Black cultural heritage to audiences across the region”.
It will culminate in a regional Festival of Black Identity and Belonging “that celebrates and honours the cultural heritage of Black communities across the South West”.
BSWN director, Sado Jirde, said: “This funding marks a transformative moment for Black cultural heritage in the South West.
“For far too long, our stories have been marginalised, misrepresented, or left out entirely.
“The UnMuseum is not just about preservation, it’s about power, healing, and visibility. It’s about communities defining their own narratives, on their own terms.
“We are incredibly proud to lead this work and grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for recognising its importance.
“This project will create a lasting legacy, not in a glass case, but in the lives, voices and creative expressions of the people who carry this heritage every day.”
The UnMuseum project will also support the long-term development of the Coach House in St Paul’s as the future Centre for Black Enterprise & Cultural Heritage, “a regional hub that will house studios and exhibition space, expanding infrastructure for Black-led cultural production in the South West”.
Main photo: Black South West Network
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