Photo Collections Network Seminar: BCVA Contributes to Discussion on Representation, Diversity and Inclusion (20 January 2023)

BCVA will be partnering with the Photo Collections Network over the coming year to contribute to a series of discussions exploring representation, diversity and inclusion within photographic collections and archives.

The first event, taking place on 20 January 2023, brings together organisations, archivists and practitioners working across photography and heritage to consider how archives can better reflect the diversity of the communities they represent.

The seminar will feature panel discussions addressing key questions such as:

• What barriers prevent wider public access and engagement with regional and national photographic archives?

• How can collections and archives become more inclusive and representative?

• What approaches can encourage more diverse stories to be documented and shared?

• How can organisations collaborate more effectively to address these challenges?

The event will also highlight inspiring work from several organisations actively developing more inclusive archive practices, including; Apna Heritage Archive, Museum of Youth Culture, Nottingham Black Archives, and Historical Photos of China. BCVA looks forward to contributing to these conversations and learning from others working to broaden representation within photographic collections and archives. :- Bookings

New Partnership Between Derby Museums and BCVA to Document South Asian Histories

Derby Museums has been successful in a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund developed in partnership with Black Country Visual Arts. The project will create an archive of historic images, accompanied by oral history recordings and new portrait photographs, that will tell past and present stories about the experiences of south Asian communities in Derby. These stories are missing from

Derby Museum’s collections, and the project will build an archive that enriches the heritage record of the city - the shared history of all its residents.

Black Country Visual Arts have experience of successfully delivering the National Lottery Heritage Funded Apna Heritage Archive, and their team has experience leading community-engaged projects in Derby. The funding is for projects which increase the understanding and care of heritage and that ensure a wider range of people will be involved in heritage. Further info available here:- Derby Museums

Laura Phillips, head of Interpretation and Display at Derby Museums, said:

“We want this project to be an opportunity for building relationships, increasing our understanding of the needs of communities and deepening our knowledge of the history of our collections through connecting them with the lived experience of people with south Asian heritage – whose stories are often missing from our museums.”

Anand Chhabra, Director, Black Country Visual Arts, said:

“Black Country Visual Arts is immensely proud to partner with Derby Museums on this amazing opportunity to record the heritage of the South Asian communities that have settled in Derby. We will invite local people to contribute, learn and develop skills as we look to recording participant’s first-hand experiences of migrating to the city.

We also look forward to working with various partner organisations and local community groups who have already committed to helping us deliver this project over the next two years. Our aim to co-produce their untold stories as oral histories and through digitisation of family photographs will enable us to help share the positive impact these communities have had during their time of settling in the city. We look forward to displaying the findings of our research in exciting ways over the next two years that will act as a co-created archive and a source of pride for future generations in the city of Derby.“

further information on this project can be found here on the new website https://derbyyaadaanarchive.co.uk/

Photograph courtesy of P. Bassi, P.Basi and family, Normanton, Derby.

BCVA Director Anand Chhabra Commissioned for NPG Citizen UK Researchers Project

BCVA is pleased to announce that artist and director Anand Chhabra has been commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) to work on the Citizen UK Researchers project, exploring the history and experiences of Punjabi migration to Wolverhampton.

The project brings together a group of volunteer researchers with a shared interest in documenting the stories of Punjabi communities in the city. Wolverhampton is home to around 40,000 people of Punjabi heritage, and the project provides an important opportunity to record and celebrate the journeys, contributions and lived experiences of this community.

Developed in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery and Wolverhampton Art Gallery, the project will combine community research, oral history interviews and photographic portraiture. Anand has been working closely with the volunteer researchers, providing training in archival research methods and oral history interviewing to support the collection of personal stories connected to migration and settlement in the city.

As lead artist, Anand will help shape the artistic direction of the project, including the development of an exhibition that will present both oral histories and newly commissioned photographic portraits of key individuals whose stories reflect the wider migration experience.

The project also brings together a number of creative collaborators, including Wolverhampton’s Poet Laureate. Kuli Kohli an acclaimed poet and the first disabled South Asian woman to hold the role, will contribute poetry inspired by the stories and experiences gathered through the research process.

Through this collaboration between artists, researchers and community participants, the project aims to create a meaningful cultural record of Punjabi migration to Wolverhampton and highlight the significant contributions of these communities to the life of the city.

Citizen UK Researchers present work on mind mapping a few of their stories on Punjabi Migration to the City and by working through research, outputs and outcomes. Workshop conducted by BCVA director Anand Chhabra © Anand Chhabra

Launch Event for the Apna Heritage Archive: 'Forging Ahead' at Black Country Living Museum (10 November 2023)

The launch event for the Apna Heritage Archive: Forging Ahead project took place on 10 November 2023 at Black Country Living Museum (BCLM), bringing together participants, partners and members of the Punjabi community to celebrate the culmination of this Arts Council England-funded research and development project.

Delivered in partnership with Black Country Living Museum, the project explored the working lives and migration experiences of Punjabi communities who settled in the Black Country. The launch event provided an opportunity for participants, students and community members to come together and reflect on the stories and materials gathered through the project.

Visitors were also able to learn more about the accompanying exhibition presented at Dudley Archives (1–30 November 2022), which featured photographs, archival material and personal stories documenting the contributions of Punjabi workers in the region.

Throughout the evening, participants shared reflections from their own working lives in the Black Country, creating a moving and celebratory atmosphere. Students who had worked with BCVA as part of the project were also present, sharing their experiences of learning about local heritage and migration histories.

The event highlighted the wide range of outcomes generated through the project and the important role played by partner organisations and community contributors. Many attendees spoke about how meaningful it was to see photographs and stories from Punjabi working lives recognised and presented within such an important cultural institution as the Black Country Living Museum.

Projects such as Apna Heritage Archive: Forging Ahead demonstrate the value of collaborative approaches to heritage and storytelling. By working closely with communities and partners, the project helped create a co-produced archive that celebrates the history, resilience and contributions of Punjabi communities in the Black Country.

BCVA would like to extend sincere thanks to Black Country Living Museum and all project partners, participants and community members who supported the work and helped expand its reach across the Black Country and beyond.

More details about the project’s activities, outputs and collaborations can be found in other posts throughout this blog.

Photography courtesy of Dudley College students.

Apna Heritage Archive: Forging Ahead Exhibition at Dudley Archives (1–30 November 2022)

The exhibition for Apna Heritage Archive: Forging Ahead is now on display at Dudley Archives from 1–30 November 2022, marking an important stage in this Arts Council England-funded project developed with Punjabi communities across the Black Country.

Delivered by Black Country Visual Arts (BCVA) in partnership with Black Country Living Museum, Aman Group, De Montfort University, Dudley College and Dudley Archives, the project explored the working lives and migration stories of Punjabi communities who settled in the region. The work also involved collaborations with commissioned artists and community participants to create new creative and archival material.

The exhibition presents a series of photographs and personal stories contributed by members of the community, highlighting the working lives and experiences of Punjabi migrants in the Black Country. These stories represent an important part of the region’s social history that has often remained underrepresented within local archives and cultural collections.

A special community celebration and launch event for the project will take place on 10 November at Black Country Living Museum, the project’s main partner organisation. The collaboration with the museum also supported their ambition to engage with new communities as they continue developing their historic town, which represents life in the Black Country from the 1950s to the 1970s.

The Forging Ahead project has generated a number of creative and educational outcomes. These include the commissioning of an illustrated colouring book designed for children aged 2–7, photography workshops for students at Dudley College, and a collaboration with De Montfort University to develop an educational workbook for Key Stage 3 pupils exploring migration and heritage.

One particularly significant outcome has been the opportunity for Punjabi participants to tell their own stories through the archive. For example, participant Piara Hayre shared his experiences as a newly arrived migrant working in Wolverhampton, recalling how he first earned a living as a pedlar selling underwear. Stories such as these offer valuable first-hand perspectives on the realities of migration and settlement in the region.

Presenting the exhibition at Dudley Archives is itself an important milestone. The venue provides a space where community-contributed photographs and stories can be preserved and shared within the region’s official historical record. It also creates opportunities for new audiences, including members of the Punjabi community who may not previously have visited the archives, to engage with local heritage.

The project has already begun to influence how these histories are recognised within local collections. Dudley Archives are now exploring the possibility of acquiring photographs from the project to strengthen their own archive of images documenting Punjabi workers in the Black Country.

Through projects such as Apna Heritage Archive: Forging Ahead, BCVA continues to work with communities and cultural partners to ensure that the diverse histories of the region are documented, shared and preserved for future generations.

Apna Heritage Archive: ‘Forging Ahead’ exhibition on a Dudley Archives. Funded by Arts Council England. November 1st -30th 2022. Images © BCVA

SUPNAA: Dreams of Our Fathers – Community Outreach in Partnership with the Museum of Making

As part of the outreach programme connected to SUPNAA: Dreams of Our Fathers, artist and BCVA director Anand Chhabra has been working to engage Punjabi community groups across Derby in exploring local heritage through photography and storytelling.

One of the project’s most meaningful activities involved a visit to the Museum of Making in Derby, which generously hosted members of the Sinfin Men’s Group. The visit provided an opportunity for participants to explore the museum’s collections and reflect on their own connections to the history of industry and manufacturing in the city.

Many of the men, largely from the Sikh community, have spent more than thirty years working in Derby’s factories and foundries. Yet for several participants, this was their first visit to a museum, highlighting how cultural institutions are not always spaces that communities feel comfortable accessing or engaging with.

The visit created a powerful moment of recognition, as participants discovered how closely their own working lives were connected to the stories and objects presented within the museum. For many, the experience helped bridge the gap between personal memory and the wider history of making and industry in Derby.

This activity formed part of a wider effort within the SUPNAA project to encourage greater engagement between South Asian communities and local cultural institutions. By creating welcoming opportunities for participation, the project supports a deeper sense of belonging and recognition within the city’s heritage spaces.

BCVA would like to thank Arts Council England for supporting accessibility and engagement activities that make visits like this possible. Special thanks also go to Laura Phillips and the team at the Museum of Making for their warm hospitality and for ensuring that the group felt welcomed and at home during their visit.

Museum of Making host the Sinfin mens group and show them the heritage of making that they themselves were part in Derby. In partnership with artist Anand Chhabra

BCVA Co-Hosts “The State of Cultural Diversity in British Photography” – Event Now Available Online

BCVA recently co-hosted the online event “The State of Cultural Diversity in British Photography” in partnership with De Montfort University, bringing together photographers, researchers and leaders from arts organisations to reflect on representation and diversity within the photographic sector.

The event attracted over 300 live viewers, highlighting the strong interest across the sector in addressing questions of inclusion, representation and access within photography and cultural institutions.

Through a series of discussions, speakers shared their expertise and perspectives on the current state of cultural diversity in British photography, while also exploring what changes may be needed to ensure that photographic practice, collections and institutions better reflect the diversity of contemporary society.

For those who were unable to attend the live event, the full recording is now available online here:
The State of Cultural Diversity in British Photography – Watch Online below

BCVA would like to extend sincere thanks to Professor Gil Pasternak for his dedication in helping to develop and deliver the event, and to colleagues at De Montfort University for their support with organisation, logistics and hosting.

Special thanks also go to the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art for their support in making the event possible.

India–UK Creative Industries Project Leads to New International Artistic Collaboration

BCVA director and artist Anand Chhabra recently took part in the India–UK Creative Industries 75 (IUKCI 75)research project led by Professor Rajinder Dudrah at Birmingham City University (BCU). The initiative brought together artists and researchers to explore new creative collaborations and build international networks between the UK and India.

Towards the conclusion of the project, Anand was approached by musician Saurav Sharma, who had been working within a separate strand of the programme, to explore a potential collaboration. The project soon expanded to include classical dancer Sangini Kumar, bringing together three distinct artistic practices.

The collaboration was inspired by the work of the renowned Punjabi Sufi poet Bulleh Shah, whose poetry reflects themes of spirituality, identity and the search for deeper meaning. Drawing on these ideas, the artists explored how Sufi poetry could be interpreted through multiple artistic forms, combining music, dance and visual practice.

The India–UK Creative Industries 75 project, with its focus on building artist networks and encouraging creative experimentation, helped foster this collaborative spirit. The wider artist showcase within the programme addressed a broad range of themes, including social justice, migration, reinterpretations of traditional narratives and reflections on spirituality.

The collaborative work developed through this project contributes to the growing creative archive emerging from the IUKCI 75 initiative. By bringing together three distinct art forms, the collaboration demonstrates how creative practice can transcend geographical boundaries, cultural traditions and artistic disciplines.

Through projects such as this, artists are able to explore new ways of working together, showing how contemporary artistic collaboration can bridge differences between the traditional and the modern while creating new shared creative expressions.

The State of Cultural Diversity in British Photography Now Has Full Programme and Booking Information

We are excited to announce the full programme and speaker line-up for The State of Cultural Diversity in British Photography, taking place on 27 October 2022.

BCVA is very grateful to Professor Gil Pasternak for hosting the event and for the tremendous work he has done in shaping such a thoughtful and timely programme.

We would also like to thank the speakers from both the BCVA network and our sister organisation, ReFramed — a photographic network for Black and Asian photographers in the Midlands — for contributing to such a strong and important line-up.

We are very much looking forward to the event and to the conversations it will open up. Booking information and full event details are available here:- Eventbrite PDF available & Full Programme here:- Full Programme

India UK - 75 Creative Industries Collaboration with Birmingham City University

BCVA artist and director Anand Chhabra was invited by Birmingham City University to take part in the India–UK Creative Industries at 75 (IUKCI 75) research project, which brought together Indian and British South Asian artists to explore new collaborative approaches to creative practice.

As part of the programme, Anand joined a strand of artists from different disciplines to experiment with how their work might develop through collaboration. Initially, it felt unusual to be placed within a group largely made up of live theatre practitioners, but the experience ultimately proved valuable. Working outside one’s own artistic discipline encouraged new ideas and perspectives, demonstrating how collaboration can expand creative possibilities.

The collaboration resulted in the short film “Migration: A Photographic Journey Through Dance.” Developed through collaborative practice, the film draws inspiration from research gathered through the Apna Heritage Archive, exploring stories of migration and the experiences of Punjabi women who travelled from India to join their husbands and settle in the UK.

The project was commissioned and coordinated through the India–UK Creative Industries at 75 initiative at Birmingham City University, led by Professor Rajinder Dudrah, and supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The film was created through a collaboration between classical dancer Sangini Kumar and photographic artist Anand Chhabra, with editorial support from Ankit Maurya, Jyoti Singh and Akash Tirkey working under the banner of Team Gwah Theatre, led by Anirudh Sudhanshu.

Through dance, photography and film, the work reflects on the emotional journeys of Punjabi women whose stories were documented through the archive. Many spoke about their early experiences of migration as a mixture of hope and uncertainty. The word “Supnaa” (dream) often appeared in their reflections — describing both their hopes for the future and the challenges they encountered as they adapted to a new landscape, language and culture.

The film explores themes of migration, belonging and resilience, translating these experiences into a creative collaboration that brings together visual storytelling and classical dance.

BCVA would also like to thank ARC Music Productions International Ltd for kindly granting permission to use the background music accompanying the dance performance by Sangini Kumar, “Raag: Bilas – Khani Todi Vilambit Gat in Teental 4.4,” performed by Baluji Shrivastav.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation Support Enables The State of Cultural Diversity in British Photography Event

It is a pleasure to announce that we have been successful in securing funding from the prestigious Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. We are also delighted to be working in partnership with our board advisor, Professor Gil Pasternak of De Montfort University, to deliver an exciting one-day event titled The State of Cultural Diversity in British Photography: Artistic Literacy, Educational Access and Institutional Policies.

While the title may be a mouthful, the subject could not be more important. This event has been developed to create space for photographic organisations, institutions, practitioners, and wider audiences to engage with urgent questions around cultural diversity within British photography.

Hosted online by De Montfort University and BCVA, the event offers an important opportunity to listen, reflect, and contribute to a wider conversation about representation, access, and institutional change within the sector.

More information about the event is available on the De Montfort University website, and the link to book a free place on the event, which will also be recorded, is available here :- https://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/events/events-calendar/2022/october/british-photography.aspx More details will be available on the full programme here very soon.

BCVA director at SEPN Re-Framing Culture course taking place in Nov 2022 - Applications now open

We are one of three event speakers at this years Socially Engaged Photography Network’s event Re-Framing Culture hosted by GRAIN photo hub. Anand will discourse on key elemnets in co-created and co-produced work on building an archive. Topics include how to start a city wide collaboration, find funding along with how to produce work ethically amongst people of colour. Applications for the 6 week course are now being taken here:- https://grainphotographyhub.co.uk/portfolio-type/re-framing-culture-training-programme-midlands/

Portraits of “Our Commonwealth” Exhibition Launches Across Sandwell for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Artist and BCVA director Anand Chhabra was commissioned by the Living Memory Project in partnership with Sandwell Council to create a series of portraits celebrating community champions and unsung heroes from across the borough.

The project, titled “Our Commonwealth,” invited local communities to nominate individuals who have made significant contributions to community life in Sandwell. These nominees represent people whose dedication, voluntary work and commitment to helping others have made a positive impact within their neighbourhoods.

Through a series of photographic portraits, the project highlights the diversity and strength of the Sandwell community while recognising individuals whose work often takes place quietly behind the scenes. During the process of photographing the nominees, Anand was struck by the generosity and dedication of the individuals involved, many of whom volunteer their time to support others within their communities.

The exhibition launched in July 2022 to coincide with the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, celebrating the values of community, connection and shared heritage that the Games sought to highlight across the region.

The portraits were presented in a series of exhibitions across Smethwick, Bearwood and Tipton, bringing the work directly into local community venues so that residents could see and celebrate the achievements of people from their own neighbourhoods.

The exhibitions also marked an important moment of reconnection following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, offering communities the opportunity to come together again through art and storytelling.

More portraits from the project can be viewed via the link on our main page.

Participants & audiences view the portraits by BCVA director and artist Anand Chhabra from ‘Our Commonwealth’ at Bearwood hub July 22 All images © BCVA.

Geoff Broadway from Living Memory project opens up proceedings for the launch of ‘Our Commonwealth’ to packed out venues across the BC region.

Archive Participant Piara Hayre Inspires New Character at Black Country Living Museum

An important milestone for the Apna Heritage Archive project was reached when BCVA helped facilitate a meeting between archive participant Piara Hayre and partners at the Black Country Living Museum (BCLM).

Piara Hayre shared his remarkable migration journey and working life story, having arrived in Wolverhampton and later becoming one of the city’s first Indian shopkeepers. His experiences form part of the growing archive documenting Punjabi migration and working lives in the Black Country.

The meeting took place as part of preparations connected to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and also served as an important step towards recognising the contribution of Punjabi communities to the region during the post-war period.

Piara’s story has now helped inspire the development of a new historical character at Black Country Living Museum, connected to the museum’s expanding townscape programme representing life in the 1950s–1970s. This work forms part of the wider legacy of the Apna Heritage Archive: Forging Ahead project, which aims to bring previously underrepresented migration stories into the region’s heritage narrative.

Working alongside long-time collaborator Vimal Korpal, who helped develop the character inspired by Piara’s experiences, the museum organised a special visit for Piara to meet the actors who would portray elements of his life story within the museum’s historical interpretation.

The response from visitors, particularly from the local Punjabi community, was deeply moving. Many were excited to see elements of their history represented within such an important cultural institution, including the presence of the Indian flag as part of the interpretation. For some visitors, seeing their community’s experiences reflected in the museum for the first time was an emotional moment.

While heritage interpretation is always evolving, the inclusion of Piara Hayre’s story represents a significant outcome from the Apna Heritage Archive, demonstrating the real impact that community-led research and storytelling can have on how regional history is understood and presented.

For BCVA, this moment reflects the wider vision behind the archive since the organisation’s founding in 2014: ensuring that the migration stories and contributions of Punjabi communities in the Black Country become part of the region’s shared historical record.

As part of the Platinum Jubilee commemorations, one museum in the Black Country is celebrating migration to the UK and the people from the South Asian community who moved there 70 years ago.@MrBradleyHarris went to check it out.#5News pic.twitter.com/nE9gLfz1HQ

— Channel 5 News (@5_News) May 27, 2022

Indian flag flown at Black Country Living Museum with actor Harmesh enagaging audiences on Mr Hayre’s real life story. Arts Council England funded project Apna Heriatge Archive.

From left Jaminder Hayre with son Arjan and centre Piara Hayre with actor Harmesh and Jaminder’s wife Krishan Hayre

Piara Hayre & his fmaily photographed next to the current Mayoress Sandra Samuels and consort husband Karl Samuels at Black Country Living Museum.

BCVA and De Montfort University Develop Punjabi Migration Workbook for Schools

As part of BCVA’s Arts Council England-funded work with communities, a new Key Stage 3 educational workbookexploring Punjabi migration to the Black Country has been developed for use with students aged 11–14.

Created in partnership with Professor Gil Pasternak at De Montfort University, the workbook draws on the growing photographic archive and oral histories gathered through BCVA’s heritage projects. The publication represents an important step in bringing the stories and contributions of Punjabi communities into educational contexts across the region.

The project involved a series of pilot sessions with pupils at Heath Park High School, as well as contributions from students at Dudley College, who supported the development of the learning materials alongside BCVA and project partners.

The resulting 25-page workbook, with an initial print run of 300 copies, introduces students to the history of Punjabi migration to the Black Country and highlights the role these communities have played in shaping the region during the post-war period. Using photographs and archive materials from the collection, the workbook encourages young people to explore themes of migration, identity and heritage through visual storytelling and historical reflection.

BCVA would like to extend sincere thanks to Professor Gil Pasternak, whose dedication and expertise were instrumental in bringing this educational resource to life. His ongoing support and guidance continue to play an important role in helping develop and strengthen the archive and its educational impact.

We are excited to see how the workbook will support teachers and students in learning about the region’s diverse histories, and we look forward to sharing further developments from this work in the future.

Professor Gil Pasternak and with BCVA Pilot workshop with Heath Park High School in Wolverhampton Key stage 3 pupils. Apna Heritage Archive ACE funded project and workbooks funded by partnership with De Montfort University and UKRI. (Photo courtesy of Heath Park High School)

PhD Researcher Kamal Badhey Joins BCVA Workshop with Punjabi Communities at Black Country Living Museum

BCVA recently welcomed Kamal Badhey, an American documentary photographer and PhD researcher from New York, who joined one of our community workshops with Punjabi participants at the Black Country Living Museum (BCLM).

Kamal’s doctoral research, funded through the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and hosted by the University of Brighton, explores themes connected to migration, photography and community archives. As part of her research, Kamal will be working closely with BCVA and the Apna Heritage Archive, conducting interviews and developing new research perspectives around the archive’s growing collection of stories and photographs.

BCVA Chair Anand Chhabra is supporting the project as a supervisor and will help facilitate research activities and community engagement opportunities throughout the course of the programme.

Kamal was particularly keen to begin meeting members of Punjabi communities in the Black Country during the first year of her research. This visit marks her second time in the region, and it provided an opportunity for her to begin building relationships with community participants whose stories form part of the archive.

The PhD research will continue over the next three years, and BCVA looks forward to supporting Kamal as she develops her work. We are excited to see how her research will contribute new insights and discoveries connected to the Apna Heritage Archive and the wider history of Punjabi migration in the region.

Educational officer at BCLM Janine Downs welcomes the community of ladies to BCLM and wishes to readdress narratives about the Punjabi community for their forthcoming Forging Ahead project at the Museum. IMAGE ©BCVA (An Arts Council Funded project)

The community of ladies enjoy the objects put on show for them by BCLM c1950s-1970s and they re-ignite memories of the post war era in the UK and their subsequent migration to the BC region. IMAGE ©BCVA (An Arts Council Funded project)

PhD student Kamal Badhey looks on to join the discussion as group leaders gather ladies to share their images and stories of the early years of migration. IMAGE ©BCVA (An Arts Council Funded project)

Sharing a photograph like this is indicative of the working lives of many Punjabis with this fantastic image of sewing machines at home in the Black Country. IMAGE ©BCVA (An Arts Council Funded project)

Ladies share some fascinating and emotive stories testament to their struggle to settle in the Black Country during the 1960s-80s IMAGE ©BCVA (An Arts Council Funded project)

BCVA Delivers Inaugural Keynote for University of Sussex GRID Heritage Project

University of Sussex, an initiative exploring heritage through the lenses of gender, intersectionality and transnational migration.

The GRID Heritage project brings together researchers and practitioners interested in how heritage practices can better recognise and support communities whose histories are shaped by multiple intersecting experiences. These include factors such as gender, caste, class, race and ethnicity, sexuality and disability, which can influence how people engage with and are represented within cultural and heritage institutions.

As part of the event, BCVA director Anand Chhabra presented visual material and stories emerging from the Apna Heritage Archive, highlighting migration experiences within Punjabi communities in the UK. The presentation explored how archive research and community storytelling can reveal the complex realities of migration, identity and belonging across generations.

Through photography, oral histories and archival material gathered through BCVA’s work, the keynote illustrated how community-led archives can contribute to broader academic and cultural conversations about heritage, representation and social history.

BCVA is grateful to the University of Sussex and the organisers of the GRID Heritage project for the opportunity to contribute to this important discussion.

Bookings for the event and further information can be found here:- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/grid-heritage-launch-of-online-exhibition-and-roundtable-tickets-311282703947

Apna Heritage Archive participant makes history at Black Country Living Museum.

Recently retired shopkeeper Mr Piara Hayre and family have given us some incredible historical images from their family album towards our award winning archive during 2016-18. In 2019 we then nominated him for the ‘100 Masters of the Black Country’ an initiative by Creative Black Country as we thought he would fit the bill having set up as one the first asian shopkeepers in the City of Wolverhampton in 1961 and continuing to work there until the first lockdown of 2020. An incredible history and wisdom to work in a very hard area and through some incredible decades of change. This is testament to an almost unbelievable temperament that Mr Hayre has kept during some turbulent history. More on that some other time! Our current work funded by Arts Council England we have partnered with Black Country Living Museum in a variety of ways which you will find on this blog. We invited them to hear Mr Hayre’s story of migration and settling in the region……and now they will be using actors to act out his story in connection with their huge ‘Forging Ahead’ work! This work is in progress at the Museum and they are setting up various new buildings to recognise history and heritage of the region form the 1950s-1970s. This means representation for Punjabi’s at the museum and will encourage and open up doors for more ethnic members of the community to visit the Museum and discover what it has on offer for them. We look forward to when Mr Hayre and family will visit the Museum and meet the actors who will tell his story which will inform the visitors who attend there. BCLM is the most visited cultural venue in the Midlands so this news is extremely positive for Punjabi’s in the region.

Piara Hayre is interviewed by BCLM staff. Researcher Simon Briercliffe and educational officer Janine Downs at Mr Hayre’s home. He talks through more than 60 years as a migrant to the region and work as a shopkeeper. Inset Jim Hayre. Photo © BCVA. Possible through ACE funding.

Mr Piara Hayre at front of his corner shop on Knox Rd, Wolverhampton c1969.

'Mother India' Through a Creative Lens: BCVA Responds to Kalaphool Commission

BCVA was delighted to be invited to contribute to the project “Mother India Through a Creative Lens,” developed by Indy Hunjan, founder of the organisation Kalaphool. The invitation provided an opportunity to respond creatively to one of the most influential films in the history of Indian cinema.

Directed by Mehboob Khan, the landmark Bollywood film Mother India was first released in 1957, shortly after Indian independence. The three-hour epic, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, has become an iconic work celebrated for its cinematography, music and powerful narrative. The story centres on the character Radha, portrayed by actress Nargis, whose strength, sacrifice and resilience have often been interpreted as symbolic of the post-colonial identity of India itself.

Responding to this theme, BCVA Chair Anand Chhabra explored ideas emerging from the Apna Heritage Archive, particularly the lived experiences of Punjabi women who migrated to the UK during the post-war period. Through the archive’s research and oral histories, Anand reflected on the complexities of identity, resilience and marginalisation experienced by many migrant women.

The creative response also considered the cultural expectations placed on women within South Asian communities. In particular, it explored the contrast between the idealised notion of the “goddess” figure in Indian cultural narratives and the everyday realities faced by women navigating migration, labour and family life in a new country.

Drawing on photographs, archival research and personal stories from the Punjabi archive, the project offers a contemporary reflection on these themes, connecting the legacy of Mother India with the experiences of women whose stories are often absent from historical and cultural narratives.

BCVA would like to thank Indy Hunjan and Kalaphool for the opportunity to contribute to this thoughtful and inspiring project. You can find out more about Kalaphool’s work and the wider project here:- http://kalaphool.com

Indy Hunjan welcomes artists and viewers online as they present there work The event was held at the very plush HIVE lecture theatre at Birmingham Central University in April 2022.

Black Country Living Museum partners with BCVA for a renewed focus on Punjabi communities

We recently began a new partnership with Black Country Living Museum through its Forging Ahead project. As the Midlands’ most visited cultural venue, the Museum is expanding its interpretation of the 1950s to 1970s through an ambitious new building programme and visitor attraction.

Among the new additions are a factory and a pub from Wolverhampton. Significantly, both reflect places connected to the working lives and social experiences of Black and Asian communities in the post-war period. This created an important opportunity for BCVA to support a renewed focus on Punjabi community histories within the Museum.

The project also gave us the chance to invite members of the Punjabi community into a space with which many had previously felt little connection, as the Museum has traditionally focused more heavily on the Victorian era. By welcoming people to share family photographs and speak about their early migration stories from this period, the partnership opened up new ways of connecting personal memory with the region’s wider heritage.

We are grateful to Black Country Living Museum for its hospitality and for providing a welcoming venue for community members to bring images and share stories from their early years of migration.

Special thanks also go to the Aman Group, whose support and oversight helped prepare the women involved for their time working with us.

Sharan Dhanda at BCLM explains the ‘Forging Ahead’ project taking place that recognised the work of Punjabis at the Lavender Factory which is been g rebuilt at the Museum. (BCVA project funded by Arts Council England) photograph © BCVA

Punjabi ladies proudly share their photographs from their family history in the Black Country at BCLM. (BCVA project funded by Arts Council England) photograph © BCVA

The Punjabi ladies group share incredible historical images from their early years of migration of mother and daughter in the Black Country this one taken in the early 1960s. (BCVA project funded by Arts Council England) photograph © BCVA

The group share their stories and images with each other individually for all to hear. Took a long time to get around! They were all wonderful! (BCVA project funded by Arts Council England) photograph © BCVA