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.