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