Investing in heritage of diverse ethnic communities
At The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we support all sorts of projects which explore and celebrate the heritage of diverse ethnic communities.
We want to support all communities to explore and share their heritage, enriching people’s lives and increasing the diversity of heritage workforces, leadership and audiences. That's why under our Heritage 2033 investment principles inclusion, access and participation must be part of every project we fund.
The terms we use
Some of the terms we use include:
- diverse ethnic communities, or ethnically diverse communities. In Scotland we use MECC (minority ethnic and cultural community). We have revised our usage of the term BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic).
- LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other identities)
- Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. This describes a range of ethnic groups or people with nomadic ways of life who are not from a specific ethnicity.
We use these terms because we believe they are widely understood. Identities can be complex and intersectional, and we are also aware that for many these terms may feel inadequate or limiting. We keep the language we use constantly under review.
Get inspiration for your project
Explore the projects below and find out more about applying for our funding.
Stories
Shining a light on Arthur Wharton: the first black professional footballer
Blogs
Rebel Curators: reclaiming narratives of slavery at Bristol’s M-Shed
Projects
Sickle Cell Stories - Then and Now: Plasma of Hope
The Sickle Cell Stories project is capturing and sharing stories of sickle cell disease in the west midlands, paving the way for positive change.
Stories
How artists can uncover hidden histories and fill gaps in the archives
News
Celebrating East and South East Asian heritage: sharing memories, stories and even kimchi
Projects
Forgotten Faces of the First World War: The Chinese Labour Corps
The Meridian Society and documentary filmmaker Peng Wenlan collected oral histories for a documentary about the Chinese men who worked as labourers on the Western Front during the First World War.
Projects
Malaysian Angels of the NHS
Newham Chinese Association are gathering oral histories of 20 Malaysian nurses who arrived to the UK to work for the NHS from the 1950s onwards.
Projects
Where East meets West: Celebrating South-Asian LGBTQ+ Heritage through Club Kali Network
We’re helping the UK’s first safe space for LGBTQ+ people of South Asian heritage to preserve and showcase their history dating back to 1995.
Projects
Memories of My Mother: Unravelling the Sari story of Manchester
This project aims to explore the migration-driven arrival of the Sari in the city's South Asian community.
Projects
Exploring and recording Manchester’s Roma heritage
The Roma Heritage Project will work with local people in Manchester to share traditional dishes and record oral histories from Roma communities.
Projects
Roma and Irish Travellers: A Shared Story
People from different cultures and backgrounds came together for workshops and celebration events about Roma and Irish Traveller cultural heritage organised by Armagh Roma Traveller Support.
Projects
Roma Empowerment Through Heritage
This pilot project trained volunteers including young Roma people to record heritage and ran a Roma cultural heritage festival.