National Lottery Grants for Heritage – £250,000 to £5million
Our funding will support Black South West Network (BSWN) to lead a decolonial cultural heritage project that puts Black communities in control of how their histories and identities are defined, interpreted, and preserved. The UnMuseum will create participatory, immersive spaces, both physical and digital, where community members can share their stories, archive personal collections, and shape a shared cultural record on their own terms.
The project will:
- deliver a regionwide programme of activities, focused on mapping, collecting, digitising and celebrating Black cultural heritage
- create a community-managed digital platform and collection of Black cultural heritage
- build the capacity of the heritage sector in the region
- strengthen BSWN’s role as a regional cultural heritage infrastructure organisation and grow the Coach House as a trusted hub for Black cultural heritage
The project aims to engage more people from Black and diverse ethnic communities with cultural heritage, connecting communities with the skills and contacts they need to participate and lead in the sector. The UnMuseum – a radical reimagining of the museum – will gather and preserve personal stories, memories and oral histories from Black and diverse ethnic communities across the region.
Building the UnMuseum is a major step for BSWN’s long-term aim to expand cultural infrastructure across the region. The project will contribute to the development of the Coach House in Bristol as a Centre for Black Enterprise and Cultural Heritage, a dynamic space that will combine exhibition and event areas with offices and studios for Black-led organisations working across heritage, enterprise, and the creative sectors.
Find out more about the Black South West Network or explore our support for community heritage across the UK.
