Over the past year BSWN has undertaken a research project, funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund, focusedon how concepts like decolonisation, diversity, and inclusion in relation to racial inclusion are understood and enacted within the heritage and cultural sector in the South West of England. We conducted frank and honest conversations with CEOs, Directors, and Cultural Heritage Managers from over 15 cultural heritage institutions as a way to start the conversation that will allow us and the region to begin to tackle these issues head on.

You are warmly invited to join us on Thursday 6th February at 1pm at the M Shed as we bring together the cultural heritage sector, academics, and community organisations, artist and actors in a conversation around what it means to do racial inclusion work within cultural heritage organisations and sites through a decolonial lens. What does decolonisation mean in this context? How can this perspective aid in racial inclusion? And what does it look like for these different sectors to work in collaboration with a shared end goal of racial inclusion in all of our work? Our panelists will start by sharing the key findings from BSWN’s research, identify the trends we saw, address obstacles and concerns, discuss similar trends seen in the US, and invite the audience to discuss what focused and sustain action can look like going forward. Our goal is to have an engaged conversation with the audience as a way to map out the next stages of the future of decolonial practice in the South West.

Guest speakers and panelists include:

• Jon Finch, Head of Culture, Bristol City Council

• Dr Angelina Osbourne, Lecturer in Humanities and Social Sciences, Kensington and Chelsea College London

• Dr Errol Francis - CEO of Culture&

• Jennifer Sharratt - BSWN Cultural Heritage Manager

• Matthew Branch - Brown University and Summer Intern for BSWN

The event will be chaired by Jendayi Serwah. Places are limited so offered on a first come, first served basis.

We look forward to hearing from you or seeing you at the event.

Best wishes,

The BSWN Team

This event is sponsored by Bristol City Council and Centre for Black Humanities, University of Bristol.

Image used in banner : Faith Ringgold, 'Dancing at the Louvre' (1991).

About the Intangible Cultural Heritage project

The aim of this National Lottery Heritage Funded project is to work with African Caribbean, African, and South Asian communities and organisation in Bristol to develop, preserve and exhibit their cultural heritage, as well as develop the capacity of mainstream heritage organisations to see the ways they help perpetuate inequality. In this vein, one end goal is to decolonise mainstream heritage organizations so they can fully serve, and be in service to, BAME communities. To find out more about the project, please see our website here.

Notice of Consent

There will be photography, audio, and video recording at all BSWN events. By entering the event premises, you consent to interview(s), photography, audio recording, video recording and its/their release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, promotional purposes, inclusion on websites, social media, or any other purpose by BSWN and our partners. If you have any queries, please contact us on blackswnetwork@gmail.com.

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