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Migration programme

Image of Exploring Migration at People's History Museum. Illustration by Danielle Rhoda.
Image of Exploring migration with People's History Museum. Illustration by Danielle Rhoda
Exhibitions

My Home Is Not My Home

My Home Is Not My Home exhibition. Still from Our Journey © Voice of Domestic Workers, 2019

An exhibition and video installation made by 12 women from The Voice of Domestic Workers, a campaign and support group of migrant domestic workers.

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Counter-flow: the movement of cultures from one place to another

Counter-flow: the movement of cultures from one place to another exhibition at People's History Museum. Image © Eva Mileusnic

This exhibition was brought to PHM by Eva Mileusnic, a second generation British/Hungarian UK based contemporary artist.  Eva’s work explores the themes of migration, memory, identity and integration.

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Bridging Communities with Rochdale Young Interpreters

© Rochdale Young Interpreters

81 young interpreters from nine different Rochdale primary schools came together to celebrate their roles and the work they have done to bridge languages and communities.

An exhibition of the children’s artwork, which symbolises the role that they have played building bridges for newly arrived children migrating into the area.

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#WELCOME?

#WELCOME? exhibition, People's History Museum, 19 May 2021 until 30 June 2022

Migration has shaped modern Britain but in recent years there has been growing hostility towards migrants, fuelled by the media and government policy.

This exhibition explored the wider impact of the negative media coverage, changing immigration controls, and campaigns to end the ‘hostile environment’ and its policies.

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Wherever the Road Takes Me

Wherever The Road Takes Me exhibition © Rochdale Borough Council

Wherever the Road Takes Me is an exhibition which offers young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller of Irish Heritage communities a voice to challenge stereotypes and share expressions of their identities.

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Jarda جاردا

Arab British Centre Jarda group workshop with Jessica El Mal at RHS Bridgewater. Photo RHS/Mark Waugh.

Mixed media installation created across a series of workshops using photography, collage, self-portraiture and more, the artwork invites you to re-question the spaces we will never take for granted again.

This project is led by artist and curator Jessica El Mal, created as part of the Arab British Centre’s Arab Britain programme which explores the history, achievements and experiences of Arabs in Britain, past and present.

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Events

Migration, Race & Empire: LGBT+ histories tour

28 August 2020, Migration, Race & Empire LGBT+ histories tour @ People's History Museum. Conservative Party Poster 'The Policy Of Self Help From The Colonies...' 1910 resized

PHM commissioned a virtual LGBT+ history tour focusing on the themes of race, migration and empire from refugee rights campaigners Prossy Kakooza and Maggy Moyo,  and PHM Community Curator Jenny White.

Watch a full recording of the tour on the museum’s YouTube channel.

Watch here

The Fabric of Protest

The Fabric of Protest Feb & March 2022 resource images courtesy of People's History Museum (1)

The Fabric of Protest is a monthly creative workshop inspired by the museum’s collections.

Participants create and share textile responses to the topics explored, using techniques taught by artist Helen Mather.

Most of the workshops, in 2021 and 2022, explored the connections between migration and textiles, and the ways in which textiles can represent people, movement and culture.

View resources

Conviction Politics: The Convict Routes of Australian Democracy

Conviction Politics: The Convict Routes of Australian Democracy

November 2021’s Lates saw the launch of the Australian-British digital history project with screenings and a panel discussion exploring the story of radicals and rebels transported as political convicts to Australia.

Suitable for 11+

Watch the recording online

The origins of Jewish immigration social history

Titanics Deli, Waterloo Road, Cheetham Hill, Manchester © Shloimy Alman, 1977

October 2021’s Lates event was on the origins of Jewish immigration social history in Manchester and London.  We heard from experts exploring the everyday life of Jewish immigrant communities.

Suitable for 16+

Rediscover the stories

Tape Letters: hidden stories of migration

Tape Letters: hidden stories of migration © Modus Arts

April 2021’s Lates was an evening with Modus Arts presenting a series of deep listening sound videos developed from testimonies collected during their groundbreaking Tape Letters project, from Pakistani immigrants who settled in Britain between 1960 and 1980.

Suitable for ages 11+

Watch and listen

Exploring Crossings: community and refuge

Dark Water, Burning World, 2016, repurposed bicycle steel mudguards, extinguished matches and clear resin. © Trustees of the British Museum. Reproduced by permission of artist Issam Kourbaj

June 2021’s Lates explored the themes of the British Museum’s Spotlight Loan Crossings: community and refuge (Saturday 29 May to Sunday 5 September 2021).

We heard from Syrian artist Issam Kourbaj about his work Dark Water, Burning World, alongside guitarist and songwriter Ewan McLennan who performed a collection of his songs including Lampedusa.

Watch here

OUTing the Past Festival

Movement for Justice banner by Ed Hall. Image courtesy of People's History Museum

February 2021’s Lates was an evening of talks focusing on how migration has influenced LGBT+ history and the fight for LGBT+ rights.

Part of OUTing the Past Festival, an international celebration of LGBT+ history.

Suitable for ages 18+

Watch as part of the festival

Meet the activists

© These Walls Must Fall

December 2020’s Lates hosted an online conversation and opportunity to meet with people working locally to end immigration detention.

The discussion was be led by Magdalen Bartlett, Founder and CEO of Afrocats, a user-led charity supporting people facing social exclusion in Manchester.

Find out more

Climate Change, Migration and DR Congo

 Image of DR Congo map burning in woodland © Kooj Chuhan

November 2020’s Lates hosted a performed story by singer-songwriters Emmanuela Yogolelo and Samuella Ganda, including a discussion with Kooj Chuhan from Crossing Footprints and Alex Randall from the Climate and Migration Coalition.

Watch here

Journeys Festival International presents: Freedom of Movement?

© Morteza Khaleghi

October 2020’s Lates was an online panel discussion and Q&A with the Freedom of Movement? exhibition artists, chaired by independent performance maker Xavier de Sousa, curator of the digital series queeringborders and co-founder of activist group Migrants in Culture.

Find out more

PechaKucha Night Manchester Vol. 31 – ‘Migration’

© Fiona Finchett

July 2020’s Lates was hosted by PechaKucha Night Manchester, who  presented a virtual evening of speedy talks and workshops on the theme of migration.

PechaKucha Night Manchester broadcast an eclectic mix of speakers from the worlds of design, art and social action to share their experiences of migration, and reflecting upon the current situation when, whether by pandemic or policy, movements are becoming more restricted

Watch and listen

A Night with PHM x Heart & Parcel

© Rebecca Lupton

June 2020’s Late was hosted by Heart & Parcel; a Manchester based food and education project bringing women from migrant communities together to develop English skills and cook food, while sharing experiences along the way.

An evening of conversation and a cooking demonstration from founders Clare Courtney and Karolina Koscien as they make dumplings.

Watch and listen here
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