People’s History Museum (PHM) has announced a series of new events that explore the theme of migration, which is the museum’s headline theme for 2020. Looking at migration through the experiences of those whose lives it has shaped is the approach being taken by the national museum of democracy and in the coming weeks it will be running a series of online events for people to get involved in.
Zofia Kufeldt, Programme Officer for People’s History Museum, says, “As a result of the current situation, we’ve been working on new ways to explore the theme of migration, which feels more important and relevant than ever. These events are invitations for people to come together, discuss ideas and share experiences, as we would do if the museum was open.”
Have Your Say: Imagine
Wednesday 17 June 2020, 1.30pm to 2.30pm
This event is part of Refugee Week (Monday 15 June to Sunday 21 June 2020), a UK wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees. Reflecting Refugee Week’s exploration of Imagine as its 2020 theme, PHM’s monthly Have Your Say event will ask participants to imagine a world where everyone is welcome.
Taking place for the first time on Zoom, the discussion will be opened by Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) tutor Mark Krantz and PHM’s Programme Officer Zofia Kufeldt, but the conversation will be shaped by the participants. Say as much or as little as you’d like.
Have Your Say is suitable for over 16s. For more information visit: www.phm.org.uk/learn/ideas-worth-exploring/
Take a virtual tour through PHM for Refugee Week #SimpleActs
Friday 19 June 2020, 11.00am
Join People’s History Museum for a virtual tour of its galleries and collections inspired by Refugee Week’s eight Simple Acts of things that can be done to stand with refugees and make new community connections. Discover the stories of those seeking sanctuary that are told through PHM’s galleries and collections and help to re-imagine a shared future.
The tour is suitable to share with over 11s and will take place on PHM’s Twitter @PHMMcr using the hashtag #SimpleActs
A Night with PHM x Heart & Parcel
Thursday 25 June 2020, 7.30pm to 8.30pm
You are invited to join PHM’s Programme Officer Zofia Kufeldt as she chats to the founders of Heart & Parcel, Clare Courtney and Karolina Koscien. Heart & Parcel is an organisation that brings people together using a love of food as the basis around which to help develop English language skills. Like the work of Heart & Parcel, this is an event of food and conversation, with Clare and Karolina giving a cooking demonstration of pierogi and salad from their recently published cookbook, which supports the work of Heart & Parcel and includes recipes from some of the women they have worked with.
Zofia will be finding out about the experiences of Heart & Parcel, which uses the simple art of dumpling making as a medium to connect with women from migrant communities around Manchester, enabling them to practice their English in an environment of shared stories.
The event is suitable for over 16s and will livestreamed on YouTube. For more information visit: www.phm.org.uk/learn/ideas-worth-exploring/
The Fabric of Protest
Saturday 27 June 2020, 2.00pm to 3.00pm
Artist Helen Mather will be leading The Fabric of Protest, with this month’s creative workshop inspired by one of the stories of migration told at People’s History Museum. Jayaben Desai was a central figure in one of the groundbreaking strikes of the 1970s, the Grunwick strike (1976-1978) in which migrant women would lead the challenge against a system that left them very low paid and with few rights.
Jayaben was from the Gujarat region of India, home to Kutch embroidery, which features a variety of stitches in bright colours, including chain stitch. Join Helen to create your own mini banner using foil, instead of mirrors, and chain stitches to create geometric patterns around a central message.
The session is suitable for those aged over 11 and will take place on Instagram. A guide to some of the fabrics and materials it is recommended to use and all the other information about The Fabric of Protest will be available here: www.phm.org.uk/learn/ideas-worth-exploring/
PechaKucha Night Manchester – Vol. 31 ‘Migration’
Thursday 9 July 2020, 7.00pm to 9.00pm
A mixture of designers, illustrators, campaigners and researchers will be sharing inspiring stories in an evening of speedy speeches, each following the 20×20 PechaKucha presentation format that has connected communities globally. In 20 images, taking 20 seconds per image and with no stopping, the speakers will be sharing their experiences of migration and reflecting upon the current situation when, whether by pandemic or policy, movements are becoming more restricted.
Included amongst the storytellers is Danielle Rhoda, who was commissioned by People’s History Museum to create a series of colourful hand drawn illustrations to bring to life the theme of migration for its 2020 programme. Having moved to Britain at the age of 13, Danielle has used her own experiences and those of her family’s global journey to influence and inform her work.
The event, which will include a Q&A, will take place across various streaming services and is suitable for over 16s. Places can be booked via Eventbrite from Thursday 11 June 2020 here: www.phm.org.uk/events/pechakucha-night-manchester-vol-31-migration/
People’s History Museum is currently closed due to Covid-19, but you can stay in touch by visiting phm.org.uk, signing up to the e-newsletter, subscribing to the blog, or following the museum on social media on Twitter @PHMMcr, Facebook @PHMMcr, and Instagram @phmmcr.
ENDS
For further information please contact Fido PR:
laura.sullivan@fidopr.co.uk / clare.short@fidopr.co.uk 0161 832 3588
A selection of images can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/w4sjv508gjraxm9/AAC6KShUHrqDlCs1tzW1RjH2a?dl=0
PHM spokespeople
Zofia Kufeldt, Programme Officer, People’s History Museum
Zofia has been responsible for developing a programme of activity that explores the theme of migration and challenges the way that this is told at the museum. Throughout the year she has been working with a Community Programme Team, made up of seven individuals whose own lives have all been shaped by migration. In addition to talking about the migration history PHM tells, Zofia can share insight into its rich collections.
About People’s History Museum (PHM)
People’s History Museum (PHM) in Manchester is the national museum of democracy, telling the story of its development in Britain: past, present, and future. The museum provides opportunities for all people to learn about, be inspired by and get involved in ideas worth fighting for; ideas such as equality, social justice, co-operation, and a fair world for all. PHM offers a powerful programme with annual themes; 2018 looked at representation and commemorated 100 years since the first women and all men won the right to vote in Britain, in 2019 the focus was on protest to mark the bicentenary of the Peterloo Massacre in Manchester, the programme for 2020 is on the theme of migration and 2021 will explore disabled people’s rights and activism. Previous winner of Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Award.
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