Manchester Museum Podcast
By Manchester Museum
We want to reframe how museums care and take action to build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other. Through our collections we learn about our past, but what role can we play in understanding and shaping our present and future together?
We are ready to listen, learn and share, and hope that you will join us to do the same.
Manchester Museum PodcastMar 01, 2021
Critique (from: Khalaas, a Manifesto for Change Project)
Join Amina Beg, from the Our Shared Cultural Heritage (OSCH) Collective, as she explores the power and importance of art and creativity through an intergenerational perspective, with her guests Anna Khan, Humera Haqqani MBE and Nasim Haqqani.
This episode is part of a broader Manifesto for Change project titled 'Khalaas' which aims to explore the legacy of OSCH.
Intention (from: Khalaas, a Manifesto for Change Project)
Join Urussa Malik, from the Our Shared Cultural Heritage (OSCH) Collective, as she reflects on heritage and how each of her guests - Sumaiyyah Fardaus Manzoor-Khan, Jason Chan and Lesley Chan - feel about the sector as a whole.
This episode is part of a broader Manifesto for Change project titled 'Khalaas' which aims to explore the legacy of OSCH.
"What is creative ageing?" with Dr Virginia Tandy OBE
What is creative ageing, and how can age friendly culture impact on our well being as we grow older?
Our guest on this episode of the Manchester Museum podcast is Dr Virginia Tandy OBE, the Director of a new national agency for Age and Creativity hosted by Manchester Museum and funded by the Baring Foundation.
CADA, the Creative Ageing Development Agency aims to reshape people’s views of ageing and overcome barriers to creative activity and opportunity. The organisation works to investigate the profound shifts needed to tackle ageism and support systemic change, as well as championing the cultural contribution of older people and the value of creativity, curiosity and imagination.
CADA connects with individuals and organisations in communities across England and beyond, who are developing and delivering arts and heritage programmes with, by and for older people, ensuring their views and voices are heard.
Virginia is joined in conversation today by Emma Horridge, a freelancer in Creative Ageing and cultural engagement who has led on work for the expansion of the age-friendly Culture Champion programme across Greater Manchester.
Season 3: Episode 3 Transcript
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Dr Virginia Tandy OBE is the Director of a new national agency for Age and Creativity hosted by Manchester Museum and funded by the Baring Foundation. She is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Institute for Cultural Practices at the University of Manchester. An independent arts and heritage consultant and qualified coach, she was the first Director of Culture for Manchester City Council (2008-2011) and the first female Director of Manchester City Galleries (1998-2008).
A trustee of the Heritage Lottery Fund (2009-2015) and a former President of the Museums Association (2006-2008), she is the co-founder of the Women Leaders in Museums network and the founding chair of SHIFT. A member of the board of National Museums Liverpool, she sits on the Fabric Committee for St Paul’s Cathedral and is a trustee of the Granada Foundation. She is also the chair of Brighter Sound, a creative music charity, which is championing women in the industry.
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
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Original music courtesy of Move 78:
"Nature's Rights - Who cares?" with Dr Martha Dietrich
What are 'Nature’s Rights', and who is prepared to stand up for them?
Our guest in this episode is Dr Martha Dietrich, Assistant Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Amsterdam, and she is joined in conversation by the Manchester Museum’s Curator of Herpetology, Andrew Gray.
Andrew’s work at the museum focuses on wildlife conservation, specifically amphibians, with the Vivarium gallery home to many critically endangered species including the Harlequin frog, and a number of rare species from Ecuador.
In 2008, amendments were made to the Ecuadorian constitution to integrate nonhuman claimants into judicial processes, and Martha’s research in the country has examined the practical application – debates and outcomes – of nature’s rights claims in the court of law. Most recently she has been involved in a ground-breaking case brought against the Ecuadorian state to stop the copper mining company, Codelco, from exploration work in the Intag region of Ecuador, an area with a high number of endangered species, including three tree frogs.
These special frogs brought their two worlds together and today they discuss what this case could mean for the future rights of the natural world, and humanity caring for it.
Season 3: Episode 2 Transcript
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
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Original music courtesy of Move 78:
"What are 'Indigenous Rights'?" with Dr Christine J Winter
When we talk about 'rights' and 'justice' are we assuming that there is a shared understanding or universal definition of what those are? In this episode, Manchester Museum's Curator of Indigenous Perspectives Dr Alexandra P. Alberda is joined by Dr Christine J. Winter to expand on these ideas, discuss what Indigenous Rights can encompass from different cultural perspectives, and examine what role museums can play in supporting this work in a meaningful way.
Dr Christine J. Winter is a lecturer in the Department of Government & International Relations at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses at the intersection of intergenerational, indigenous and environmental justice.
Drawing on her Anglo-Celtic-Māori cultural heritage she is interested in decolonising political theory by identifying key epistemological and ontological assumptions in theory that are incompatible with indigenous philosophies. In doing so she has two aims: to make justice theory just for Indigenous peoples of the settler states; and to expand the boundaries of theories of intergenerational justice to protect the environment for future generations of Indigenous Peoples and their settler compatriots.
Christine Winter is the Research Lead on The Re-(E)mergence of Nature in Culture.
Season 3: Episode 1 Transcript
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
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Original music courtesy of Move 78:
"Do young people belong in museums?" with Dr Sadia Habib and the 'Our Shared Cultural Heritage' collective
Do museums care about young people, and what can heritage organisations learn from young people about complex notions of belonging?
Dr Sadia Habib, coordinator of the Our Shared Cultural Heritage project (OSCH), talks here to members of the OSCH Young Collective about the work they do critically exploring identity and belonging in the cultural sector, as well as discussing the idea of belonging to society more generally.
Our Shared Cultural Heritage is a partnership project, led by the British Council and working with Manchester Museum, that sets out to give young people the chance to come together to explore the shared cultural heritage of the UK and South Asia and develop new methods for museums to engage with diverse communities. It is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Kick the Dust programme, a funding stream launched specifically in order to make heritage more relevant to the lives of young people aged 11-25 and tackle the under-representation of young South Asians as audiences, participants and volunteers in the heritage sector.
As project Coordinator, Sadia has worked hard to dispel the myth heard too often that young (South Asian) people are not interested in heritage, and since the project began in May 2019 collective members have been engaging with and leading on a host of activities such as oral history training, sharing heritage objects & stories with youth groups, planning for the Museum’s first multi-faith room, setting up a Radical Readers group in collaboration with DecoloniseUoM, creating anti-racism resources, exploring the significance of statues of empire and colonialism, delivering seminars, talks, workshops, and speaking at conferences and events about the hundreds of activities they’ve organised, delivered and participated in.
To find out more follow the OSCH Blog, Instagram and Twitter
Season 2: Episode 5 Transcript
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
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Original music courtesy of Move 78:
"Can culture help us belong?" with Nakib Narat
Nationally and globally populations are ageing, but the image of growing older isn't always a positive one. Through the Age Friendly Manchester partnership, Greater Manchester became the UK's first age friendly city, and is focused on improving the quality of later life by collaborating and co-designing with the city's residents. By engaging with, and being led by older people, the hope is that the city becomes a place for all, no matter what their age.
Participation in culture is key to building social inclusion and the Greater Manchester Culture Champions are at the centre of this work. The Culture Champion programme seeks to increase access to the Arts and Culture for people aged 50 and over, with Champions like our guest on the podcast today, Nakib Narat, attracting participants to take part in, advocate for and shape cultural activity.
Nakib is in conversation with the Museum’s Culture Champion Co-ordinator, Maria Jose Acevedo, discussing how culture, in its many forms boosts connection and a sense of belonging... to each other, to our community and to the city.
Season 2: Episode 4 Transcript
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
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Original music courtesy of Move 78:
"Do we understand refugee stories?" with Jenny Dakosta Van Mputu
Now, more than ever, we find ourselves living through an age of forced displacement. It is estimated that there are roughly 70.8 million refugees worldwide. However, does society put enough effort into understanding and connecting with refugees to help them to feel a sense of belonging?
In this episode, we speak with Congolese human rights activist and refugee Jenny Dakosta Van Mputu, the founder of No Impunity for the Congolese State. In 2006, Jenny was forced to leave his life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo behind when it became apparent that he was at risk of imprisonment and death for protesting against the abuses committed by the Congolese regime. While he gained safety from persecution, the threat of deportation loomed over Jenny, and 15 years of limbo resulted in homelessness and destitution until Jenny was finally granted leave to remain at the end of 2020. From a young age, Jenny has fought against injustice, and now stands adamantly for the protection of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Here at Manchester Museum, we believe that it is our duty to represent the stories and cultures of people from all backgrounds. It is vital that we celebrate the contribution of refugees in the UK and encourage people to connect with refugee communities found in Manchester and across Britain to facilitate a stronger relationship between all in our society. Mainstream social discourse frequently shapes the stories of refugees without offering them the chance to contribute to the conversation which so often surrounds them in the media. We believe it is our duty to build empathy and understanding towards refugees and asylum seekers throughout the world and recognise their resilience in rebuilding their lives.
Jenny has been supported by the following organisations during his time in the UK: RAPAR, The Mustard Tree, Refugee Action, The Red Cross, The Gaskell Garden Project, Blue Shoes Productions, The University of Manchester.
Season 2: Episode 3 Transcript
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
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Original music courtesy of Move 78:
"How can museums tell LGBTQ+ stories?" with Dan Vo
Historically, LGBTQ+ people and their histories have been absent from museum displays and narratives, how can museums start to tell LGBTQ+ stories? In this episode we are joined by Dan Vo, an advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in museums and the Project Manager for the Queer Heritage and Collections Network, working with museums and heritage sites across the country. Dan is joined in conversation by Mattie Davies from Manchester Museum’s Learning and Engagement team, Mattie is also the Trans Youth Work Coordinator for the Proud Trust.
The Queer Heritage and Collections Network is a UK-wide project, which aims to provide training, networking and peer support to people working with LGBTQ+ collections and histories. In addition to mapping existing sector practice to help plan future activities responsive to the needs of the sector and their audiences, the network also provides training workshops and toolkits in order to embed public programming that brings LGBTQ+ histories and themes to the fore.
The Proud Trust supports LGBT+ young people to empower themselves and make positive changes for themselves and their communities. They do this through youth groups, 1-2-1 support, volunteering, training, research, events, social action and supporting structured networks for sharing/learning across organisations.
Today Mattie and Dan reflect on their own experiences, exploring the power of storytelling and the importance of representation and belonging for LGBTQ+ people in museums.
Season 2: Episode 2 Transcript
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
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Original music courtesy of Move 78:
"How do everyday objects tell our stories?" with Dr Denise Kwan
What stories are hidden in everyday objects and why is telling these stories so important? In this episode we speak with Dr Denise Kwan, an artist, writer, and art lecturer whose project ‘Object-Stories of British Chinese Women’ tells the journeys of diasporic Chinese women in the UK through their everyday objects.
The project invited women to present an object of personal significance to explore how questions of belonging and identity are entangled in the most everyday of things. Participants talked about their lives through everyday objects and drawing on these stories as inspiration, the women attended art workshops to explore ways of visualising the significance of their possessions.
Between their speech and the artwork, we are presented with a peephole into the multiple lives of their objects. These are their object-stories of British Chinese women.
Denise is in conversation with Tiffany Leung, community producer for the Manchester Museum’s China Culture Gallery, due to open in 2022. Developed in close collaboration with The University of Manchester’s Manchester China Institute and local communities, the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery will be dedicated to building understanding and empathy; exploring the rich cultural heritage and historic links between Manchester and China.
Season 2: Episode 1 Transcript
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
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Original music courtesy of Move 78:
"What are the legacies of colonialism?" with The Singh Twins
What are the legacies of colonialism and how do these legacies still affect us today? We speak to internationally acclaimed British artists, The Singh Twins, to discuss their work, their journey as artists and the narratives of Empire, colonialism, conflict and slavery that their work confronts.
In 2019 the Manchester Museum and the Partition Museum in Amritsar, India came together to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, co-producing the exhibition 'Jallianwala 1919 – Punjab Under Siege'. As a part of the exhibition The Singh Twins presented a unique creative response to this largely hidden episode of British rule in India. The triptych piece entitled Jallianwala: Repression and Retribution examines the massacre, its historical context and its legacy, with many citing the event as a turning point in the fight for Indian Independence.
The Twins are also active members of the collective currently helping to co-curate the Manchester Museum’s South Asia Gallery, due to open in 2022. This groundbreaking partnership with the British Museum will result in the UK's first permanent gallery exploring the histories and experiences of the South Asian diaspora.
Placing Manchester’s South Asian diaspora communities at the heart of the gallery, this co-curation approach has inspired diverse communities to come together with the ambition to tell the stories that people are most passionate about and really want to share.
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
We want to raise awareness of rarely told and overlooked histories. The first series of the podcast will explore this theme, developing on some of the projects and exhibitions where we are helping shed light on the things they didn’t teach us in school.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
The Things They Didn't Teach Us
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Follow The Singh Twins:
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Original music courtesy of Move 78:
"Who owns Egyptian heritage?" with Heba Abd El Gawad
Egyptian artefacts appear in museums around the world, but how did they get there and why are Egyptian voices so often absent from the narratives around them?
Our guest in this episode is Heba Abd El Gawad, an Egyptian Egyptologist and lead researcher for ‘Egypt’s Dispersed Heritage’, a project putting modern day Egyptians at the heart of the conversation about Egyptian heritage.
Working with Egyptian comic artists and including the input of the public in Egypt, the project tries to confront colonial legacies of ancient Egyptian displays in Western museums like that in Manchester and question what role Egyptian archaeology has played in shaping how the world today perceives and represents ancient Egypt. Building on a series of events in the UK, Heba describes some of the key factors to consider when asking ‘Who Owns Egypt’s Heritage?’
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
We want to raise awareness of rarely told and overlooked histories. The first series of the podcast will explore this theme, developing on some of the projects and exhibitions where we are helping shed light on the things they didn’t teach us in school.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
The Things They Didn't Teach Us
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Follow the Egypt Dispersed Heritage project:
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Original music courtesy of Move 78:
"Are we honest about our history?" with Kwame Boateng of The Black Curriculum
Are we honest about our history and is what we teach representative of our true story? In this episode we speak to Kwame Boateng from The Black Curriculum to discuss how what we learn about our past is so important to our shared future.
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise campaigning to get Black British History taught in UK schools 365 days of the year, and since 2019 they have been delivering their arts focused history programmes to 8-16 year olds.
Students' engagement with Black History in the UK is often limited to one month of the year, with an over emphasis on the Transatlantic Slave Trade, but the team at The Black Curriculum believe that a balanced and integrated teaching of our shared history can facilitate real social change.
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Manchester Museum is on a mission to become the most imaginative, caring and inclusive museum in the world, and in this podcast we will share open and honest conversations with special guests, which will inform, entertain and inspire.
Through these conversations we hope to reframe what it means for museums to care, and explore how we can build understanding, empathy and love for our world and each other.
We want to raise awareness of rarely told and overlooked histories. The first series of the podcast will explore this theme, developing on some of the projects and exhibitions where we are helping shed light on the things they didn’t teach us in school.
Find out more about the Manchester Museum:
The Things They Didn't Teach Us
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See more from The Black Curriculum:
Original music courtesy of Move 78: