Speakers: Nusrat Ahmed, South Asia Gallery Curator, Manchester Museum, Emily Hannam, Project Curator: South Asia and Kayte McSweeney, Community Partnerships Manager: Participation and Collections, British Museum

Manchester Museum, part of the University of Manchester, reopened to visitors on 18 February 2023 following an ambitious £15 million transformation and it includes a new South Asia Gallery, a British Museum partnership. The gallery presents a compelling, contemporary take on South Asian and British Asian culture. The South Asia Gallery has been uniquely co-curated by an inspiring group of 30 community members that include leaders, educators, artists, historians, journalists, scientists, musicians, students and others from South Asian diaspora. The Collective has centred their storytelling and the development of the gallery around their experiences – personally and professionally – as well as their families’ journeys and their own research and interests. This unique personalised approach humanises the gallery, telling stories about real people. Although objects are, of course important, this gallery is about storytelling. Nusrat Ahmed, Lead Curator, talks about the process of co-curating on such an epic scale. She will reflect on the importance of co-curation for the future of museums and galleries, as well as delving into the challenges and lessons that come from such a unique project. www.manchestermuseum.co.uk