A Sampad project supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund
The social, cultural and emotional consequences of one of the most harrowing events in modern history, the Partition of India in 1947 is the focus of a major new project by Sampad.
Supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), The Partition Trail is examining the complex legacy of the Partition and its lasting impact on communities in Birmingham and the West Midlands, particularly those of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi descent.
Sampad’s project will capture personal memories from local people who were directly affected by the sweeping turmoil of the Partition, recording their experiences as well as uncovering stories that have been passed down through families. The 18 month initiative will also incorporate talks, a theatre-in-education project, an exhibition in partnership with Birmingham Museums Trust and a public commemorative event.
Sampad is now seeking a Curator who will be responsible for curating The Partition Trail Exhibition, along with young people who will help to identify some of the related stories and artwork.
The exhibition will be an artistic reinterpretation of the facts relating to the journeys of those affected by the Partition and their families. It will primarily use visuals (to be created) and audio from oral histories, with a nominal number of objects on display. The exhibition will be held at Soho House in Handsworth, Birmingham and is due to run from November 2017 to Easter 2018.
MAIN TASKS
- To attend all meetings with Sampad staff and exhibition partners as required.
- To co-curate the exhibition, working with 20 people including 10 young people.
- To accept advice from Birmingham Museums Trust about the design and logistics elements of the exhibition, ensuring that all ideas are submitted for approval within the timescales identified.
- To consult with Sampad’s Marketing Officer to ensure that the exhibition meets with Heritage Lottery Fund guidelines relating to branding and publicity.
- To assist with evaluation as required
- To test all content before the exhibition goes live and to respond to any technical errors arising within the period of the exhibition (there is a separate technical budget).
TIMESCALES
The Curator must work to the timescales agreed with Sampad at the start of their work. The exhibition will be run from November 2017 to April 2018, so all work must be completed with these final deadlines in mind.
The work of the curator will commence at the start of April 2017. They will be required to submit their proposals for the exhibition by the end of April 2017 for approval by Birmingham Museum Trust. The creation of content will take place during July and August 2017 in collaboration with young people.
Fee: In the region of £6000 (inclusive of VAT and expenses).
There will be a separate budget for materials and editing.
Payment schedule
- 40 % upon signing of the contract
- 30 % mid way through the project
- 30 % once the exhibition has ended
HOW TO APPLY
- Please submit an expression of interest and send it to Urmala Jassal urmala@sampad.org.uk by 12 noon, Friday 7th April (deadline extended from 27 March).
THE EXPRESSION OF INTEREST MUST INCLUDE
- How you would approach the curation of this exhibition
- A breakdown of your fee budget
- An up-to-date CV
- Examples of previous work
- 2 recent relevant references
About Sampad Arts | www.sampad.org.uk | @sampad_arts
Sampad’s mission is to connect people and communities with British Asian arts and heritage and to play a pro-active role in the creative economy. We believe in the power of arts and heritage to impact widely on all communities – breaking down barriers, raising important issues, amplifying unheard voices and bringing people from all walks of life together. Now in our 26th year, we continue to play an instrumental role in promoting and encouraging British Asian arts, so that they progress, break new ground and enrich mainstream culture in the UK.
We support, commission and co-produce a huge variety of arts and heritage activities inspired by diverse artforms that originate from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. We receive kind support from Arts Council England and Birmingham City Council and work closely and strategically with mac Birmingham, where we are based.
About the Heritage Lottery Fund | www.hlf.org.uk | @heritagelottery
Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about – from the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife. www.hlf.org.uk. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #HLFsupported.
Image: Creative Commons, via pimu (Dr GN Kazi, Flickr), licensed under CC BY 2.0.