Conference at Leicester’s Jewry Wall unites international heritage experts to discuss preserving Black historical narratives through digital innovation and narrative reframing
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage is hosting its inaugural conference, Black Heritage Voices: The Importance of Black Archives in Preserving Historical Memory, on Tuesday 11 November 2025.
Black Heritage Voices is a conference dedicated to uniting professionals from the Black and Asian communities working across various roles in the heritage sector. The event fosters dialogue and exploration around creativity, digital innovation, and reframing narratives, with a focus on broadening perspectives and ultimately changing the gaze.
Pawlet Brookes MBE, CEO and Artistic Director of Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage describes why she chose to create the conference, Black Heritage Voices:
“The creation of the Black Heritage Voices conference stems from the urgent need to acknowledge and preserve Black historical narratives. For too long, the stories of Black communities have been marginalised or erased from mainstream historical accounts. This conference provides a platform to amplify the voices of Black and Asian professionals in the heritage sector, fostering discussions that explore creativity, digital innovation, and reframing narratives. By broadening perspectives and changing the gaze, we hope to ensure that Black heritage is not only preserved but also celebrated, inspiring future generations to engage with and contribute to this vital work.”
The conference will feature speakers from esteemed international voices across the sector, including:
- Liliana Angulo Cortés, Director of the National Museum of Columbia
- Michelle Charters, Head of the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool
- Peggy Brunache, Lecturer in the history of Atlantic slavery at the University of Glasgow
- Cheryl Finley, Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Visual Studies at Cornell University
- Angelina Osborne, independent researcher and heritage consultant
- Mark Sealy, curator, cultural historian and Executive Director of Autograph ABP
- Deborah Willis, Professor and Chair of the Department of Photography and Imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University
- Matthew Smith, Professor of History and Director of the Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery at University College London
- Adeola Solanke, playwright, screenwriter, and curator
The conference will be hosted at Jewry Wall in Leicester, a museum that has been undergoing a multi-million pound transformation and will re-open in 2025. Jewry Wall presents Roman life in Leicester and it has one of the largest surviving Roman structures in Britain.
Tickets can be purchased at serendipity-uk.com.
Early bird £120*
Standard £135
*Available until 31 May.
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage is based in Leicester (UK). Serendipity’s mission is to centre perspectives from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora, embedded as part of cultural experiences for all. Serendipity’s programmes include the flagship dance festival, Let’s Dance International Frontiers (LDIF), Black History Month Leicester and the Annual Windrush Day Lecture. Serendipity has established a legacy through hosting and growing a living archive, documenting Black arts, heritage and culture, publishing the voices of Black arts practitioners and community activists, nurturing artists to create high quality new work, and mentoring young people.
