#StoriesThatMadeUs

It was a pleasure learning about your fascinating family story. Thank you for sharing it with me, in support of the #StoriesThatMadeUs project.

Since opening to the public in Nov 2025, 'Stories That Made Us - Roots, Resilience, Representation' exhibition has received an overwhelmingly positive response from visitors, press & media.

Made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.

#StoriesThatMadeUs

‘A joyous and emotional journey’: immersive exhibition charts Coventry’s south Asian heritage Hardish Virk uses photography, film, music and his family’s memorabilia to tell a wider story of migration and community resilience

Article about the 'Stories That Made Us - Roots, Resilience, Representation' exhibition in #TheGuardian

Info: bit.ly/41rxn4g

'Stories That Made Us - Roots, Resilience, Representation' is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.

#StoriesThatMadeUs

Installed a fantastic exhibition at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry
#StoriesThatMadeUs

For the first time in over 20 years I'm working with my brother, Hardish Virk and sister, Pavenpreet (who doesn't do SM, respect her for that) on a very special exhibition in our hometown, Coventry! Hardish has curated the Stories That Made Us : Roots, Resilience and Representation exhibition which will take place at Herbert Art gallery. For him to get to this place has been a life time of research, collecting archives and stories that make us. The exhibition follows our parents story from India to England. A story we hope will resonate with all those communities who immigrated and came to Britain for a better life. With the personal we get the universal connections. I was commissioned to make two films for the exhibition, 'The Living Room' and 'The Teenage Years!. At a time when our own politicians choose to divide our communities and stoke fear and hatred, we believe the opposite is true - that we can live peacefully and respectfully side by side. We can't wait to open our doors and welcome you to Cov! #StoriesThatMadeUs opens on November 14th - May 2026

Harding and Manjinder Virk

If you’re in Coventry
“At a time when our own politicians choose to divide our communities and stoke fear and hatred, we believe the opposite is true - that we can live peacefully and respectfully side by side” Manjinder Virk
#StoriesThatMadeUs November 14th - May 2026 @the-herbert.bsky.social

Home from Home exhibition – Coventry City Council Home from Home exhibition

Objects from my 'Stories That Made Us' archive will be on display as part of the 'Home from Home' exhibition at St Mary's Guildhall on Friday 25th April 2025 from 5.30pm - 9.00pm.

FREE entry.

Address: Bayley Lane, Coventry, CV1 5RN

Further information: bit.ly/42Vcuzu

#StoriesThatMadeUs

New Exhibition to showcase Coventry's South Asian Communities A new exhibition celebrating the heritage of South Asian communities in Coventry will open later in 2025 after receiving funding.

Dynamic new exhibition, 'Stories That Made Us - Roots, Resilience, Representation' will launch at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum on Friday 14 November 2025.

#StoriesThatMadeUs

bit.ly/4kp5QZ3

New exhibition to celebrate Coventry's South Asian communities The exhibition will portray the lived experiences of a South Asian family from 1968 to 2010.

'Stories That Made Us - Roots, Resilience, Representation' is a new exhibition I am co-curating in partnership with Herbert Art Gallery & Museum.

It seeks to tell stories of migration, activism & identity through the lived experience of a South Asian family.

#StoriesThatMadeUs

bbc.in/3QIvIld

It's a great pleasure to be working with @the-herbert.bsky.social on our new exhibition, 'Stories That Made Us: Roots, Resilience, Representation' opening to the public in November 2025.

Further information: bit.ly/4i8HJfC

#NationalLottery #HeritageFund
#SouthAsianHeritage #StoriesThatMadeUs

A black and white photo of a large protest for peace and justice down a residential street.

A graphic with the words 'Grant awarded!' It features a confetti illustration background and a badge with the Lottery Heritage Fund logo.

We’re thrilled to announce £131,350 support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Stories That Made Us: Roots, Resilience, Representation, an exhibition co-curated by Hardish Virk [Create-Showcase] and the Herbert.

A huge thanks to #NationalLottery!

🔗 ow.ly/ryrn50V6IMH

#StoriesThatMadeUs

A poster with colourful text and a photo of a bald Indian man.

You can still vote for me and my work on the #SouthAsian #heritage project, #StoriesThatMadeUs at bit.ly/4grt5yy

Voting closes this Sunday ✨️

#WACA25

South Asian Heritage Exhibition to explore Protests & Identity A South Asian heritage exhibition exploring stories of protest and identity will launch on July 19, 2024, in Coventry.

You can learn about the 'Stories That Made Us: Protest & Identity' exhibition here: www.desiblitz.com/content/sout...

You can also learn about 'Stories That Made Us' here: coventry-artspace.co.uk/projects/sto...

#StoriesThatMadeUs

Vote Now - Midlands We Are Creative Awards We Are Creative Awards 2025: Cast Your Vote

Please vote for me in the 'Best Creative Exhibition of the Year' category at the 'We Are Creative Awards' for my work on the 'Stories That Made Us: Protest & Identity' exhibition and the #SouthAsian #Heritage project: #StoriesThatMadeUs ⬇️⬇️⬇️

wearecreativeawards.co.uk/vote-now

#WACA25

Turner Prize 2024: Jasleen Kaur wins with artwork showcasing Scottish Sikh community The judges praised the artist's "unexpected and playful combinations of material".

Jasleen Kaur deserves to win the #TurnerPrize for her exhibition about the Scottish Sikh community plus her acceptance speech for an uncomprimising call for a permenant ceasefire in Gaza was essential 🇵🇸

#StoriesThatMadeUs

www.bbc.com/news/article...

And finally I have been audio recording stories of (British) South Asians - different generations, country of birth, lived experiences & aspirations. What they have in common is a shared love of South Asian heritage & culture. Plus lots of donations have been made to the #StoriesThatMadeUs archive.

Stories That Made Us

Supported by South Asian Heritage Month.

National Lottery Heritage Fund have funded some of the projects & both exhibitions.

Aim is to have a building based Living Museum of South Asian Stories in #Coventry

2025 is going to be an EPIC year for #StoriesThatMadeUs

Info: bit.ly/44OWqxR 4/4

Room with photos, posters, artworks, records, books and other objects depicting South Asian heritage & culture.

Room with photos, posters, clothes, artworks, records, books and other objects depicting South Asian heritage & culture.

Room with photos, posters, artworks, records, books and other objects depicting South Asian heritage & culture.

Room with photos, posters, artworks, records and other objects depicting South Asian heritage & culture.

#StoriesThatMadeUs is a #SouthAsian #heritage project set up by me in partnership with Coventry Artspace. It includes my archive (some of it can be seen in these photos), my mother (Jasvir Kang) archive, my father (Harbhajan Singh Virk) archive under the Virk Collection at Coventry Archives. 1/4

Stories That Made Us

#StoriesThatMadeUs continue to challenge stereotypes whilst telling the nuanced stories of (British) South Asians through exhibitions, talks, artists commissions, archiving, workshops, events, documenting stories, making videos & developing partnerships.

Further information: bit.ly/44OWqxR

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Film reel with brown tone images of Indian women and child from the 1950s and 1960s.

Since 2021, I have in partnership with Coventry Artspace, St. Mary's Guildhall, Coventry Archives & Herbert Art Gallery & Museum been working on #StoriesThatMadeUs

Supported by DESIblitz, South Asian Heritage Month & Uni of Warwick.

Check out the project video by Ayesha Jones: bit.ly/3CyqzZ6
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