We are BSWN, a driving force for racial justice!

We are a Black-led racial justice organisation based in Bristol that supports the development of dynamic, independent, and strong Black and Minoritised communities, businesses, and organisations to flourish whilst challenging systemic barriers. We drive racial equity in the UK society’s dimensions of research, policy, innovation, socio-economics, and health through a collective and meaningful community-led approach.

The UnMuseum receives grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund

We’re thrilled to announce that we have secured £1.2million funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund over 3 years, to deliver The UnMuseum: Collecting, Preserving and Sharing Stories of Black Identity and Belonging in the South West.

Over the next three years, this ground-breaking project will transform how Black and Racially Minoritised communities across the South West define, curate, and preserve their cultural heritage. The UnMuseum is a radical reimagining of what a museum can be, not a building filled with artefacts behind glass, but a dynamic and evolving collection of stories, traditions, sounds, experiences and digitised artefacts curated by the communities who live them.

With our physical home at the Coach House in Bristol and a new digital platform, we will work with anchor organisations across Bristol, Bath, Weston-Super-Mare, Plymouth, Gloucester, Bournemouth, and Falmouth to:

●      Digitally map and archive hidden collections and oral histories

●      Deliver immersive events that bring heritage to life through food, performance, storytelling and film

●      Build capacity within Black-led heritage organisations

●      Celebrate and share these stories at a regional Festival of Black Identity and Belonging

This project is about power, placing it back into the hands of the communities who own their histories. It’s about healing, visibility, and creating a space to explore identity and belonging in the context of structural racism, colonial legacies, and cultural resilience.

Stay tuned for updates, events, and how to get involved.

Our Director, Sado Jirde, said: “This funding marks a transformative moment for Black cultural heritage in the South West. For far too long, our stories have been marginalised, misrepresented, or left out entirely. The UnMuseum is not just about preservation, it’s about power, healing, and visibility. It’s about communities defining their own narratives, on their own terms. We are incredibly proud to lead this work and grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for recognising its importance. This project will create a lasting legacy, not in a glass case, but in the lives, voices, and creative expressions of the people who carry this heritage every day.”

Stuart McLeod, Director of England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Inclusive heritage is very important to us at the Heritage Fund which is why we’re proud to support Black South West Network with the UnMuseum. This vital project will highlight the stories and heritage of many Black and diverse ethnic communities and share these in a new and innovative way. We want to make sure that everyone is represented in the heritage we support and it's thanks to projects like this that these barriers are being removed.”

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At BSWN, we are grateful to have had the support of a diverse group of funders and are proud to have partnered with them.

Over the past three years, FUZE has dedicated its efforts to raising and donating funds to BSWN, AKT, and OTR. Their unwavering commitment lies in supporting charities that align with their inclusivity, diversity, and sustainability principles.