Coventry’s South Asian Stories Take to the Streets with DESIblitz Truck Art Bus

A vibrant celebration of Coventry’s South Asian heritage will arrive on the city’s streets this August, ahead of a major new exhibition opening later this year.

The DESIblitz Truck Art Bus, hand-painted by celebrated Pakistani artist Haider Ali, will stop in Foleshill on August 16, 2025, as part of South Asian Heritage Month.

The family-friendly event will give the public a first glimpse into the upcoming exhibition Stories That Made Us: Roots, Resilience, Representation, which launches at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in November.

Running from 12pm to 4pm at St Paul’s Church car park on Foleshill Road, the free drop-in event invites visitors to explore the custom-decorated bus, view artefacts inspired by South Asian heritage, and listen to classic songs from Indian cinema.

Inside the Truck Art Bus, attendees will encounter stories, memorabilia, and immersive displays that reflect the broader themes of the forthcoming exhibition, which highlights the lived experiences of a South Asian family in Coventry between 1968 and 2010.

The exhibition draws on the Coventry Archives’ Virk Collection and curator Hardish Virk’s own Stories That Made Us Collection.

Through photographs, books, magazines, posters, vinyl records, cassettes, and personal items, it captures stories of migration, identity, activism and cultural contribution.

The exhibition will also include immersive room settings, radio broadcasts, oral histories, video, music and graphics, bringing a deeply personal and emotional layer to the historical materials on display.

Coventry is home to a significant South Asian population, with 18.5% of residents identifying as Asian or Asian British according to the 2021 Census.

Despite this, the contributions of these communities have often been overlooked in public archives and galleries.

The Stories That Made Us project is a response to this gap, aiming to honour and amplify South Asian voices and experiences within Coventry’s cultural landscape.

Three key themes, Roots, Resilience, and Representation, will guide the exhibition’s narrative.

These explore the journey of migration and belonging, the challenges overcome by South Asian communities, and the urgent need for authentic representation in heritage spaces.

Curator Hardish Virk said the exhibition does not claim to represent every South Asian story but focuses on the lived reality of one family to reflect broader shared experiences.

“This exhibition will resonate not just with South Asian audiences, but with anyone interested in identity, struggle, and the beauty of cultural connection,” he said.

The exhibition and its accompanying engagement programme are made possible by a £131,350 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The funding will also support workshops, educational activities, and deeper collaborations with South Asian community groups across Coventry and beyond.

Culture Coventry Trust’s Cultural Director, Marguerite Nugent, previously said the project was about “building bridges between communities” and fostering a deeper understanding of the city’s shared history.

The Truck Art Bus event offers an early opportunity for the public to connect with the themes of Stories That Made Us ahead of the full exhibition opening on November 14, 2025, at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.