"it’s also shown a real sense that we’re stronger together"
Hundreds of visitors have shared personal reflections on South Asian identity, migration and belonging at a Coventry exhibition, as a new pop-up programme invites more residents to contribute their stories.
The exhibition, Stories That Made Us – Roots, Resilience, Representation, has collected more than 300 handwritten messages since opening in November 2025 at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.
Organisers say the responses highlight the emotional impact of seeing South Asian experiences represented in a major public space, with many visitors reflecting on family, racism and cultural heritage.
A new series of pop-up events, titled Our Stories and Heritage, will run from April 6 to April 9.
The programme will feature workshops, talks and tours aimed at encouraging more people to share memories, photographs and oral histories as part of the ongoing project.
The exhibition itself centres on Hardish Virk’s family from 1968 to 2010. It uses immersive rooms, oral histories, film and music to explore a wider 410-year timeline of South Asian and British history.
Visitors move through recreated spaces including Passport Control, a Living Room, Bedroom and Radio Station. They are then invited to leave their own reflections, which have become a defining feature of the exhibition.
The upcoming pop-up events, which are free to attend with entry fee to the Herbert, will expand on that participation.
A South Asian-themed poetry workshop will open the programme on Easter Monday, followed by a spoken-word performance and a community open mic.
On Tuesday, visitors can record oral histories with Coventry Archives through drop-in sessions.
Wednesday’s activities include an artist-led masterclass exploring storytelling through portraits, letters and audio messages inspired by South Asian family traditions.
The programme concludes on Thursday with an archive workshop focused on the Virk Collection, alongside curator-led tours offering deeper insight into the exhibition.
Reflections of the exhibition include:
- “At times I felt like I was stepping into my own childhood… My parents have sadly passed and the stories went with them. I urge anyone who still has their parents, listen to their stories… so you have something to pass down to the next generation.”
- “Never has a museum moved me so much… the racism, the domestic violence, the 80s music, fashion, fun – everything in our story.”
- “I walked around the corner to the bedroom and… instant goosebumps. It was literally walking into my memory.”
The exhibition draws on curator and artist Hardish Virk’s ‘Stories That Made Us’ Collection alongside Coventry Archives’ ‘Virk Collection’.
These include photographs, books, magazines, posters, vinyl records, cassettes and personal memorabilia, combined with oral histories, radio broadcasts and film.
Hardish Virk said the public response underlines the importance of recognising South Asian contributions to the city.
According to the 2021 Census, nearly one in five Coventry residents identifies as Asian or Asian British, double the national average.
Hardish said:
“The heart of the exhibition is my family’s story, but what we’re seeing is that people are finding their own story in it.”
“We’ve had people from different generations and different backgrounds who recognise something of themselves, whether that’s in the bedroom or living room, or through music, books and other memorabilia.
“A lot of the feedback references the experiences my parents’ generation faced when they first arrived and the legacy of that, the institutional racism, the racism on the streets and the divisive language that was used then, which we’re seeing again in society today.
“But it’s also shown a real sense that we’re stronger together, and it’s been really powerful to see people connect with that idea and find their own place in the story.
“These pop-up events are designed to give more people the chance to add their perspective and build on the incredible testimonies we’ve heard over the last few months.”
Further reflections left by visitors include:
- “These are the stories that bind us, that unite us and we need to hear such stories now more than ever.”
- “The exhibition everyone needed… reminding us of the importance of community, resilience and storytelling.”
- “Very timely exhibition. I found it really moving, inspiring. Coventry is a city made by immigrants and so it continues. Truly beautiful.”
Organisers say the continued flow of reflections demonstrates the exhibition’s wider significance beyond Coventry.
They hope the pop-up events will deepen community engagement and ensure more voices are captured as part of the city’s evolving story.
The project is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The exhibition runs at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum until May 25, 2026.
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