Black Minority Ethnic (BME) communities
Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities comprise a vast number of different cultural groups in the UK, from fairly recent Polish immigrants to long established Jewish residents, from Afro-Caribbeans to Bangladeshis. The best way is to work with and programme learning activities for specific communities.
Your collection may have a connection to a specific BME group – for example you may have portraits of nineteenth-century soldiers who served in India under the British Empire – or you may have a number of BME communities on your doorstep. It is best to do some research to find out what groups are around and what are their needs that your museum, gallery or site can serve.
A useful resource is a list of cultural and heritage organisations for BME Communities which has been compiled by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Link >>
A good example is the investigation into Black sitters and artists being undertaken at University College London:
Theme – Cultural heritage: Drawing over the Colour Line Walk and Case Study.