Students on our Public History and Heritage Placements work with industry to design, plan and manage their own public history projects as part of their degree
This year, 22 cultural, creative, community, arts and heritage organisations kindly supported 28 students on this placement, of which 11 are members of the University’s Culture Forward initiative that brings together these industries locally with our academics and students to further research, education and public engagement collaboration.
Culture Forward member Garden of Arts CIC - a Black Country-based independent theatre and digital media organisation - hosted Piyusha Joshi (MA International Heritage Management) and Hao Wang (MA History) on their Public History and Heritage Placements this year.
Garden of Arts CIC (GoA) works across the performing and digital arts to provide the South-East Asian and other communities in Sandwell and Dudley with a vibrant mix of traditional arts and modern creativity through in-person and online training, mentorship, and performance opportunities that are open to all.
Piyusha and Hao’s placements saw them planning and creating podcasts, alongside other media content, to further develop GoA’s connection with communities in their area.
Hao helped drive a valuable collaboration between GoA and the Chinese Community Centre Birmingham (CCCB) through a new series of Chinese-language podcasts, which will be released on the GoA’s social channels as part of their "Culture Shift" initiative.
Piyusha worked on a highly successful podcast series with stage and screen actor Seva Dhalivaal, on a range of heritage, cultural and media topics - including My Beautiful Laundrette and Only Fools and Horses - some episodes of which have attracted over 1,200 views within a month.
Hao said: “I would like to express my sincere gratitude for all the care, support, and guidance given by Garden of Arts CIC during my internship. I truly appreciate all their help. The placement has changed my perspective of what cultural heritage is and developed my understanding that cultural heritage is not simply about passive preservation but an active and ongoing process of engaging with audiences and communities.”
Piyusha said: “My experience with the Garden of Arts has been extremely positive and impactful. It has strengthened my understanding of heritage as a dynamic and evolving practice and has played a significant role in shaping my academic and professional direction. On a personal level, this placement has helped me become more adaptable, reflective, and open to different perspectives. It has reinforced my interest in working within community-focused heritage contexts, where heritage is not only preserved but actively lived and shaped.”
Pala Uppal, Chairman of Garden of Arts CIC, has said of Hao and Piyusha and of the Public History and Heritage Placements: “We have successfully completed projects with two students from the MA International Heritage programme, and it has been a real pleasure working with them. Both students remain actively involved with Garden of Arts CIC and continue to contribute to a range of projects.
Overall, it has been a fantastic experience for both the students and Garden of Arts CIC. They have gained valuable practical experience while we have benefited greatly from their enthusiasm, creativity, and expertise.”
A big thank you to all of our Public History and Heritage Placement hosts. If you are a cultural, creative, heritage, arts, community or media organisation in the West Midlands region – and you are interested in hosting one or more of our students on placement as part of their degree programme, please contact us.
