National Lottery Heritage Grants £10,000 to £250,000
The organisation's Groundwork project is working with an Inclusive Arts Committee of 12 ambassadors with a learning disability. Together, they are curating a new archive of interviews with people with learning disabilities across the city.
There are currently no first-hand records of people with learning disabilities in Portsmouth. Groundwork is filling this gap in the city’s heritage by collecting the memories and experiences of the community in their own words.
Through training in heritage and digital oral history methods the committee are developing the skills to record and share these stories. The committee will also take part in accessible training on environmental sustainability. The project will be celebrated with a three-month exhibition at the Aspex gallery and Portsmouth Central Library.
Reclaiming historical narratives
The Inclusive Arts Committee created a video sharing their hopes for the project. By exploring the past, the group want to change how people with learning disabilities are seen in the future.
Lucy Groenewoud, Co-director at This New Ground, said: "Groundwork is providing a platform for people with learning disabilities in Portsmouth, by reclaiming their historical narratives.
"With the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we'll authentically document and preserve stories through a peer-to-peer, participant-led approach, ensuring voices of people with learning disabilities are heard and valued."
