Esmée Fairbairn Project

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has been awarded funding from the Esmée Fairbairn foundation for a new project exploring the international connections, specifically the impact of Empire on our understanding and interpretation of objects in our world-class collections.

Working with researchers, artists and community participants, specifically from the South Asian diaspora communities in the West Midlands, we aim to uncover the hidden stories linked to specific objects and re-examine what they can teach us about the impact of colonialism on our perception of history of the world and the role Shakespeare’s work has played as part of this.

Our priority in this first stage of the project is to identify and work in collaboration with communities who are traditionally underrepresented in museum audiences.

In spring 2024 we delivered the first in a series of ‘Community Translators' Workshops. Inviting people from across the West Midlands who read a range of languages represented in the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s collections. The community translators shared their insight to help re-interpret our international holdings with more accuracy and nuance.

Later in 2024 we will be partnering with Sampad, Bertz Associates and Desiblitz for a range of internal and public workshops, events and creative projects.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is taking a community-led approach to explore the continued impact of Empire on our collections. Critically reflecting on how items have been acquired, interpreted and accessed today. This will better inform current and future interpretation and collections management practice, as we look to explore the process of decolonising our collections and our organisational practice, helping to create a more inclusive museum experience.

It’s the start of a long, thoughtful process and we look forward to engaging with communities and sharing updates and information about ways audiences can engage as the project evolves.

To find out more and get involved, please email [email protected]

Our collections relating to Shakespeare’s life, works and times as well the history of Stratford-upon-Avon have been growing since the Trust came into existence in 1847.

Much of our early collections were acquired from local antiquarians who gathered together manuscripts and objects relating to the local area and Shakespeare. Other collections came to us from the Stratford-upon-Avon Borough Council and the Guild of the Holy Cross (1269-1547). In 1877 we appointed our first librarian to index and catalogue our library and archive collections. Our collections continue to grow until today though purchases, donations and long-term deposits.

We recognise that the historical materials we hold may represent positions, language, values, and stereotypes that are not consistent with the current values and practices of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. People accessing our collections may encounter language or depictions that are racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise harmful. Some descriptions may have been written by staff, others may have originated from the individuals and organisations that created the records.

At SBT collections we are currently implementing practices that seek to address offensive or harmful descriptions as a part of our cataloguing work. Learn more about our approach.