Historic England is to fund 56 new projects across England, which tell the stories of the country’s working class heritage.
The funding is provided through its Everyday Heritage grants, which were launched in 2022 and have supported 57 projects to date.
The newly backed projects include the histories of drag in Newcastle’s Pink Triangle and the hidden experiences of people working in London’s Chinatown over the past 40 years.
Historic England said it had received approximately 380 applications in this round, and the successful projects will amount to a combined £875,000, ranging from £6,800 to £25,000 per individual project.
The projects include an exploration of the history of an East London pub which became a music venue for Iron Maiden and Dire Straits, and a look at the working class history of drag in the ‘Pink Triangle’, also known as the Gay Village area of Newcastle.
Also funded is ‘40 Years, 40 Stories: The Everyday Heritage of People Working in London’s Chinatown’, a project that will explore, reveal and share stories of everyday working lives in Chinatown, “facilitating community-building and advocating for a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of the neighbourhood”.
Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said: “Every community has a story to tell and we want to hear them. This is the strength of our Everyday Heritage grant programme, which funds projects that are community-led and really engage with local people by empowering them to research and tell their own stories.”
Further examples of funded projects are available on the Historic England website.
