Two major exhibitions – Humari Aawaz (Our Voices) and Humari Kahaniyan (Our Stories) – have opened at The Piece Hall and Calderdale Industrial Museum, shining a spotlight on the untold stories of South Asian migrants who powered Halifax’s textile industry from the 1950s to the 1980’s.

Co-created by artist Natasha Joseph and illustrator Ekaterina Sheath, the exhibitions share the voices of the local South Asian community through photography, film and oral histories. Presented by Joseph’s Leeds-based organisation, We Belong Here CIC, it forms part of a wider project commissioned by Calderdale Council and Everybody Arts to celebrate community heritage and cultural identity in West Yorkshire.

Over the past year, Joseph and Sheath have worked closely with South Asian residents across Halifax to collect personal recollections of life in the textile mills – from long night shifts and factory camaraderie to the pride and resilience of women sewing piecework from home. These stories will inspire a 65-metre public artwork along Hatters Fold in Halifax town centre as part of the Art and About Trail. The two exhibitions expand this research into immersive displays combining oral histories, documentary film, large-scale illustrated panels, creative photography, and archival materials.

“It’s been incredibly powerful to see these stories come to life,” said Natasha Joseph, artist and co-curator of the exhibition. “Many in Halifax had never heard about the contributions of South Asian migrants in the mills. By sharing these memories through art, we’re celebrating a crucial part of Calderdale’s history and showing younger generations that their community’s heritage matters. At a time when conversations about identity and belonging are so important, it feels vital to remember and preserve the rich multicultural heritage of this country- to make more space for it in the future. We see this exhibition as part of a much wider movement towards recognition and accurate representation, and we hope it’s just the beginning.”

Ekaterina Sheath, illustrator and co-curator, added: “Our aim was to weave together the personal and the historical. Drawing inspiration from South Asian architectural motifs, vibrant colour palettes and personal histories, we brought these ideas into the photography and the way visitors encounter the archival material. Every story and idea you see here was shaped by our steering group- we wanted to transform the gallery space into something dynamic and authentically rooted in community.”

Hosted in The Piece Hall’s Community Gallery, Humari Aawaz features floor-to-ceiling mural panels, community co-created photography, and a creative space inviting visitors to share their own memories of migration, work, and home. Free to enter, the exhibition runs until 23 October 2025.

“We are delighted to host Humari Aawaz, which beautifully weaves together Halifax’s industrial past with the personal stories of those who lived it,” said a spokesperson for The Piece Hall Trust. “It’s a powerful example of how artists and communities can come together to preserve and reimagine shared heritage.”

The project’s legacy continues at Calderdale Industrial Museum with Humari Kahaniyan, running until 22 November 2025. This sister exhibition explores the South Asian contribution to Calderdale’s textile industry through oral histories, archival material, and creative artworks.

At the exhibition’s launch, David Millichope, Chair of Calderdale Industrial Museum Association, reflected: “I personally believe this to be the most significant exhibition we have hosted since the Terry Sutton Gallery opened. It marks the start of an important journey for the museum – a commitment to recognising and celebrating a shared heritage that has too often been overlooked. The story of Calderdale’s industrial past cannot be fully told without the voices, memories, and experiences of its South Asian communities. We are proud to open an exhibition that shines a light on the people who helped build our town, strengthen its industries, and enrich its culture from the 1950s onwards.”

The collected stories will be preserved in the museum’s permanent archive for public access, ensuring this vital part of local history is remembered. This marks just the beginning for We Belong Here CIC and their community steering group, who plan to grow the project in scale and reach. With many elders’ voices at risk of being lost, there is an urgency of capturing and celebrating these stories now, before they fade from living memory.

More about the artists:

Natasha Joseph is an artist and creative producer from Bangalore, India. After graduating from Leeds Arts University in 2019, she established We Belong Here CIC to make art accessible for everyone, particularly within migrant and marginalised communities. Her practice focuses on co-creation- working directly with local residents to explore shared stories through art. Natasha has delivered over 500 community workshops, produced large-scale murals across West Yorkshire, and currently serves as a creative practitioner for Bradford 2025: UK City of Culture. Her work emphasises connection, belonging and the transformative power of art to build pride and visibility in diverse communities.

Ekaterina Sheath is an illustrator and curator based in Leeds. A graduate of Leeds Arts University, her practice explores how contemporary illustration can engage the public with local heritage. Ekaterina’s clients include Historic England, Leeds City Museum, and Leeds City Council, and her work has been shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards (2021 and 2022). Named one of Creative Boom’s “Twenty Most Exciting Illustrators to Follow” in 2022, she specialises in creating visual narratives that link people, place, and history. With We Belong Here CIC, she delivers community art programmes that merge creative storytelling with social impact.

Together, Natasha and Ekaterina’s  collaboration blends mural art, illustration, and community engagement- producing meaningful public art projects such as ‘SWISH’ a youth led basketball court mural in Halifax, ‘Lost Leeds’ a heritage project and exhibition commissioned by British Library  and ‘Humari Aawaz’ and ‘Humari Kahaniyan’, sister exhibitions at The Piece Hall and Calderdale Industrial Museum about the South Asian heritage, culture and representation in Halifax. Their work has been praised for its authenticity, inclusivity and emotional resonance, transforming local stories into lasting works of public and community art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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