PhD Sponsorship Agreed – At Home in Coventry 1945-1975

19 October 2018

​Midlands4Cities Collaborative Doctoral Partnership Explores Coventry’s Diversity

The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum has partnered up with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Coventry University to apply successfully for a Doctoral Training Partnership at Midlands4Cities. The project will explore notions of what home meant to diverse populations within Coventry between 1945 – 1975 through the close investigation of archives and collections. This research will reveal and make public the richness of material within our city.

In the immediate post-war period, with the destruction of so much of the city, the rebuilding of homes and the influx of different ethnic groups meant that the making of a home gained special importance. The new shape and fabric of the city and the diversity in the populations that began at that time remain relevant today. With Coventry being UK’s City of Culture 2021, the international spotlight will be on Coventry and its frequently overlooked cultural history.

Choosing from the extensive collection of art, artefacts, photographs, and archives that are held by the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, the research will combine art and design with social history.

At Home in Coventry 1945-1975 will culminate in a thesis, but as part of the PhD, the student will organise an online presence, a small display and talks at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, and will present papers at national and international conferences. It is expected that the research will feed into articles and other published materials, both during and after the studentship.

This project offers the perfect opportunity to engage with local audiences in large numbers and encourage more people to visit and explore their heritage, but also aiming to attract audiences from further afield.