A new exhibition curated by young people showcases the area’s vibrant multiculturalism
YOUNG people in Grangetown have curated a new exhibition for the Museum of Cardiff, exploring the memories and tales behind the place they call home.
Voices of Grangetown tells the stories of people living, working and growing up in Grangetown and how the community has evolved – from the changing shops on Clare Road to the development of the Grange Pavilion, which has become a focal point of the community.
The exhibition was curated by nine young people from the pavilion’s Youth Forum, who worked directly with the Museum of Cardiff to decide the scope of the project and the stories they wanted to spotlight.
The project was coordinated by Zain Haq, a 20-year-old student born in Grangetown, who started working with representatives from the museum sector two years ago to improve community engagement.
After securing funding for an exhibition, the museum organised fortnightly workshops to help Zain and his peers collect stories from local people and curate materials for display.
Zain, who lives a short distance from the pavilion, feels passionately about the need to put people’s memories and experiences at the heart of the area’s history.
“To not have the stories of local people you lose the sense of history from that place. You lose the personality when stories aren’t passed down from people to people. And there may not be the opportunity to pass the stories down to younger audiences, so to collect these stories and have a record of them is really important, giving people a sense of what Grangetown was once like and the changes that it has undergone.” said Zain.
The group interviewed more than 20 local people whose everyday lives might go under the radar but who have helped make Grangetown the place it is today. One of the residents featured is a hairdresser called Andrew, who has worked in Grangetown for over 20 years.
“I’ve not really seen anything else about him. It’s usually the Clarence Hardware store that’s mentioned, but they’ve been there for around the same time. It’s interesting to uncover bits of Grangetown that maybe haven’t been talked about as much.” said Zain.
Zain has always felt the sense of community in Grangetown. He says it has grown since the development of the pavilion, which was repurposed in 2020 and is now open to the community seven days a week.
Between 30 and 40 young people attend sessions with Grange Pavilion Youth Forum every week, where they learn everything from how to make ice-cream to running a business.
“Grange Pavilion has changed the community as a whole. I’ve felt the presence of the community getting a lot stronger ever since this building. It’s lively and there’s always something going on. It’s a place where you can build yourself up.” said Zain.
Welsh illustrator Jack Skivens, whose brother had his first child in Grangetown, worked with the young people to produce the accompanying artwork for the exhibition. His illustrations show the story of the development of the pavilion – which started as an idea a few residents had for a community coffee shop.
Much of Jack’s work is about helping people to appreciate their immediate surroundings, and he was inspired by the energy, care and hard work that the young people put into the project.
“These kids had such a passion for what they were doing. I was struck by how committed they were to the project and what it meant to them. It was really personal, they grew up there, their families are there, their friends are there. They want to uncover the beauty of what their life is and what they see in the area,” said Jack.
Zain hopes that that Grangetown’s community spirit is what shines through when people go to view the exhibition, and that it might change people’s perceptions of the area.
“Grangetown has a reputation of being quite rough. I hope that one day people come to Grangetown and realise that it’s a nice place to be.”
- Voices of Grangetown is showing at the Museum of Cardiff until 31 March. The exhibition text is available in Welsh, English, Urdo and Somali.
