Culture And Memory

Merton United: A boroughwide project forming part of Merton’s Cultural Impact Award.

Our project is key to Merton’s Cultural Impact Award programme. It focuses on the dynamic aspect of local heritage, considering economic need, historical/cultural integrity and the happiness/wellbeing of Merton people. Assisted by local volunteers, museums and commissioned artists, we will work with Merton residents to make our heritage collection more representative of the borough’s diverse modern population. Community-based outreach, art workshops and collection days will capture unique histories for posterity; kickstarting contemporary collecting, with particular emphasis on under-represented groups. Online resources, plaques, high street displays and a multicultural heritage trail will make Merton’s historical narrative more visible, inclusive and accessible, helping to foster civic pride. Work by Merton creatives will encourage community engagement with the borough’s heritage sites and public realm. The project’s drive for community-led service provision will increase our organisational sustainability, strengthening links with Merton’s wider population and creating a core team to support future engagement.