This Is Us: Tracing Manchester’s Histories

This Is Us: Tracing Manchester’s Histories

This is Us seeks to reshape and redefine how Manchester’s public spaces reflect its rich and diverse histories.

Our Project

Manchester’s histories are rich, diverse, complex, and still unfolding. The ‘This Is Us’ project will celebrate overlooked stories, reflect on complex legacies, and create spaces where every voice can be heard.

Through storytelling, dialogue, and collaboration, we aim to make heritage accessible to everyone – inviting communities not only to learn about our histories, but to play an active role in shaping them.

What We Will Do

• Uncover & amplify: Bringing forward stories from global majorities, working class, and others too often left out of the narrative.
• Reflect & reinterpret: Explore Manchester’s legacies, including its connections to transatlantic slavery, with honesty and care.
• Celebrate & connect: Highlighting the resilience, creativity, and pride of our city through truth-telling and inclusive storytelling.
• Collaborate & Share: Partnering with community groups, cultural institutions, academics, and local authorities to build a legacy.

Why It Matters

Our histories are more than what we find in books or etched into statues; they live in our communities and continue to shape how we see ourselves today. By opening overlooked narratives and inviting new narratives, This Is Us will empower people to actively engage with their heritage, nurture pride in Manchester, and strengthen our shared sense of belonging.

The project aims to transform public spaces into reflections of the city’s true diversity, making a lasting contribution to cultural equity and inclusivity. Above all, it will ensure that voices once unheard are placed at the heart of Manchester’s stories.

The Storytelling Platform

At the heart of this project is an interactive web platform designed for audio storytelling and dialogue. It’s a space where cultural organisations, residents and newcomers alike can:

• Share personal histories and perspectives through audio storytelling.
• Bring together diverse histories and stories into one shared space.
• Explore diverse voices and overlooked narratives.
• Reimagine how the city’s stories are told.

Together, we can create a Manchester where every resident feels recognised, represented, and welcome.

Join Us

This project is built with the community, not just for it. Whether you’re a local group, an individual with a story to tell, a cultural partner, or someone eager to learn, your voice belongs here. For more information, please get in touch with our Project Manager, Yussuf M’Rabty at yussuf@manchesterhistories.co.uk or our Digital Project Manager, Jessica Tsiquaye at jess@manchesterhistories.co.uk .