News: Museum X Celebrates Black History Month with Powerful New Exhibition and Community Events

This October, Museum X is marking Black History Month with an inspiring programme of art, workshops, and community events in collaboration with Republic Education Campus and local collector Julie Elizabeth. As a proud supporter of Museum X, Dove PR is excited to share the details of this vibrant initiative bringing together artists, educators, and the East London community.

What Does a Collector Collect? – A New Exhibition

At the heart of the programme is What Does a Collector Collect?, an exhibition curated by artist and curator Annette Fernando. Drawing from the private collection of Julie Elizabeth, the show explores collecting as a relational practice, connecting artist and collector, artwork and memory, diaspora and home. The exhibition will be held across two sites at Republic: the Export Building and Westland Coffee & Wine.

Featured artists include Gloria Bourne, Joshua Donkor, Alvin Kofi, Andrea Gayle, Annette Fernando, Celestin Edward, Love Hannington, Mary Blomley, Maya Gurung Russell Campbell, Natasha Muluswela, and Kwame Boama Mensa Aborampa. The Collector’s Table installation will highlight the everyday rituals and networks that shape a life in art, with woven textiles, ceramics, and books.

Launch Event and Public Viewing

The programme launches with an evening event on Thursday 9th October in the Export Atrium. Expect a Community Portrait Wall with photographer Brian Whar, a live salon on power, memory and ownership moderated by Sandra Shakespeare, and hands-on creative stations. Catering is provided by Xenia’s Bakery. The exhibition opens to the public the following day and runs until 31st October.

Workshops and Community Events

• Stories Behind the Portraits (16th October): An intergenerational workshop led by Julie Elizabeth, exploring how families and communities preserve their histories through photographs and portraits.

• Quilting for Self Expression (23rd October): Award-winning graphic designer and educator Jahnavi Innis leads a hands-on session using quilting as a tool for storytelling and representation. Materials provided.

• African Legacies Walk (25th October): Artist Remiiya Badru guides a walk through East London, tracing waterways and sites connected to migration, labour, and resilience.

• Archiving to Remember (30th October): Community archivist Cassia Clarke  leads a practical workshop on caring for family photographic archives and creative preservation techniques.

All events are free and open to students, residents, and the local community. Step-free access is available throughout the site, with a quiet space on request.

Why This Matters

This collaboration places a privately assembled collection within a public learning environment, supporting intergenerational exchange, creative confidence, and community archiving. The walking tour connects East India Dock’s geography to wider narratives of empire, migration, and belonging, making Black history visible and relevant in contemporary East London.

Find Out More

For full programme details, venue access, and updates, visit Republic Education Campus and Museum X online. Follow Museum X on Instagram for announcements and behind-the-scenes content. For interviews or press images, contact Julie Elizabeth at julie_elizabeth@ymail.com.

Funded by Tower Hamlets CVS Community Sparks grants programme.