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Dr. Sarah Baccianti is Research Manager at National Museums NI. In her role she manages the implementation and development of National Museums NI’s Research Policy and Research Plan and reviews and monitors all research and academic partnerships. Before moving to the museum/heritage sector, Sarah lectured in Old English and Old Norse literature at the University of Oxford, Université de Lausanne, University College Cork and Queen’s University Belfast. She obtained her doctorate at the University of Oxford where she researched the narrative structure of chronicles and historiae written in Old Norse, Old English, and Anglo-Latin. Her latest project – which was funded by the British Academy, and that she continues to research in her spare time – focuses on the reception and transmission of scientific and medical knowledge in medieval Denmark and Iceland. |
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Gemma Reid is a freelance heritage practitioner working as part of a collective called quarto. quarto creatively engage people in exploring identity and memory in place. They are committed to engaging with Northern Ireland in all its (often troubled) complexity. They are curious about the untold stories and quiet work for change going on in every community. Their practice centres listening, reflection, and encouragement. Their creativity, strong facilitation skills, deep thinking and years of practice help people to see themselves, each other and their places in ways that value the past, understand the present, and anticipate the future with hope and confidence. |
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The Mellon Centre for Migration Studies is a dedicated resource and research Centre with specialist expertise in the universal phenomenon of human migration. Our understanding of migration is holistic and encompasses immigration, internal migration and emigration. With regard to the latter we are focussed upon the peoples of the island of Ireland and their distribution across the globe. The Centre is located at the Ulster-American Folk Park, outside Omagh, County Tyrone, which is part of the National Museums NI. The Centre houses a specialist reference library in partnership with Libraries NI. The collection extends to over 18,000 items. Our main digital resource is the Irish Emigration Database which is operated in conjunction with Queen’s University Belfast at dippam.ac.uk. |
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Founded in 2006, ArtsEkta is a Belfast-based organisation that connects culturally diverse and indigenous communities through creative programmes. Operating regionally, it champions arts and heritage as a powerful and accessible means of fostering cultural understanding, offering opportunities for shared learning and creative dialogue. Established by Dr. Nisha Tandon OBE, a second-generation Indian migrant with lived experience as a culturally diverse artist in Northern Ireland, ArtsEkta is committed to promoting equality and greater appreciation of different cultures. By co-designing and co-creating participatory arts projects, it nurtures an ethos of cultural respect and inclusion. ArtsEkta produces the award-winning Belfast Mela festival, one of Europe’s largest cultural diversity celebrations. Over almost two decades, it has addressed key gaps in access and participation, engaging audiences, participants, and artists from underrepresented backgrounds. Its work focuses on areas of poverty, migration, and rural isolation, ensuring high-quality cultural experiences are accessible to all. |