• The South Asian Diaspora Arts Archive (SADAA) showcases the first British Asian art 

• Spanning visual art, music, literature, dance and theatre, the archive includes work by South Asian writers and artists that informed creative arts development in the UK 

• The acquisition will ensure the archive’s preservation for the future. 

Birmingham Museums is delighted to announce the acquisition of a nationally important archive of work by first generation British South Asian writers and artists whose output informed the development of the creative arts in the UK.

The South Asian Diaspora Arts Archive (SADAA) reflects the work of British South Asian artists who arrived in the UK post-partition from 1947 onwards and spans visual art, music, literature, dance and theatre.

It features a wide variety of text-based and visual material including excerpts of fiction, poetry and plays, photographs, manuscripts and writers’ notes, artworks, leaflets, programmes of events, stage and costume drawings of theatre and dance performances, lyrics, CD and record covers, and music scores.

The archive holds material and testimonies from and about the development and impact of this first generation across the artistic spectrum, including the many writers who were part of the Asian Women Writers’ Collective, and established theatre companies such as Tara Arts and Kali Theatre.

Dance and music are also well represented. SADAA boasts a unique collection of Ram Gopal photographs, programmes and memorabilia. Early career moments from the now world-renowned singer Najma Akhtar are part of the music archive, as is the work of punk world music label Nation Records and archival material from Birmingham’s celebrated virtuoso composer and violinist, Calcutta-born John Mayer.

Visual artists range from the late Pakistani photographer Samena Rana to the painter Amal Ghosh. Recent donations include archival material from storyteller Vayu Naidu.

Starting life as the South Asian Diaspora Literature and Arts Archive (SALIDAA), SADAA was formed in 1999 by a group of concerned academics, experts and practitioners of South Asian literature and arts in response to a growing concern that priceless works by South Asian writers and artists were disappearing or becoming inaccessible.

The archive has been physically located at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery since 2017. Its formal acquisition by Birmingham Museums will ensure its preservation for the future and the ability to continue to acquire objects for the collection.
 

Sara Wajid, co-chief executive of Birmingham Museums Trust, said:

“This unique collection forms part of the historical narrative of Britain, preserving the South Asian contribution to modern British artistic development.

“It was built on a passion to collect works that otherwise would be lost and, as a former member of the SADAA project team, this acquisition is especially close to my heart.”

Shyama Perera, author and chair of SADAA, said:

“We’ve been collecting and celebrating the work of the first generation without being able to fully exploit and explore the influence of their thinking, their creativity, their collaborations, their learning and their legacy. Straddling two very different cultures, their outputs open a window of understanding onto the creative focus of subsequent generations.  

“Birmingham Museums is a natural home for this vibrant national collection. It is also perfectly placed for this unique legacy to be shared with the diverse communities of the West Midlands.”