We are chuffed to be involved in a new exhibition at the Migration Museum in South London. Its called "Taking Care of Business: Migrant Entrepreneurs and the Making of Modern Britain"
Check out their online shop HERE (https://shop.migrationmuseum.org/collections/migrant-makers-market)
I am a third generation migrant. My parents moved to Australia from China when they were teenagers and following in their footsteps, early in my 20s I moved to the UK. I wanted to use the iconic laundry bag tartan weave as a print on recycled nylon for my commuting bags. We are all moving through the world in some way or another, whether it be moving borough or moving country, I admire anyone who takes that plunge.
Migrants are born entrepreneurs
The skills it takes to leave everything behind and start a new life abroad – risk-taking, resourcefulness, adaptability, grit – are the same skills that drive successful businesses. So it’s no surprise that entrepreneurship has been at the heart of the immigrant experience in Britain. From the sweatshop to the corner shop, from early banks to today’s tech unicorns, newcomers have set up businesses that have transformed Britain. Migrants have disrupted business as usual, created jobs for others and made Britain the competitive global economy it is today. It’s not just
about economics - migrant entrepreneurs have shaped our habits and tastes and all aspects of our daily lives.
For too long the central role that migrants have played in our economy and culture has gone unrecognised. This new exhibition from the Migration Museum will shed a light on this story through personal narratives, multimedia art installations and a novel concept shop. Working in partnership with academic researchers, communities and local business groups, we will provide historic context and highlight compelling contemporary figures.
At the core of the exhibition are the personal stories that reflect the struggles and resilience required to make a life and business in Britain as well as the successes.
The Migration Museum is based in Lewisham Shopping Centre, in the middle of a diverse and thriving entrepreneurial community. There couldn’t be a more fitting place to tell this story.
With debates raging about the future of our high streets and business after Brexit, there couldn’t be a better time to tell this story.
