Nusrat Ahmed awarded Empowering Curators fellowship

Nusrat Ahmed, lead curator of Manchester Museum’s South Asia Gallery, has become one of the first curators to benefit from a pioneering new programme launched by Art Fund.

Empowering Curators has created curatorial fellowships hosted by museums and galleries across the UK, as part of a major five-year initiative to create 20 new multi-year curatorial roles for senior to mid-career curators from Global Majority backgrounds. 

Through the fellowship, Nusrat will lead work to embed anti-racism and social justice across Manchester Museum’s practice, applying knowledge around the practices and ethics of co-curation and care from the landmark South Asia Gallery throughout the organisation.

Nusrat said: "I am delighted to be awarded the Empowering Curators fellowship, it’s both an honour and a responsibility. I am so excited to continue learning, sharing, and working alongside co-fellows to create positive and lasting change in the sector."

Manchester Museum is one of nine host organisations supporting this initial cohort of Curatorial Fellows. All of them have been identified as museums and galleries committed to nurturing diverse curatorial talent, increasing equity within their organisations, and engaging new audiences through greater representation of the communities they serve.

Esme Ward, Director, Manchester Museum said: “We’re so excited to be part of a broader shift towards curatorship that’s grounded in values, accountability and relationship-building, opening up a new sense of what’s possible.

“We know, from our work in recent years, the difference it can make when you create the conditions for diverse perspectives to thrive. Programmes like Empowering Curators are foundational in building a new ethics of care for participants, museums and the sector."

Alongside hosting Fellows, each organisation will undertake a programme of change to advance equity, diversity and inclusion, facilitated by external experts. The Curatorial Fellows will receive tailored professional development delivered by Clore Leadership, supporting them to become exceptional candidates for senior positions at a pivotal stage in their careers. The programme empowers host organisations and Curatorial Fellows to embrace innovative approaches to curation and audience engagement, ensuring their collections and research respond to the rich and diverse world we live in.

The first host organisations and the ten new Curatorial Fellows, who are recognised for their achievements, leadership, and contributions to the field of curation, are: Autograph (Neicia Marsh), Chapter (Sim Panaser), Culture Coventry (Taniah Simpson), Glasgow Life (Nelson Cummings), Manchester Museum (Nusrat Ahmed), National Museums Liverpool (Dr Jill Sutherland), Royal Museums Greenwich (Hannah Cusworth and Dr Nydia Swaby), Tate Liverpool (Carine Harmand), and The Whitworth (Dr Christo Kefalas).