A new exhibition opening in Leicester is shedding light on how people from different backgrounds experience life in the city, drawing on more than 100 in-depth interviews with residents.
The exhibition, hosted at Leicester Museum, presents findings from the Living Together oral history project, led by St Philip’s Centre and supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project set out to capture the voices, memories and lived experiences of people who call Leicester home, exploring what it means to live together in one of the UK’s most diverse cities.
Picture credit: Living Together
In total, 103 interviews were conducted with a broad cross-section of Leicester’s population. Around a third of participants were born outside the UK, a third were born in the UK but moved to Leicester later in life, and a third were lifelong Leicester residents. Together, their stories offer a wide-ranging portrait of the city and its communities.
Several key themes emerged from the interviews, including whether people feel free to be themselves in Leicester, how the city celebrates its diversity, and the barriers and challenges residents face in their everyday lives. The project also explored lived experiences of religion and belief, perceptions of how the city has changed over time, and moments and memories that interviewees felt could only have happened in Leicester.
The exhibition is being displayed in the People’s Gallery at Leicester Museum until May 2026. Visitors are able to listen to audio clips from the interviews, read selected quotes from participants, and share their own reflections on what life in Leicester means to them today.
Picture credit: Living Together
Tom Wilson, Director of St Philip’s Centre, said the project aimed to document the human stories behind Leicester’s reputation for community cohesion.
“Leicester is well-known for its harmony and the ability of many communities to live well together,” he said. “This project has documented and preserved the experiences that lie behind that cohesion and community spirit by recording the memories of one hundred and three people who have made their home in Leicester.
“We wanted to give people who live and work in the city the opportunity to record their experiences of living within the rich variety of cultures and perspectives found here. The exhibition showcases some of what we’ve learned about how we live together.”
Organisers hope the exhibition will encourage reflection, conversation and a deeper understanding of the shared and differing experiences that shape Leicester today.
For more information and to hear some of the stories, visit: https://www.leicesterlivingtogether.com/celebrating-leicester
