Dr Maria Hussain Shortlisted for Prestigious Museums Association ‘Radical Changemaker Award’

Dr Maria Hussain has been shortlisted for the highly respected Museums Association ‘Radical Changemaker Award’ for her pioneering work on the exhibition Muslims in the North

This is a collaboration with Leeds City Museum.

The Museums Association, the UK’s oldest and most influential organization in the museum sector, represents over 10,000 members, 1,800 museums, and 260 commercial members globally. This award celebrates individuals making a significant impact through radical change in museums and cultural institutions.

In July 2023, Dr Hussain received funding from the Leeds Cultural Institute’s Cross-Disciplinary Innovation Fund. This enabled her to collaborate with Leeds Museums and Galleries to present key findings from her Teaching Excellence (LITE) funded research. Her work, which explores how cultural diversity is perceived from university campuses to global workplaces, culminated in the groundbreaking exhibition Muslims in the North at Leeds City Museum.

The exhibition is the first of its kind in Europe, using Dr Hussain’s research to highlight the contemporary contributions of British Muslims across commerce, healthcare, law, and research. Through untold stories of trailblazing Muslims in the North, the display challenges deficit models of marginalized Muslim communities and sparks public debate about the roles of British Muslims in society.

Since its launch in March 2024, Muslims in the North has garnered significant media attention, featuring on ITV Calendar News, BBC Radio Leeds, the Yorkshire Evening Post, and BBC News Online. Over 130,000 visitors have experienced the exhibition, according to Yvonne Hardman, Head of Leeds City Museum.

Reflecting on her work, Dr Hussain commented:

Societal equity will not happen just by osmosis, we all have a unique part to play in catalysing positive change that will nurture more equitable life-chances for all.
 

In recognition of her work, Dr Hussain was invited by the Museums Association to contribute a case study on how Muslims in the North addresses anti-racism and challenges Islamophobia in civic spaces. This was published in the Museums Association’s Museums Essentials course in September 2024.

Regionally, the exhibition has been praised by the Leeds City Council-led Anti-Muslim Prejudice Working Group, which includes key stakeholders from across civic society. The group highlighted the exhibition’s role in informing policy on combating Islamophobia across the city.

In addition to this national recognition, Muslims in the North came runner up in the institutional Research Culture awards in the category of ‘Diverse forms of research activity ’ in June, 2024. It has also been nominated for the University of Leeds’ 2024 External Impact and Engagement Awards- to be announced in November, 2024.