Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) has appointed Charlotte Holmes and Rachael Minott to the new role of Head of Participation, on a job-share basis. This senior role in the Trust is tasked with involving the people of Birmingham in the development of the museums service.

This is the second time that BMT has appointed on a job-share basis to a transformative role, following the appointment of Co-Directors Sara Wajid and Zak Mensah in 2021 on a similar job-share structure.

Charlotte Holmes will carry out her position at Birmingham Museums Trust alongside her existing curatorial role within the National Trust. Charlotte is a trustee of Derby Museums and Vivid Projects, and is the former Chair of Museum Detox, a network for people of colour who work within the cultural heritage and museums sector.

Rachael Minott is a Jamaican-born artist and joins BMT from the National Archives, where she is - and will continue to be - Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  She is a trustee for the Museum of Homelessness and former Chair for the Museums Association’s Decolonising Guidance working group.

Working together, Charlotte and Rachael will lead BMT’s community engagement and volunteering team, and be integral in the incubation of the new research centre and support transformational change at Birmingham Museums. 

Sara Wajid, Co-Director of Birmingham Museums Trust, comments: “We are delighted to welcome back Charlotte and Rachael, who have both worked at BMT previously on highly impactful award-winning projects.

“The creation of the new role of Head of Participation is central to our vision to become a more socially purposeful museum service. Charlotte and Rachael are exceptional leaders who are totally committed to really connecting heritage to the people of Birmingham.”

Rachael Minott, Co-Head of Participation, adds “Charlotte and myself are excited to be joining Birmingham Museums Trust at this critical time. By appointing us in a job-share, BMT are showing real commitment to flexible working and responding to the needs of the workforce. In return, the Trust will benefit from our many combined years’ experience working in multiple organisations and contexts, which will help us to develop best practice and innovative thinking.” 

Birmingham Museums Trust is England’s largest civic museums service, attracting around one million visitors a year to its nine venues.