Leighton House contains not only a ceramic collection of national significance – uniquely arranged and displayed in the spectacular Arab Hall – but also a remarkable collection of works by Leighton and his contemporaries. The house is grade II listed and stands in a conservation area. The Arab Hall holds particular resonance for MENASA communities – its tiles originating from 16th-century Damascus, Turkey, and Iran. 

CORA Foundation recognised that the centenary represented a meaningful moment to build genuine connection between the museum and those whose heritage the House and the Hall reflects.

The Hall’s three-part exhibition brings an innovative approach to the interpretation of the space in order to deepen public understanding of the layered historical and cultural significance; to support artists from the MENASA region in speaking back to, and through, this iconic space; and to make the museum a more inclusive place for communities who may not have seen themselves reflected in its programming. 

CORA Foundation is committed to supporting museums, heritage sites, and collections, especially those which engage with living artists who illuminate not only their history but also the ongoing relevance of today’s traditions of making, creative practice, and storytelling. We celebrate this project and how it illustrates what exchange and dialogue through cultural practice can look like.

Leighton House’s centenary offered a unique opportunity not just to reflect on the museum’s history, but to ask urgent contemporary questions about how such spaces are read, activated, and interpreted today.