Pop singer honoured by University of Leicester for his museums heritage work

Pop vocalist, essayist and art historian, David McAlmont, has been honoured by University of Leicester during a ceremony today (Friday 19 July).

Best known for his music collaborations with composer David Arnold and musician Bernard Butler during the 1990s, David has also collaborated on projects led by the University’s Research Centre for Museums and Galleries (RCMG).

At a ceremony held at De Montfort Hall, David was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters for his contribution to the museums sector.

Born in Croydon, David lived in Guyana, his mother’s home country, for nine years before returning to the UK to study performing arts at Middlesex Polytechnic.

In 2009, he took on a new role as a performance consultant on the Spatial Performance and Design programme at the Architectural Association’s Interprofessional Studio.

Seeking to explore this area in more depth, he returned to higher education, graduating from Birkbeck College in 2016 with a degree in the History of Western Art and Architecture.

Shortly afterwards came his first collaboration with Leicester’s Research Centre for Museums and Galleries, which is hosted by the University’s School of Museum Studies. David’s performance girl.boy.child, exploring LGBTQ stories in historic houses, was part of the National Trust’s acclaimed Prejudice and Pride project.

More recently, David collaborated again with the RCMG on a short film entitled Permissible Beauty. Funded by Arts Council England and developed in close collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces, the National Trust and English Heritage, this film and its accompanying exhibition were launched at Hampton Court Palace in January 2023.

Permissible Beauty was inspired by the Windsor Beauties, 10 portraits of women at the court of Charles II which have been exhibited at Hampton Court since the 19th century. These representations of beauty were contrasted with seven new portraits of black British queer creative talents by leading photographer Roger Taylor.

David is currently developing a project around 18th-century French artist Jacques-Louis David, while his most recent musical project was a Guardian, Mojo and Scotsman album of 2023, Happy Ending, with Hifi Sean.

Co-Director of Research Centre for Museums and Galleries at University of Leicester, Professor Richard Sandell, said: “We are all thrilled that David’s highly significant scholarly and creative contributions to the work of the research centre and to the wider field of culture is being recognised in this way. 

“David’s work continues to be transformative in shaping bold, original and impactful approaches to advancing inclusive and ethical storytelling and challenging audiences to look afresh at British heritage.”