Bristol Beacon to host an event series commemorating the extraordinary stories and contributions of individuals from the Windrush generation this June
Honouring the history of the Windrush generation, Bristol Beacon is hosting a programme of performance, exhibitions and events from Wednesday 19 – Saturday 22 June 2024 to continue the legacy in Bristol today. Across the three days in the run up to Windrush Day on Saturday 22 June, Windrush To Bristol will showcase the incredible impact of Black Caribbean people on Bristol, the UK and the world.
Through the event series, Windrush To Bristol invites us to champion a more equitable city for people of all colours, cultures and class. Bristol can expect to discover the history of Windrush, dive into the music of Black Caribbean artists of Bristol and beyond, and be inspired by a more equitable vision for the future.
Windrush The Journey, a concert and exhibition by Pegasus Opera Company, will take place across each of the three days in Bristol Beacon’s Lantern Hall. For more than 30 years, Pegasus Opera Company has fearlessly paved the way for diverse talent in opera, and through Windrush The Journey, they will showcase a rich tapestry of music and storytelling whilst celebrating Black classical composers of the past, present and future.
Bringing the music of Chevalier de Saint Georges, Richard Thompson and Des Oliver to the fore, with words for the opera by Bristolian Edson Burton, the performance will honour the legacy of the Windrush generation with an outstanding fusion of classical music, jazz and blues. A fascinating, immersive exhibition showcasing the work of Black British composers, photographs and local Windrush testimony, will be showcased throughout the week.
Another brand new exhibition will collate Bristol people’s reflections and ideas around race, representation and resilience, with a vision to forge them into a manifesto to achieve racial equality for the city. From Thursday 20 June Race Cards: A Blueprint 4 Change will be on display, curated in partnership with CuriosityUnLtd, and inspired by the activism of the Bristol Bus Boycott and inspirational vision of Martin Luther King’s Dream.
CuriosityUnLld launched #Race4Power in January 2023 at the people’s plinth. Touring Bristol with a giant card of MartinLuther King, this grassroots research project sought people’s answers to questions around race, representation and resilience. The exhibition, curated by Julz Davis, will display 500+ responses and is designed to spark a set of challenging conversations to inform the co-creation of a new grassroots-led manifesto on racial equality for the city. A new music track and anthem for change, ‘We Rise’, created by four young Bristol music artists will sit at the heart of the exhibition.
