Official Launch of the Bristol Legacy Foundation!
Bristol Legacy Foundation Chair, Deputy Mayor Councillor Asher Craig giving her keynote address.
On the 15th of March, 2024, the Bristol Legacy Foundation (BLF) hosted its official launch at the M Shed, organised by the Black South West Network. The day started with a welcome and provocation by Afrikan ConneXions Consortium (ACC) co-convenor Madu Ellis honouring representatives from the Pan Afrikan Council of Elders, Mzee Clifton Depass and Mzee Veresteen Walcott. Having honoured the elders, the event continued with an address by BLF Chair, Deputy Mayor Councillor Asher Craig, and the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees. Councillor Craig emphasised the importance of embracing the past with the Transatlantic Trafficking of Enslaved Africans (TTEA), and how this will be a testament to Bristol. Councillor Craig announced that the BLF and Bristol City Council have started the formal process to acquire the B Bond Warehouse as the storyhouse/museum for the TTEA within the city. An address was also given by the first Chair of the BLF, Professor Olivette Otele.
Professor Otele delivering her address. Taken by Alison Knight.
Attendees heard from the chairs of the various Task Groups within the BLF. The BLF is made up of four Task Groups: Memorialisation, Storyhouse, Reparatory Justice and Partnerships, Investments and Resources. Co-chairs of the Memorialisation Task Group, Cleo Lake and Ruth Pitter, introduced the intentions behind the Memorialisation workstream within the BLF. In 2021, the BLF launched a community consultation with African Heritage Communities entitled ‘Project T.R.U.T.H: Telling, Restoring and Understanding (OUR) Tapestry (AND) History’ led by the Black South West Network, commissioned by Bristol City Council. Within the report, Bristol’s African Heritage Communities voiced their support for artwork dedicated to the TTEA within the public realm. The Memorialisation Task Group are currently working on a phased approach to Memorialisation, with the Cascade Steps Memorial forming the first of many memorials within Bristol.
Presentations by Memorialisation Task Group Co-Chairs, Cleo Lake and Ruth Pitter; Public Art Commissioner Bolanle Tajudeen; Co-convenor of Afrikan ConneXions Consortium Madu Ellis. Taken by Alison Knight.
As part of this, the BLF commissioned Public Art Commissioner, Bolanle Tajudeen, who gave a presentation on sites of remembrance and why they are important. Bolanle was commissioned to manage the selection of the artist and curate the memorial. Pulling from Ghanaian funeral traditions, Bolanle urged attendees to pay reverence to their ancestors. Bolanle presented her work on the first memorial by the BLF. Working in partnership with Bristol City Council, the viewing platform to the left of the Cascade Steps in the city centre has been identified as a site. Bolanle has already begun to receive artist nominations, and plans for the memorial to be erected by April 2025. After receiving artist nominations, Bolanle plans on sending each artist a brief about the memorial to respond to for ‘Stage 1’ of the competition process. The memorial will be:
Of scale
Immersive
Of high artistic quality (commissioned by a panel from open and solicited submissions)
Representative of the brilliance and resilience of the people we are remembering, rather than the violence that was done to them.
Afterwards, Madu Ellis was invited to give a presentation on the Reparatory Justice Task Group (RJTG) on behalf of the Chair, Jendayi Serwah. Madu spoke about the aims of the RJTG, which include working with BLF Partners to create meaningful legacy for African Heritage Communities through the creation of a Pan Afrikan Community Education Complex, and a land-based initiative led by ACC called ‘Zenzele Village’, which will feature a mix of buildings and arable land based on prospected future economic, cultural and social needs.
(Left to Right) Professor Paul Goodwin, Bolanle Tajudeen, Sharmaine Lovegrove, Professor Olivette Otele, Rob Mitchell.
The event ended with a panel discussion facilitated by Rob Mitchell featuring:
Bolanle Tajudeen, BLF Public Art Commissioner
Sharmaine Lovegrove, Chair of BLF Storyhouse Task Group and Co-Founder/Creative Director of Dialogue Books
Professor Paul Goodwin, Chair and professor of Contemporary Art & Urbanism and Director of TrAIN Research Centre (Transnational Art, Identity and Nation) at University of the Arts London
Professor Olivette Otele, Distinguished Research Professor of the Legacies and Memory of Slavery at the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London)
Panellists spoke about the importance of art in reparatory justice, and how the BLF can connect with young people. Afterwards, attendees were invited to lunch and networking. The BLF Launch facilitated connections and conversations between Bristol’s African Heritage Communities on the topics of reparatory justice, memorialisation and the legacy of the TTEA within the city.
Moving forward, the BLF will focus on beginning the formal process with Bristol City Council to acquire the B Bond Warehouse. Moreover, as artist nominations begin to roll in for the memorial, our Public Art Commissioner Bolanle will continue to work with the BLF to identify a suitable artist for the memorial.
If you have any artist nominations, please send them to Bolanle: bolanle@bristollegacyfoundation.com.
If you have any other questions, please email admin@bristollegacyfoundation.com.
Written by BLF Project Co-ordinator, Morayo Omogbenigun.