Reflecting on a Year of Progress: A Message from Asher Craig - Chair, Bristol Legacy Foundation

Mzee Veresteen Walcott and Mzee Clifton Depass (Pan Afrikan Council of Elders) at the BLF Launch on the 15th of March, 2024. Photography by Alison Knight.

As we close the chapter on an impactful year at the Bristol Legacy Foundation (BLF), I want to take a moment to reflect on our journey, celebrate our achievements, and express my gratitude to everyone who has played a role in our progress.

In March 2024, I had the honour of presenting BLFs Vision at the final City Gathering,  a significant biannual event that unites stakeholders from various sectors to advance the Bristol One City Plan. During this gathering, we introduced our ambitious ten-year program aimed at deepening Bristol's understanding of its historical involvement in the Transatlantic Trafficking of Enslaved Africans (TTEA).  Reparatory justice is  a goal that is not just vital for African Heritage communities who are directly affected, but beneficial for the entire city as we confront our interconnected past.

One of the highlights of our year was our visit to the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool. This experience was not only enlightening, but also reinforced our commitment to working with other cities in in both the UK & globally. The insights gained from this visit helped to inform our future ambitions for the Storyhouse.

BLF delegates and representatives from Lancaster, Nantes and London at the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool.

We appointed a fundraising consultant (SASOLO) to help enhance the capacity of BLF and secure sustainable support for our work. This commission is crucial as we work to build partnerships that will amplify our efforts.

We have been busy progressing our memorial by the Cascade Steps led by our Curator, Bolanle Tajudeen in partnership with Bristol City Council. We received 18 applications from high profile artists from across Bristol, the UK, Europe and Africa. The next stage will involve each visual artist creating a visual mockup of their artwork, which will be put to a public vote in late 2025.

Oshii presenting ‘Common Ground’ to the BID.

We have been working with the Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and Bristol City Council on the revitalisation of the City Centre Promenade. We appointed Bristol-born artist, Oshii to create a piece of artwork that celebrates Bristol’s multicultural communities. The planned artwork, tentatively titled “Common Ground,” will transform the surface of the Promenade with vibrant colours, playful shapes, and symbolic motifs that celebrate Bristol’s multicultural identity and historic harbour. Designed to be interactive and engaging, the artwork will include elements like games and pollinator-friendly planting, inviting people of all ages to explore and enjoy the space.

BLF Chair, Asher Craig presenting at the Away Day at Fairfield House, Bath.

In September we held an in-person Away Day at Fairfield House, Bath. We reflected upon and refreshed our thinking about who we are, and what our expectations of each other should be – members and partners and reaffirmed our strategic priorities over the next ten years. 

‘Remembering H.I.M: Celebration of Haile Selassie I’s Civic Visit to Bristol’ in collaboration with the Royal British Legion at Circomedia. Photography by Ian Wade.

In October we took time to celebrate important cultural milestones, such as remembering Haile Selassie’s civic visit to Bristol. This commemoration, held in partnership with the Royal British Legion, the event highlighted the significance of our city’s diverse heritage and the connections we share with African history. 

Eurocities participants in Nantes, France.

Our peer learning visit to Nantes allowed us to explore themes of heritage and remembrance related to the transatlantic slave trade. This exchange of knowledge is vital as we learn from other cities' experiences in addressing shared histories and challenges.

Attendees at ‘Our Storyhouse’ Consultation at the Malcolm X Community Centre.

Our first community consultation event for the Storyhouse was held at Malcolm X Centre. We have been working with architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and the Bristol City Council Regeneration Team to create a brief that the BLF can use to commission a multidisciplinary team (Architects, designers, exhibition designers, etc) to begin designing the storyhouse. LDS’ study will also assess the suitability of the B Bond Warehouse on Smeaton Road, the current proposed location for the storyhouse which is located within the Western Harbour development. After the consultation with African Heritage Communities, BLF members had their first workshop with LDS where we focused on envisioning different users in the storyhouse, and thinking about how this might inform the design.

BLF members at LDS workshop hosted at City Hall.

Closing out the year, the first community conversation and art workshop led by Oshii, the artist selected to deliver a major public art project for the City Centre Promenade was held at Bristol Beacon. These workshops will continue into the New Year and will provide a great platform for creative expression and dialogue with citizens about identity and culture.

I would like to extend my deepest thanks to our dedicated trustees, partners, and everyone involved in the Bristol Legacy Foundation. Your unwavering support and commitment to our mission inspire me every day. Together, let’s continue to make strides toward a more inclusive and equitable future for Bristol.

Here’s to the year ahead—filled with promise, progress, and the pursuit of justice.

By Asher Craig, BLF Chair.