Imperial Legacies, Sacred Space is an exhibition hosted by Chester Cathedral in partnership with the University of Chester which seeks to explore points of connection between colonialism, slavery, and empire at Chester Cathedral.
The project team behind the exhibition is calling for people from Global Majority heritage backgrounds to participate in the series of events that are seeking to explore the different responses and experiences of the exhibition.
Between the 18 and 30 May, different creative activities are taking place and everyone is welcome to attend and contribute.
Creative Performance
Experience creative reflections on the uncovered narratives of the exhibition with students from the University of Chester Department of Music, Media, and Performance. Take a journey through stories of abolitionists and Cheshire soldiers caught up in the episodes that connect the Cathedral to British imperial history.
Performances take place in and around Chester Cathedral at the following times:
Thursday 18 May, 3pm
Friday 19 May, 12pm, 3pm, 6.30pm
Lectures
Join Chester Cathedral, the University of Chester, and friends to explore themes from the exhibition in more detail. Tickets are free and booking is essential – book here. Both lectures take place in the South Transept at Chester Cathedral.
Monday 22 May, 1pm: A lecture entitled Going deeper into stories of annexation, slavery and abolition. Join Dr Hannah Ewence and Dr Ben Fulford of the University of Chester to learn more about their research on the connections between the Cathedral and the struggle for the abolition of the slave trade in the late 18th century and the British annexation of Sindh, in 1843.
Thursday 25 May, 6pm: A panel discussion entitled Sacred space and the memory of Britain’s imperial history. Dr. Hannah Ewence will chair a conversation between the Revd Dr. Mandy Ford (Dean of Bristol), Dr. Ben Fulford (University of Chester), Julie Okundaye (Chair of the Chester Diocese Race and Ethnicity Forum), the Revd Dr. Carlton Turner (Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham) and our audience, reflecting on how to take an inclusive approach when exploring and remembering sensitive heritage in spaces like Chester Cathedral. With a response from Tim Stratford, the Dean of Chester.
Reflection Session
Tuesday 30 May, Cloister Room, time to be confirmed: All people are welcome to join Chester Cathedral and the University of Chester in this opportunity to feedback on the exhibition and contribute to their ongoing work. Tickets are free and booking is essential – book here. This workshop will be an opportunity to explore experiences of the exhibition and contribute to ways forward for the development of the project. Numbers are limited.