What the Empire Exhibition Left Out

Description

100 years ago, Derby Borough Corporation took the town to Wembley. Its elites combined forces to create an ambitious display at the British Empire Exhibition to tell the story of an ‘ancient town’ that was now the modern progressive centre of the Empire.

Using ‘living history’ re-enactments of its traditional crafts, an enormous mural of Derby’s history and artwork by students from the School of Art, their aim was to make ‘the Empire know who we are and what we can do’.

Through conversation, art and participatory craft, this co-curated interactive exhibition experience asks what shapes Derby’s story and what – and who – is left out.

Come and see the historical murals reimagined for 2024 by current students of the Derby School of Art. Engage with playful and provocative installations throughout the old library, itself a space of imperial knowledge, and craft your own contributions to collaborative artworks about the stories you think Derby should tell today.

Co-curated by Alison Solomon, Anisha Parmar, Cath Feely and Jo Ray.

This event is part of the Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities, taking place 7-16 November 2024. Being Human is led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, with generous support from Research England, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. For further information see beinghumanfestival.org

Suitable for adults. Booking essential.

Accessibility at Derby Museums