News / Bristol cathedral
Bristol Cathedral has launched an open call for artists to create a permanent artwork honouring the resilience, culture, and faith of African and Afro-Caribbean communities in Bristol.
The commission calls for a creative response to sit nearby the Edward Colston memorial window in the Cathedral’s north transept.
A new commission by Bristol Cathedral calls for a response to the existing Edward Colston memorial window – photo: Cerys Larsen
The cathedral is welcoming artists to sign up for an Ideas Lab on July 18 – an event designed to inspire and support those interested in the commission.
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The commission builds on previous initiatives including All God’s Children, an exhibition exploring the impact of the transatlantic slave economy on the Cathedral’s life, past and present.
A temporary exhibition in 2022 – All God’s Children – presented research into the Cathedral’s links to enslavement – photo: Cerys Larsen
The exhibition presented research into memorialised individuals connected to slavery and invited public feedback on how the Cathedral should respond.
One of the memorials concerned is a stained-glass window commemorating Edward Colston originally installed in the 1880s, later damaged during the Second World War and restored.
While feedback from the exhibition indicated that most visitors do not support removing the window, they want the truth of Colston’s legacy acknowledged and the lives of African and Afro-Caribbean people celebrated in the Cathedral.
The Bishop of Bristol committed to confronting the Church’s ties to slavery following the toppling of the Colston Statue in 2020 – photo: Cerys Larsen
Bristol writer and historian Dr Edson Burton said: “This is a great opportunity for an artist to make an impact and to tell a new story that will speak to future generations with power and encouragement.”
The commissioning panel is interested in applications that may reflect acts of resistance, community, and joy in the face of historic injustice; events such as the Bristol Bus Boycott or the Windrush generations; biblical and theological themes like liberation, reconciliation, and resurrection; and the diversity of the Black diaspora and the global story of Christianity.
Main photo: Cerys Larsen
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