Reimagining a future beyond museums in the aftermath of Colston

Exactly a year on from the historic moment Colston’s statue was toppled, has anything really changed?

This was one of the questions raised during a panel event to mark the anniversary of June 7 2020, when Bristol was thrust into the global spotlight.

As focus returns once more to statues and how the city should best acknowledge its history, there is also consideration of the role mainstream institutions have to play in dismantling racism and colonial structures.

“If we expect people to change in order to move with the times then we can and should expect the same from institutions,” said Sado Jirde, the director of Black South West Network (BSWN).

“In the aftermath of Colston, many within the black community, in particular, continue to speak out about the need for cultural organisations and institutions to begin to enact a real practice of change. Moving beyond conversations into sustainable action.”

“Can we trust the spaces that, for so long, could not and would not see us?” Asked Sado, outlining how museums have weaved a narrative filtered through the lens of whiteness that has “produced a whitewashed version of who and what the UK is”.

Beyond Museums in the aftermath of Colston was hosted by BSWN, in conjunction with Bristol Old Vic, and chaired by filmmaker and producer Rob Mitchell, who is the director of Memaps Network.

The event outlined and drew on research conducted by BSWN, funded by the National Heritage Lottery, on the role of decolonisation within South West museums and organisations.

Presented by Matthew Branch of Brown University, the research highlighted different responses from mainstream and community organisations in Bristol on issues that included inclusion, partnership working and decolonisation.

The event itself brought together scholars, activists, and community members for a conversation around the role museums will play in larger conversations and movements around race and racism, Black Lives Matter and the decolonial and cultural heritage.

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Read more: ‘No justice, no peace’ – Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol

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Keynote speaker Dr Errol Francis, the artistic director and CEO of London-based arts organisation Culture& reflected on the social injustices that led to the Black Lives Matter protests becoming an international movement.

“These statements of apparent solidarity, whilst welcome, do not go nearly far enough to address the range of concerns raised by not only the protests last year but many years. And I’m afraid they really do draw attention to the lack of a coherent agenda for equality, diversity and inclusion,” said Errol.

“The comments come across as random and tokenistic, poorly connected with each other and lacking in a clear strategic direction.”

It was for this reason, Errol’s team created and published the Black Lives Matter charter for the heritage sector to provide a clear agenda for change.

Deputy mayor Asher Craig highlighted the importance of ensuring the voices of African heritage communities are front and centre on the journey towards change.

“We can’t undo what was done to us in five years, maybe not even ten years, but we’re on that journey and what we have to remember is that the change process that we are on, we have to embed that into the DNA of this city and the organisations.

“For me, predominantly, I want to ensure that the voices of African heritage communities are front and centre at this debate around decolonisation and reparations.”

Campaigner, former councillor and director of Black Artists On The Move Cleo Lake spoke of the struggles in trying to get support and funding from Bristol organisations when she was leading St Paul’s Carnival, calling it an “exhausting, disempowering process”. She sees these same people now coming forward to support Black Lives Matter, adding: “It’s not that I’m against the shift but I question the motives.”

Writer and academic Edson Burton spoke of the need for museums to change to remain relevant, saying we need to be looking at telling a story that goes beyond the notion of British identity being tied up with imperialism.

Kelly Foster, a public historian based in London, questioned whether museums need to be contained within four walls.

“What does it look like when it’s outside of what we think of as a museum or an institution?” Asked Kelly. “What does that mean with how things are funded and supported and is it enough to be thinking about the diversification of workforce if we’re not necessarily thinking about the diversification of power?”

Cleo spoke about Lawrence Hoo’s CARGO Collective and People’s Platform projects, which are working examples of storytelling and history outside of the constraints of a museum.

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Read more: Launch of CARGO Classroom to illuminate inspiring untold stories

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Lisa Graves, the world cultures and archaeology curator at the Bristol Museums & Art Gallery, was the project manager on the Colston display now open in M Shed. Lisa reiterated a commitment to change but admitted museums can work at a “glacial pace”.

Speaking about the journey towards making Bristol Old Vic inclusive for all, director Tom Morris said “this journey is one that involves mistakes, and it involves being wrong or having been wrong. There’s no other way to make progress”.

He added that rightful anger is part of the collaboration needed, saying: “If we’re going to tell the stories and create space to tell the stories that we want to tell, and that the public needs to hear, this comes from a starting point of such structural disadvantage that people are going to be angry.

“And it’s up to people like me to learn how to deal with that, and not make that a reason not to make progress.”

Main photo by Phil Riley

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