Response

For more than three years the Lancashire Museums have been working with a range of partners to raise awareness of Lancaster's role in the slave trade. STAMP has been helping local people and school groups explore Lancaster's links to slavery through art. One of its outcomes was the permanent commemorative public art piece on the quayside.

In partnership with Litfest in Lancaster and BBC Radio Lancashire, we have commissioned three writers to create ten-minute radio pieces discussing slavery for the "Archives to Airways" project. Last year Lancashire Museums, the Friends of Lancaster Maritime Museum, Global Link and Dallas Road County Primary School worked with historical adviser Melinda Elder and artist Sue Flowers to create a town trail exploring the lasting mark of slavery in Lancaster.

To mark the bicentenary of the slave trade's end, we launched "Abolished?" Contemporary artists Lubaina Himid and Sue Flowers created artwork for the Judges' Lodgings and Lancaster Maritime Museum reflecting Lancaster's role in the slave trade. Four local secondary schools took part in workshops, writing music and creating installations exploring slavery in the city. Their work was exhibited in the Maritime Museum and City Museum.

As you can see, over the last three years we have been busy, so please come along and explore slavery in Lancaster for yourself...