Bristol Cathedral Launches Art Commission to Honour African and Afro-Caribbean Heritage
Bristol Cathedral has launched a new open call for visual artists to create a permanent artwork that honours the resilience, culture, and faith of African and Afro-Caribbean communities in Bristol. The commission invites creative responses to be installed in the Cathedral’s north transept, in dialogue with the existing Edward Colston memorial window.
Artists are invited to sign up for an Ideas Lab on Friday 18 July 2025, where they will hear more about the vision for the work and the application process. This commission forms part of the Cathedral’s wider commitment to racial justice, reconciliation, and truth-telling.
The project builds on previous initiatives, including All God’s Children, a long running exhibition that explores the impact of the transatlantic slave economy on the Cathedral’s life, past and present. Based on extensive research into memorialised individuals connected to slavery, the exhibition invited public feedback on how the Cathedral should respond.
Among the memorials is that of Edward Colston, commemorated in a stained-glass window installed in the 1880s, later damaged during the Second World War and restored. Feedback from the exhibition showed that while most visitors do not support removing the window, they want the truth to be told about Colston’s legacy and to see the lives of African and Afro-Caribbean people celebrated in the Cathedral.
The commissioning panel is seeking artist proposals 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.
- The diversity of the Black diaspora and the global story of Christianity.
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.”
Further details, including how to apply, are available through the events listing.