A free one-day symposium to explore how art and music has supported and been inspired by struggles for equality – particularly around race – over the past 40 years. It will discuss how the arts have also been used to remember, learn from and reignite struggles of the past.

We will focus specifically on two significant events – the battle of Lewisham (1977) and the Grunwick strike (1976) – and explore how these political and social actions were shaped by and themselves shaped dissent and solidarity through the arts.
In 1976, six workers walked out of Grunwick Film Processing Laboratory in Willesden and ignited an historic two-year dispute which united thousands to demand better rights for poorly treated workers.

On the 13th August 1977 on the streets of south-east London, 500 members of the National Front escorted by Police, attempted to march through the borough of Lewisham and clashed with thousands of anti-fascist protestors.

The Art of Protest will focus particularly on these two significant events and explore how these political and social actions were shaped by and themselves shaped dissent and solidarity through the arts, exploring how art and music has supported and been inspired by struggles for equality – particularly around race – over the past 40 years. It will discuss how the arts have also been used to remember, learn from and reignite struggles of the past.

Speakers include

Dan Jones – Historian
Jagdish Patel – Photographer and Writer
and Anna Ferrie – Artist

Agenda

9.30 Registration and refreshments
10.00 Opening

3.30-4.45pm  ‘Tune in, Turn on, Fight Back’. Panel event with Daniel Rcahel and guets. Professor Stuart Hall Building (room TBC).

17.00 Closing

Goldsmiths College

University of London

8 Lewisham Way

London

SE14 6NW
Attendance is free, but spaces are limited so please register your interest via the Eventbrite booking system.

How to get to the venue

• 5 minutes’ walk from both New Cross and New Cross Gate stations (zone 2), on the main rail network and London Overground.
• On major bus routes including 21, 36, 53, 136, 171, 172, 177, 225, 321, 343, 436, 453.
• 10 minutes’ walk from Deptford Bridge Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station.
• On the National Express coach route.
• At the junction of the A2 and the A20, on Lewisham Way.