Black Heritage Walks Network is formally the Birmingham Lead Partner for a National project to transform how we understand the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its impact on us all.
Launched in May 2021, The World Reimagined is a national art education project that works to transform our understanding of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its impact on all of us to help us make racial justice a reality. 1m+ people will engage with sculpture trails in host cities, which will include Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, London and Swansea, with more to be announced Participating artists and icons include 2004 Turner Prize nominee and The World Reimagined’s Founding Artist Yinka Shonibare CBE, as well as Lina Viktor; Zak Ové; Sir Trevor McDonald; Lakwena Maciver; Maxim (The Prodigy); Nicola Green and Kimathi Donkor.
Black Heritage Walks Network Direcror Garry Stewart is Community Co-ordinator who is working with local community organisations to co-create meaningful spaces for conversations, highlight and celebrate local stories; and host their own activities and events as part of The World Reimagined.
The World Reimagined is inviting artists, schools and businesses to get involved - in the Open Call for artists; a creative Learning Programme for schools; and broad partnership opportunities for businesses.
Excited by the project’s innovation and ambition, Sky has joined as The World Reimagined’s Official Presenting Partner. Birmingham City Council today announced that Birmingham will be a host city for The World Reimagined - a national art education project that works to transform our understanding of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its impact on all of us to help us make racial justice a reality. In development since 2019,
The World Reimagined will see trails of large globe structures in cities across the UK in August to October 2022. The sculptures will be created by artists to bring to life the reality and impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade – responding to the themes ranging from ‘Mother Africa’ and ‘The Reality of Being Enslaved’ to ‘Still We Rise’ and ‘Expanding Soul’. The Globes will be created by both established and undiscovered artists, alongside unique collaborations that bring together national and international icons and communities with local and global artists.
The base Globe sculpture that will be the canvas for all participating artists was conceived by Yinka Shonibare CBE. Shonibare also, vitally, conceived and created 'The World Reimagined' - the first Globe sculpture that will be featured in the trails, after which the whole project of The World Reimagined has been named.
Black Heritage Walks Network will be leading the Birmingham trail that will be the centre of a broader learning and community programme - with schools, community groups, sporting and cultural institutions from across Birmingham
The World Reimagined team will work closely over the next year of development with people, organisations and communities across Birmingham to ensure that the final trails and activities are deeply connected to Birmingham’s communities and place.
The location of the globes are as follows:-
Globe 1 - Community Globe - Legacy Centre of Excellence, B6 4UU
Globe 2- Mother Africa - Great Kings Street Park
Globe 3 - The Reality of Being Enslaved - Hall Street / Great Hampton Street
Globe 4 - Stolen Legacy: The Rebirth of a Nation - Vyes Street, B18 6NF
Globe 5 - Abolition & Emancipation - St Paul's Square
Globe 6 - A Complex Triangle - City Centre Gardens
Globe 7 Echoes in The Present - Cathedral Square
Globe 8 - Still We Rise - Cathedral Square
Globe 9 - Expanding Soul - St Martin’s Square
Globe 10 - Reimagine The Future- Pride Plaze
