24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
Dark Heritage - Slave Trade Sound Art Installation Goes On Tour
By Caroline Lewis
13/04/2007
Dark Heritage takes visitors on an interactive journey into the 18th century, in the pitch black. © Bee Arts
Eerie sound installation The Dark is going on tour from May to immerse more visitors in the horrors of the 18th century slave trade. Specially created educational activities will bring a new dimension to the interactive work on this outing, thanks to support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England, which marks the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade.
Dark Heritage takes visitors into a pitch black space where only sounds can be used as a guide. A story emerges, set in the dark days of the 18th century, when British ships controlled the international slave trade. Participants must use their imagination and courage to find their way through the narrative - an exciting but scary challenge.
“Dark Heritage is a truly innovative and imaginative project which will help people of all ages to learn about the slave trade and its abolition in a sensitive and practical way,” said Carole Souter, Director of the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The sound art installation was originally created by Braunarts, and will begin its journey through six venues on May 8 2007 at the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich (until June 17).
It then travels on to St Nicholas Centre, Ipswich (July 19-August 8), Gloucester Cathedral (September 4-28), Birmingham (venue tbc, October 4-29), Norwich Cathedral (November 5-29) and finally Claremont Hall in Bolton (December 4-29).
Image: thermal image showing white figures against a pitch black background
A thermal image showing what visitors to the dark won't be able to see. Courtesy Braunarts
“Bee Art’s installation is the 100th bicentenary project that the Heritage Lottery Fund has supported,” commented Ms Souter, “and we were particularly impressed with its strong educational strand and desire to bring out many of the hidden histories of those who were involved in the abolition movement.”
At each venue, the installation will be open to the public as well as school and community groups, who can take part in a range of activities to learn more about the lives of the abolitionists. Places and more information can be booked on The Dark website from May 1.
The Dark website also features a downloadable version of the installation, and links to resources about the transatlantic slave trade.
“Although Dark Heritage is underpinned by rigorous historical research, it is not just about historical facts of the unsung participants in the movement to abolish slavery,” said Terry Braun of Braunarts. “Dark Heritage is above all an exploration of courage - particularly the courage to stand up for your beliefs, whether in 1807 or 2007.”
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
Sheffield Metal Master Wins Museum's Inaugural Design Award
DCMS Launches Consultation Into The Future Of World Heritage Sites
Royal Society Announces Plans For 350th Anniversary
Art Website ArtisanCam Wins Children's BAFTA
Former Floorboards Of Founding Father Franklin Facilitate Funny Four
Mark Leckey Wins The 2008 Turner Prize And Scoops £25,000
Library Thief Update: Sentencing Adjourned Until January 16, 2009
Fund Aims To Realise Long-Standing Campaign For Cardiff City Museum
Culture Secretary Slaps Export Ban On George I Chandelier
Shakespeare's Globe Costumes Go On Show In Nottingham
Britglyph Art Campaign Uses Web To Make Mass Geoglyph
Inaugural Awards Ceremony Honours UK Arts Philanthropists
Rare Silver Cup Commemorating Coronation Of Charles II Is Saved For The Nation
London Fire Brigade Museum Escapes Closure - For Now
Another Busy Year For Archaeology On Orkney In 2008
Severndroog Castle To Be Restored Thanks To Lottery Grant
Campaign To Save Captain Scott's Hut Needs Another £65,000
Open Air Lab Project Launches At The Natural History Museum
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.