Join us for an inspiring evening as we launch Freedom: Then and Now, a compelling exhibition and companion podcast series created by a cohort of young artists and professionals.
This unique project explores how the legacy of the Holocaust continues to shape subsequent generations through personal stories, creativity, and reflection.
The exhibition showcases original artistic expressions created in collaboration with artist Adam Kammerling. Each piece is a powerful expression inspired by the participants' own family histories or the stories of Holocaust survivors that have shaped and inspired them.
The launch event will feature live music, speeches, and contributions from the participants themselves, whose work brings the project to life. We will honor the legacy of those who survived and remember relatives lost in the Holocaust.
Afterward, please stay for a light reception with drinks, offering a chance to connect with the artists, speakers, and the community brought together through this project.
Exhibition
Freedom: Then and Now will present a moving collection of artistic expressions created by participants as part of a nationwide project involving 60 libraries and arts centres. Guided by artist Adam Kammerling, the group will explore personal and family histories to honour Holocaust survivors and remember relatives who did not survive, while reflecting on how subsequent generations live with and respond to this legacy.
Through their creative works, participants engage with themes of memory, resilience, and the responsibility to ensure the stories and names of those lost are never forgotten.
This free exhibition will be located at JW3 and offer a powerful, multi-generational perspective on remembrance, identity, and the enduring impact of the Holocaust.
The exhibition will run from 23 November - 7 December.
Check back soon for more details!
Podcast Series
Discover the stories behind the Freedom: Then and Now project, a nationwide initiative that will inspire the exhibition. Guided by artist Adam Kammerling, participants will share their creative process, reflect on family histories, and explore what it means to be 3rd generation after the Holocaust. Through their stories and art, they will also reflect on the importance of freedom, its meaning, its fragility, and the responsibility to preserve it.
Hosted by Thamar Barnett, Gianina Dwek and Adam Kammerling each episode will dive into memory, identity, and creativity, asking: what does freedom then, and now really mean?
Stay tuned to hear the voices, insights, and reflections that bring this powerful project to life.
Project Background
Freedom: Then and Now is a creative project that invited young people aged 18-35 to explore how the Holocaust is remembered across generations. It marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War -- a moment that meant different things to different people -- and reflects on how freedom and community resonate uniquely with each of us today.
Over several months, participant work with professional artists to create a powerful memory piece, a personal installation that tells the story of someone affected by the Holocaust. Using photos, audio, documents, and personal objects, they bring these narratives to life in a unique display or sound work, culminating in the exhibition and a companion podcast series.
Beyond the exhibition, the project helps participants develop valuable skills in:
- Storytelling: Communicating complex histories with creativity and care.
- Podcasting: Crafting compelling audio narratives.
- Exhibition Design: Understanding the art of presenting engaging displays.
Freedom: Then and Now is a part of a new, UK-wide arts and creative program that will produce 60 new pieces of work reflecting on what 'Our Freedom' means to local communities. The program is delivered by Future Arts Centres in partnership with Libraries Connected and Open Eye Gallery, with public funding from the UK Government through Arts Council England.
