Artwork Images by Bustin Luce

By KLTV Newsdesk –

New Huddersfield project will combine art, oral histories and digital storytelling to honour the Windrush generation

A major new community arts and heritage project celebrating the lasting impact of the Windrush generation across Kirklees is set to launch in Huddersfield after securing government funding.

Huddersfield Seventh-day Adventist Church has announced a successful grant award from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government for Windrush on Tour, an ambitious travelling photographic and digital tapestry project designed to preserve and celebrate the stories of Windrush pioneers and their descendants.

The initiative will culminate in the creation of a striking 6m by 2.28m tapestry, co-produced by local artists, church members and the wider community.

The artwork will showcase Huddersfield’s Windrush legacy across a range of sectors, including the NHS, transport, education, community activism, textiles, politics, heritage, culture, sport and faith.

Blending Art With Digital Storytelling

Alongside the physical tapestry, the project will incorporate digital storytelling through interactive signage linked to a permanent online archive featuring more than 15 oral histories.

The recordings will document personal experiences of migration, resilience and achievement, capturing stories that organisers say are often overlooked or untold.

The Windrush Tapestry will feature a mix of photos and artwork, combining to make a striking collage charting decades of British history, both local to Kirklees and beyond

Exhibition to Tour Across Kirklees

Following an official unveiling on National Windrush Day 2026 (June 22) at the Huddersfield Mission, the tapestry exhibition will visit at least seven venues across Kirklees, including schools, colleges, community centres, libraries, churches and the University of Huddersfield over the course of 12 months.

Each location will host a dedicated launch event featuring guest speakers from the Windrush generation, aimed at encouraging cultural engagement and intergenerational dialogue.

Organisers expect the project to directly engage more than 5,000 people, with impact measured through surveys assessing awareness, community pride and understanding between generations.

Inspiring Future Generations

A key focus of Windrush on Tour will be education and youth engagement, with organisers hoping to inspire younger audiences through direct interaction with pioneers from sectors such as healthcare, politics, heritage, faith and business.

Interactive displays and digital content are intended to ensure the stories remain accessible and relevant for years to come.

Huddersfield Seventh-day Adventist Church, which has long served as a cornerstone of the local Windrush-descendant community, said the project reflects its wider role in supporting cultural heritage and community cohesion alongside spiritual life.

“Our purpose is to honour the legacy of our Windrush-generation founders by preserving their stories and ensuring their contributions to sectors like faith, the NHS, education, and culture in Kirklees are fully recognised,” said Project Lead and Church Elder Edwin Baker.

“Windrush on Tour transforms remembrance into a living, travelling celebration. By combining a physical tapestry with digital oral histories, we are creating a lasting educational resource that will spark conversation and build pride for years to come.”

National Windrush Day Launch Planned

The touring exhibition is due to launch as part of National Windrush Day 2026 with a public event featuring live testimonies, musical tributes and the unveiling of the completed tapestry.

Residents, young people and community groups are also being invited to help shape the final artwork through a public questionnaire asking what stories, symbols and sectors should be represented.

The questionnaire is available online at: https://forms.gle/JeL3Wyiv8VT5PMKB8

Project Outcomes

Organisers say the project will deliver:

• One major tapestry measuring 4ft by 20ft featuring QR-linked oral histories
• More than seven curated exhibition events across Kirklees
• Over 5,000 projected engagements across diverse venues
• A permanent digital archive featuring more than 15 oral histories hosted on SoundCloud
• Measurable increases in awareness, recognition and intergenerational dialogue

For more information, to book the exhibition, or to contribute an oral history, contact: huddersfieldsda@gmail.com