About
Bridging Heritage: Not Just Showing Art. We’re making culture
For Black students at Sussex, university life can sometimes feel disconnected from the wider cultural landscape. Bridging Heritage changes this. Over five months, students step into an experience that celebrates their histories, voices, and creative futures, while also inviting the wider community to engage. Sussex shines by placing its Black students at the centre of a city-wide activation, showing how research, creativity, and cultural exchange strengthen belonging and transform civic life.
What's happening
📅 Programme Flow (Oct 2025 – Feb 2026)
Phase 1: 3-24 October – Black History Month
Theme: Visibility & Belonging
- Welcome Week Activation (on campus): Pop-up portrait booth + sign-up for volunteers and membership.
- Interactive Photo Exhibition (2 weeks, Sussex + The Vault): Portraits, student writings, and open discussions in collaboration
- Group Exhibition – Nature, Spirituality & Community: Student + alumni artists across Kemptown & Seafront venues
- The Brighton Creative Map Project: Student-led mapping of Black-owned businesses, civic landmarks, and cultural contributions.
- Community Art Walks: visit Creative Black and Brown-led spaces, facilitated by MSL local artists, led by students as guides-in-training.
Phase 2: 14 Nov 2025 – 16 Jan 2026
Theme: Reflection & Practice
- 3 Thematics / Masterclasses (Breakfast or afternoon Tea):
- The Practice of Labelling in Art
- The Altruistic Art Principle
- Debunking “Looking at Art”
- Open Call Gathering (Dec, location TBD): Exhibition + performances curated by students.
- Interactive Online Collection (Padlet): Students and community share memories, reflections, images — building a living archive.
- Brighton Art Tour (ongoing): Visits to exhibitions and galleries vernissage, with student commentary on “What’s there, what’s missing, what’s needed.”
Phase 3: February – Race Equality Week
Theme: Futures & Transformation
- Closing Showcase at Brighton Dome, Phoenix or Post Creative Center TBC: Premiere of the Promotional Film (student-led documentary of the journey).
- Final Exhibition & Panel: Culminating student/alumni selection + conversations on Black influence in Brighton’s creative landscape.
- Launch of the Creative Map & Digital Archive: A resource for Sussex students and the Brighton public.
- Date and location TBD (could be at University)
🎓 Student Experience Highlights
- Immediate belonging: Welcomed through portraits, workshops, and sign-ups during Welcome Week.
- Active participation: Students are not just attendees but co-creators — artists, curators, researchers, and storytellers.
- Visibility & voice: Their work becomes part of exhibitions, archives, and a film premiere at Brighton Dome.
- Legacy: The programme leaves behind a creative map, digital archive, and new cultural partnerships for future cohorts.
