WHAT'S ON

Events open to the public from the University of Cambridge

Submit events
 

Exhibitions

(Painting) Chantal Joffe, ‘Me, Em and Nat’, 2019 © Chantal Joffe. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro

Real Families: Stories of Change

Bringing together more than 120 artworks spanning painting, photography, sculpture and film, 'Real Families: Stories of Change' asks us to consider what makes a family today, and the impact our families have on us, through the eyes of contemporary artists

Portrait of a man

Black Atlantic: Power, People, Resistance

Fri 8 September - Sun 7 January 2024

Fitzwilliam Museum

Which stories get remembered, and why?

This exhibition explores some new stories from history – stories that help us to separate fact from fiction and history from myth.

By bringing together collections from across the University of Cambridge’s museums, libraries and colleges with loans from around the world, 'Black Atlantic: Power, People, Resistance' asks new questions about Cambridge’s role in the transatlantic slave trade and about the role of art in shaping history and perspectives.

In 1816, Richard Fitzwilliam donated vast sums of money, literature and art to the University of Cambridge, creating the Museum that is named after him. But Fitzwilliam’s generosity was only possible because of the wealth his grandfather accumulated in part through the transatlantic slave trade. Acknowledging this story for the first time has led to new discoveries about the objects Fitzwilliam donated, the people who collected them, and the cultures that created them.

Displaying objects and artworks made in West Africa, the Caribbean, South America and Europe, this landmark exhibition also reveals the histories that have been silenced; not just stories of exploitation, but those of resilience and liberation, too. It shows how through resisting colonial slavery, people produced new cultures known as the Black Atlantic, that continue to shape our world.

Historic works are shown alongside modern and contemporary works by artists including Barbara Walker, Donald Locke, Alberta Whittle and Keith Piper that challenge and reflect on hidden and untold stories.

The stories in the Black Atlantic can help us to create a fairer future. By rethinking our connected and complex histories and looking again through the lens of contemporary art, tomorrow’s story can be one of repair, hope and freedom.

Cost: Free

Enquiries and booking

Booking is recommended for this event.

Website

Timing

In person

10:00am-5:00pm Tuesday-Saturday every week from Friday 8 September until Saturday 23 December

12:00pm-5:00pm Sunday every week from Friday 8 September until Saturday 23 December

10:00am-5:00pm Wednesday-Saturday every week from Wednesday 27 December until Saturday 30 December

12:00pm-5:00pm Sunday every week from Monday 1 January 2024 until Sunday 7 January 2024

All times

Fri 8 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 9 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 10 September 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 12 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 13 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 14 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 15 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 16 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 17 September 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 19 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 20 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 21 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 22 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 23 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
TodaySun 24 September 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 26 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 27 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 28 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 29 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 30 September 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 1 October 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 3 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 4 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 5 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 6 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 7 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 8 October 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 10 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 11 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 12 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 13 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 14 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 15 October 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 17 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 18 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 19 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 20 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 21 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 22 October 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 24 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 25 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 26 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 27 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 28 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 29 October 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 31 October 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 1 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 2 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 3 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 4 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 5 November 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 7 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 8 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 9 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 10 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 11 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 12 November 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 14 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 15 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 16 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 17 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 18 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 19 November 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 21 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 22 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 23 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 24 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 25 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 26 November 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 28 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 29 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 30 November 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 1 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 2 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 3 December 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 5 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 6 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 7 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 8 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 9 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 10 December 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 12 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 13 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 14 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 15 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 16 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 17 December 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Tue 19 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 20 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 21 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 22 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 23 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed 27 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu 28 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri 29 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 30 December 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun 7 January 2024 12:00PM - 5:00PM

Venue

Address: Fitzwilliam Museum
Trumpington Street
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB2 1RB
Map
Email: fitzmuseum-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 1223 332900
Fax: +44 1223 332923
Website