Tapestry of Black Britons

Tapestry of Black Britons, founded by artist and cultural producer Paula Ogun Hector, is a touring art project that shines a light on overlooked stories from Britain's history through woven and embroidered tapestries.  

The project is inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry and African Caribbean weaving tradition and celebrates the contributions of people of African descent to Britain's past and present.

With a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Tapestry of Black Britons is creating two new tapestries, Plant Knowledge and Uprisings, while expanding its touring programme to bring these histories to even more people across England, Scotland and Wales. You can find out more about the project’s plans on The National Lottery Heritage Fund website.

This autumn, the exhibition African Romans in Britain will go on display at Scotland’s Stirling Smith Art Gallery for the first time. It runs from 7 October to 21 December and explores the stories of Black Britons at the frontier of the Roman Empire.

Alongside its touring exhibitions, Tapestry of Black Britons hosts artist talks, weaving workshops and public events, to help people engage with Black British history in creative and interactive ways. 

The project is doing important work to tell these stories, as many of the histories, skills and traditions it explores are still underrepresented in museums, schools and public collections.

Through new tapestries, oral histories, films and digital resources, the project is bringing Black British history to life. By working with museums, libraries and heritage organisations, it’s also creating more opportunities for people to discover the history on their doorstep.  

Tapestry of Black Britons is helping to keep these histories and skills alive for generations to come.

Because of You

Thanks to National Lottery players, who raise £33 million for good causes every week, projects like Tapestry of Black Britons can make a real difference.