Portrait of Black Britain photographic exhibition opens at Bluewater

by | Oct 28, 2021 | Dartford Art, Dartford Entertainment, Dartford News

Portrait of Black Britain is a project to create the largest collection of photographic portraits of Black people living in the UK. It is a celebration of the beauty in identity and diversity, highlighting that Black people are not a monolith and amplifying the achievements of the Black community within the British landscape.

This is the second instalment of Portrait of Black Britain, supported by Landsec and on display to members of the public at Bluewater from Monday 1 November until Sunday 14 November 2021. The portraits feature 220 individuals including members of the local community; Williams’ goal is to grow this collection to 1,000, with future exhibitions in locations across the UK.

Landsec’s support of the exhibition demonstrates a commitment to being an active ally and making their spaces more inclusive and welcoming for everyone. Landsec’s involvement in this project follows a recent incident at Bluewater, where Williams was accused of theft by House of Fraser’s security team.

Portrait of Black Britain is one strand of the Black British Network, an alliance set up in 2020 and made up of business leaders, their organisations and the Black community. The focus of the network, founded by Williams, is to work together to dismantle systemic racism and improve the economic prospects of Black people living in the UK. Founding members include Salesforce, Dechert, EY, Sainsburys, Clear Channel and Alfa, whose employees feature in the Bluewater exhibition.

Williams is a campaigner, photographer and speaker committed to centralising Black representation and uniting communities and organisations to deliver long lasting change.

Cephas Williams, creator of Portrait of Black Britain, said:

“Mark Allan and I met shortly after the incident, and after speaking with him, I believe the commitment to driving significant change alongside myself is meaningful and not insubstantial. When I sat down with Mark, I saw someone who was willing to listen, learn and really commit to the work, accountability and action needed to dismantle systemic racism. Launching Portrait of Black Britain at Bluewater is just the start of this relationship and I’m keen to explore and deliver on other aspects of our joint aspirations for societal reform. Mark and I may not share the same lived experience, however we have a shared understanding and passion for the change we need to see in this area and as such have become peers of the cause.”

Mark Allan, CEO,  Landsec, said:

“As a business we place great importance on inclusivity, enabling our people to bring their true, authentic self to work each day and reflecting the diversity of our customers and guests in the spaces we operate. Working with Cephas and his team has given us the opportunity to listen, learn and importantly take action. Portrait of Black Britain is a celebration of individual lives, to have this second instalment launching at Bluewater is testament to the commitment of our internal teams and the relationships we are building to help drive change.”

Williams launched 56 Black Men in the UK in 2018, a campaign focused on changing the narrative of Black men in the media as an introduction to a much wider conversation. Since launch, the campaign has had both a local and global impact.

Williams launched the first phase of his photographic series, Portrait of Black Britain, at the Manchester International Festival in July 2021. The series focused on centralising Black-led representation, giving the spotlight to the community to which this conversation belongs.

Williams selected Bluewater shopping centre as the second location for the exhibition following an incident at the centre where he was accused of theft by House of Fraser’s security team. After the incident, Williams met with Mark Allan, CEO of Landsec, to establish how they could work together to take meaningful action to dismantle systemic racism.

Prior to this, Williams had already been successful in galvanising support for his businesses from key partners and senior contacts including companies such as Tesco, Unilever, The Co-op Group, Accenture and Publicis Group, and individuals such as Paul Polman (Ex Global CEO of Unilever), Simon Pegg and others.

At this time Williams is looking to drive momentum towards a collective conversation through The Black British Network. In his public letter to his son titled ‘Letter to Zion’, Cephas explores a heartfelt message and his thoughts around the much needed change we need to see in the world, with specific reference to the Black community and the need for us to come together as a society to achieve long lasting change. The letter was published on 9 October 2020.

Sourdough Bread – Stanhill Farm

We are pleased to announce that from the middle of April we will have sourdough bread available! Produced locally by baker, Sourdough Mikate, we will be offering a range of nine different varieties of sourdough bread. Sourdough has been requested by many customers...

DARTFORD FC | CLASS OF 2024-25 | MEET JOSH ATKINSON

Dartford hosted Folkestone Invicta at Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park on Saturday. Josh Atkinson featured in our matchday programme that afternoon. For those who missed it, here is the full article: SECTION ONEJosh Atkinson was promoted into the Dartford First Team,...

Local Sport round up

By Rebecca Shafford Dartford Harriers:  The Dartford Half Marathon -  On the 2nd March was the iconic and challenging Dartford Half marathon!  For the second time Dartford Harriers partnered with RunThrough.co.uk who organised the event amazingly.  1177...

IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME …

Depressed by the dull weather recently, I became demotivated, tired, and definitely not nice to live with. This manifested itself as the ‘What If Blues’. It’s a dangerous phrase often leading to introspection and dissatisfaction with yourself. Who hasn’t asked...

Indulgent Rail Journeys: Exploring the World in Unmatched Luxury

Traveling by train evokes a sense of timeless elegance and adventure, especially aboard some of the world’s most luxurious rail journeys. For those seeking indulgence, the following rail experiences offer not only breathtaking landscapes but also impeccable service...

Remote work culture is here to stay, believe Dartford residents.

By Qashish Dhiraj Mehta In the world of remote work, your office is wherever your creativity feels most inspired. In recent times, the concept of remote work has gained significant traction across the globe, with the UK being one of the leading nations taking on this...

Local Author launches new book about Hitler’s Heroes During Operation Barbarossa

The first of a series of four titles that between them will feature all of the Knight’s Crosses awarded on the Eastern Front Full explanations of the action or actions leading to the granting of the awards Covers the period up to the end of Operation Barbarossa,...

Dartford Trampoline Club Bounces On!

By Fay Sargent Fifty years ago, my whole family attended the Dartford YMCA several times each week at the top of West Hill. While my Dad coached the boys club football team and Mum ran the tuck shop, my brothers were on the judo mat, and so I snuck into the trampoline...

A family-run children’s clothing shop closes after more than two decades trading.

Debra Winter, who runs Little N's Baby Boutique, says it was a difficult decision triggered by an increase in costs, including parking costs. Her store at the Priory Shopping Centre in Dartford, has been kitting out children in adorable outfits since May 2003. Debra...

DATE AND ACTS ANNOUNCED FOR DARTFORD PRIDE 2025

Orchard West in Partnership with Dartford Borough Council, presents Dartford Pride 2025! Sat 28 June Main event 1pm – 7pm | After Party Silent Disco 8pm – 11pm DARTFORD PRIDE is back! BIGGER and PROUDER than ever!  Everyone is welcome to this fantastic event,...