Presented by JW3, Our Freedom: Then and Now is a compelling exhibition and podcast created by a cohort of young artists and professionals.
This unique project explores how the legacy of the Holocaust continues to shape subsequent generations through personal stories, creativity, and reflection.
The Exhibition
The exhibition showcases original artistic expressions created in collaboration with artist Adam Kammerling. Each piece is a powerful expression inspired by the participants’ own family histories or the stories of Holocaust survivors that have shaped and inspired them.
The launch event will take place at JW3 between 6pm – 9pm on Sunday 23 November, and everyone is warmly invited to attend. The launch will feature live music, speeches, and contributions from the participants themselves, whose work brings the project to life. It will honour the legacy of those who survived and remember relatives lost in the Holocaust.
The exhibition will run from 23 November – 10 December 2025 at JW3.
The Podcast
Discover the stories behind the Our Freedom: Then and Now project, a nationwide initiative that will inspire the exhibition. Guided by artist Adam Kammerling, participants share their creative process, reflect on family histories, and explore what it means to be 3rd generation after the Holocaust. Through their stories and art, they reflect on the importance of freedom, its meaning, its fragility, and the responsibility to preserve it.
Hosted by Thamar Barnett, Gianina Dwek and Adam Kammerling, each episode dives into memory, identity, and creativity, asking: what does freedom then, and now really mean?
Project Background
Our Freedom: Then and Now is a creative project that invited young people aged 18-35 to explore how the Holocaust is remembered across generations. It marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War – a moment that meant different things to different people – and reflects on how freedom and community resonate uniquely with each of us today.
Over several months, participants worked with professional artists to create a powerful memory piece, a personal installation that tells the story of someone affected by the Holocaust. Using photos, audio, documents, and personal objects, they brought these narratives to life in a unique display or sound work, culminating in the exhibition and a companion podcast series.
Beyond the exhibition, the project helped participants develop valuable skills in:
- Storytelling: Communicating complex histories with creativity and care.
- Podcasting: Crafting compelling audio narratives.
- Exhibition Design: Understanding the art of presenting engaging displays.
Our Freedom: Then and Now is a part of the UK-wide arts and creative programme that produced 60 new pieces of work reflecting on what ‘Our Freedom’ means to local communities. The programme is delivered by Future Arts Centres in partnership with Libraries Connected and Open Eye Gallery, with public funding from the UK Government through Arts Council England.