On Wednesday 25 March, contributors from across the UK came together at the Southbank Centre to celebrate the launch of the Our Freedom: Then and Now exhibition. Community participants, artists, photographers and venue teams from across the programme attended the event, making it a warm, celebratory moment that brought the national project together under one roof.

Stephanie Peacock MP, Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth, spoke about the importance of marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, reflecting on how remembrance evolves as living memory becomes rarer. She highlighted the value of community stories in helping people connect with the idea of freedom today.

Simon Mellor, Deputy Chief Executive of Arts Council England, spoke about the strong role the arts play in shaping how we understand historic milestones. He acknowledged the scale of the collaboration behind the programme and the way cultural spaces help create meaningful conversations within communities.

Future Arts Centres Co‑Directors Annabel Turpin and Gavin Barlow introduced the exhibition and shared a short film about the programme, offering insight into the community-led work undertaken across the UK.

They said: “We’re proud that Our Freedom has brought so many voices together, and that this exhibition celebrates the creativity and perspectives of communities from across the UK.”

Created with Open Eye Gallery, the exhibition features photography by 22 practitioners from the Socially Engaged Photography Network. Together, the works capture stories and reflections produced through projects in arts centres and libraries nationwide. Following its launch at the Southbank Centre, the exhibition now tours to 19 venues across the UK, and it is also available online here on the Our Freedom website.