Windrush Day Grant Scheme 2025: Projects to be funded
A short summary of the 30 projects to be funded under the 2025 Windrush Day Grant Scheme.
Applies to England
List of successful projects
A list of the 30 projects to be funded under the 2025 Windrush Day Grant Scheme. The projects are broken down into: organisation name, funding amount, project location and project summary.
| Organisation Name | Project Title | Awarded Amount | Government Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| acta Community Theatre | Forgotten Heroes | £15,454 | South West |
| Age UK Sunderland | - | £9,670 | North East |
| Beloved Theatre Company CIC | Generation Windrush | £5,000 | London |
| Black Country Living Museum | - | £24,845 | West Midlands |
| Collage Arts | - | £28,381 | London |
| Cornwall Devon Creative Collective CIC | - | £5,241 | South West |
| Cricket Arena CIC | - | £18,500 | Yorkshire and The Humber |
| Gloucestershire County Council | Gloucestershire Libraries Windrush Project | £11,000 | South West |
| Gospel Link 360 C.I.C. | - | £18,650 | West Midlands |
| Grand Junction | - | £19,404 | London |
| Hackney Empire Limited | Blessing Project | £29,000 | London |
| Inspiring Audio Ltd | Fun Kids Windrush | £14,940 | London, South East |
| Ipswich Windrush Society | - | £20,000 | East of England |
| Jetblack Creative Arts and Sports Academy | - | £6,955 | North West |
| Kirklees Local Television | The Wise Words | £38,476 | Yorkshire and The Humber |
| MAPA Cultural Arts Centre | Bradford Roots: New Horizons | £20,150 | Yorkshire and The Humber |
| Museum of the Home | Honouring Our Elders | £13,535 | London |
| New Generation Community Steel Orchestra | Blockorama: Celebrating the Legacy of the Windrush Generation | £14,868 | London |
| Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust | Echoes of Windrush | £7,385 | East Midlands |
| Pegasus Opera Company | Windrush Day Voices | £15,000 | South West |
| Place of Victory | Windrush Generation Celebration | £5,000 | London |
| Preston Caribbean Carnival Ltd | Preston Caribbean Carnival | £11,000 | North West |
| Prison Radio Association | Celebrating Windrush Heritage in Prisons | £22,077 | East Midlands, London, South East, Yorkshire and The Humber |
| Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust | Foundations of Windrush | £20,000 | South East |
| SPID Theatre Company Ltd | Estate of Windrush Youth Play | £14,000 | London |
| Spread the Word | Mouth Mek Fi Nyam | £20,235 | London |
| Sudden Productions | My Songs of Windrush | £24,000 | West Midlands |
| Temple of Kulture | Immersive Windrush Experience | £24,329 | South East |
| The Pilgrim Church Charitable Trust | Pilgrim Charitable Trust Windrush Festival and Civic Service | £15,425 | East Midlands |
| Youth Elements | - | £7,480 | North West |
Project summaries
acta Community Theatre
Forgotten Heroes is an original show devised and performed by members of the Windrush generation, celebrating the Caribbean community’s contributions to the British Army during WWII and their post-war experiences as part of the Windrush generation. The show celebrates and commemorates this generation and educates audiences on the contributions they made despite the struggles they faced.
In June Forgotten Heroes will be performed to 4 Bristol schools; with students from these schools invited to join the Elders in an intergenerational holiday project where the students will collaborate with the Elders to create their own original performance based on the show. There will be with 3 public performances of Forgotten Heroes, 1 at the actacentre in Bedminster, Bristol and the other at the Trinity Centre in Old Market, Bristol.
On the 22 June we will celebrate Windrush Day with an event at the Trinity Centre, featuring a mixed artistic programme, showcasing performances and creative workshops by local black artists.
Age UK Sunderland
Age UK Sunderland (AUKS), in partnership with the African Caribbean Community Association North East (ACCANE) and the Sunderland Fans Museum, are jointly hosting a Windrush Day 2025 celebration in Sunderland. This event will bring together diverse communities to honour the Windrush generation and celebrate the richness of African Caribbean heritage. Building on the Black History Month theme of changing narratives, the event will highlight untold success stories, correct historical inaccuracies, and promote integration through a multigenerational, multicultural gathering.
The celebration will feature live music, dance performances, cultural exhibitions, and authentic African Caribbean cuisine, fostering a vibrant and inclusive atmosphere. ACCANE will bring 80–100 members from their community, while AUKS will ensure a similar number of older adults can attend, encouraging meaningful cross-generational connections. A key highlight will be Windrush FC (WFC) attending and raising awareness. WFC is a youth football initiative that unites families and strengthens community ties.
The Fans Museum will play a pivotal role by showcasing memorabilia from black footballers whose careers were shaped by the Windrush generation, reinforcing football’s power to bring people together. The event will also feature storytelling sessions with ex-Sunderland footballers of Windrush heritage, sharing their experiences and contributions to the sport.
By celebrating resilience, heritage, and diversity, this event will provide a platform for education, engagement, and shared cultural appreciation, strengthening Sunderland’s commitment to inclusivity and community cohesion. We are grateful for this funding, which will allow us to create a meaningful tribute to the Windrush generation, ensuring their legacy continues to inspire future generations.
Beloved Theatre Company CIC
Join Generation Windrush, an exciting initiative by Beloved Theatre Company, inspired by the trailblazing Baroness Valerie Amos - the first black woman to serve as a Cabinet Minister. This transformative project offers young people across London the chance to develop confidence, communication, and leadership skills through dynamic theatre-based workshops.
Rooted in the rich legacy of the Windrush generation, this programme is more than just theatre - it’s a platform for young voices to be heard. Participants will explore the historical and cultural impact of the Windrush generation while honing their ability to advocate for change in their own communities. The journey culminates in a powerful Election Day event, celebrating Windrush Day, where each participant will take centre stage to deliver their own election speech, championing the causes that matter most to them. The local community will decide the winner, making it a true celebration of unity, empowerment, and collective voice. Join us for a vibrant day filled with culture, delicious food, and thriving local businesses, honouring the Windrush generation and those who followed in their footsteps.
Generation Windrush is a movement to inspire the next wave of leaders, change-makers, and storytellers. By connecting the past to the present, this project equips young people with the tools to shape the future. Ready to make an impact? Join us and become part of a generation that speaks up, stands tall, and sparks change.
Black Country Living Museum
Black Country Living Museum (BCLM) is launching a new initiative to celebrate and educate people about the contributions of the Windrush generation across the Black Country. Working in partnership with community organisations, the project will ensure authentic representation and engagement in shaping cultural narratives.
The programme includes 4 borough-wide roadshows, an Intergenerational Careers Day, and a Windrush Takeover Day at BCLM on 21 June 2025, featuring immersive storytelling, live performances, and heritage exhibitions. Digital content will extend engagement to BCLM’s 1.5 million online followers.
Additionally, 2 new historic characters, informed by oral histories, will be introduced, preserving Windrush stories for future generations. The project aims to foster education, understanding, and community cohesion, with over 1,200 attendees expected.
Collage Arts
The Windrush Collage is a set of wide-ranging workshop engagements across school and community organisations in Haringey to promote intergenerational conversations and learnings about the positive impact the Windrush generation had and continues to have on modern Britain.
These conversations will produce themes that will be brought to life in further art workshops and commissions of professional artists, to create both a live and digital set of exhibitions which will be held in these community settings. The Artwork will then be held in storage and remounted in Haringey’s London Borough of Culture 2027.
Cornwall Devon Creative Collective CIC
Cornwall Devon Creative Collective (CoDeCC) are excited to celebrate Windrush Day with a themed Arts and Food event.
- Caribbean Kitchen (celebrating and educating food culture)
- Windrush Celebration original digital media art-installation at the event (commemorating, celebrating and educating about the arrival and contribution of the Windrush generation)
- Vox Pop Booth filmed/recorded reactions to events (celebrating and educating)
- Workshop/Performance - writing and storytelling (commemorating, celebrating and educating about the arrival and contribution of the Windrush generation)
- Live Music performance with Global Majority performer (celebrating)
- Context relevant music played at the event by DJ - Calypso, Soca, Mento, Ska etc. (celebrating and educating (particularly calypso))
Cricket Arena CIC
Cricket Arena CIC and Caribbean Sports Club honour the Windrush generation’s enduring legacy through sport, culture, and storytelling. A vibrant Windrush Day Festival will bring communities together with cricket, Caribbean music, cuisine, and first-hand narratives from Windrush elders.
A dedicated heritage space will preserve and share stories, photographs, and memorabilia, ensuring this rich history is passed on to future generations. Throughout the summer, the Junior Hundred Competition and sporting activities will inspire young people, instilling teamwork, leadership and cultural pride while strengthening intergenerational connections.
Gloucestershire County Council
This exciting project will see Gloucestershire Libraries work with community partners to commemorate the people of Gloucestershire who are part of the Windrush generation, telling their stories, celebrating their culture, and honouring their contribution to the county.
Led by our community partners, the project will feature a series of workshops and activities across the county, including Afro-Caribbean drumming, fabric printing, and storytelling. These events will offer hands-on experiences, bringing the Windrush story to life and encouraging deeper connection with this important part of history.
The project will centre around the production of a film, which will provide a platform for members of the Windrush generation and their families to tell their stories. The film will also feature footage from the workshops, with testimonials from participants talking about how the project has impacted their understanding of the Windrush story. The film will be screened in our performance space at Bishops Cleeve Library on 22 June to mark National Windrush Day. Following the screening, the Film will be made permanently available to view at our Immersive space in Oakley. Gloucestershire Libraries will then engage with local schools and community groups to embed the film as a Windrush teaching resource.
We will use this project to further develop our links with key community partners, to facilitate future collaborations, supporting the ongoing diversity of our cultural programming, and ensuring that our libraries are inclusive spaces that accommodate the diverse needs of everyone in the county.
Gospel Link 360 C.I.C.
Gospel Link 360 CIC is proud to announce ReCounted Chronicles, an ambitious multi-platform project that celebrates the Windrush generation and their enduring legacy. Through a compelling mix of podcasts, live discussions, and a digital docu-photography book, this initiative will provide an insightful and positive reflection on the experiences of Windrush migrants and their descendants.
Project highlights
- Windrush Podcast Series – A 6-episode podcast featuring Windrush migrants, their descendants, and leading academics and professionals. Each themed episode will explore lived experiences, challenges, and contributions of the Windrush generation, fostering meaningful discussions on history, culture, and identity.
- Windrush Podcast Live-Stream Event – In June, 2025, ReCounted Chronicles will host a special 5-hour live-streamed podcast featuring Ray Prince, Dulcie Dixon, Kevin Tomlin, and members of the Windrush community. Broadcasted on YouTube, this interactive event will allow viewers to engage with guests, ask questions, and contribute to the conversation.
- Digital Docu-Photography Book – A visually rich 24- to 36-page digital book capturing real-life chronological events of the Windrush generation across the West Midlands. Through compelling storytelling and authentic imagery, this book will offer a deep exploration of their journey, with QR codes embedded at key milestones for additional context and insights.
Gospel Link 360 CIC is committed to preserving and sharing the stories of the Windrush generation, ensuring their experiences and contributions remain a vital part of British history.
Grand Junction
Grand Junction will honour the incredible legacy of the Windrush generation and their profound impact on West London’s culture. In collaboration with Westbourne Forum, Urbanwise, and local Caribbean artists, we are bringing the community together through a vibrant, intergenerational program of events.
From local Caribbean history walking tours to school workshops exploring carnival traditions, our activities will showcase the enduring influence of the Windrush generation. Experience the rich sounds of the Caribbean at our live concert, highlighting musicians inspired by Windrush’s musical legacy, and explore a digital trail bringing local Windrush stories to life.
The project will culminate in a Windrush-themed community festival, celebrating heritage, creativity, and connection on Windrush Day 2025 with live music, art activities and community stalls.
Hackney Empire Limited
Hackney Empire will create The Blessing, an original, culturally resonant production celebrating the Windrush generation. Our Blessing will animate the building with music, movement and drumming to welcome in the Windrush community. Audiences will experience a unique event, a sonic experiential journey. Performances will be held at Hackney Empire on Windrush Day 22 June 2025.
Hackney Empire is collaborating with Counterpoints Arts, the national organisation working in the field of art, displacement and cultural change who coordinate Refugee Week UK. The partners will frame this unique blessing with musicians and spoken word artists as part of Refugee Week. The confluence of the Refugee Week 2025 theme of ‘Community as Superpower’, the summer solstice and Windrush Day marks the shared relevance of this day.
Leading up to the event, Hackney Empire’s Learning and Participation team are creating a programme of community engagement, building on relationships with local groups. Hackney Empire’s Young Producers (14-19) will exchange stories with elder members of Hackney’s Caribbean community and their own families to spotlight the intergenerational impact of the Windrush. The young team will gain hands-on experience, which will foster personal and creative development - preparing the next generation of cultural leaders.
The creative team will be Yomi Ṣode, writer, who will work with the young voices; Greta Mendez, who will work with movement and space; Ade Egun Crispin Robinson, a musician and Orisha arts specialist and Rain the winner of the Alter Ego talent quest in 2023, spoken word. They will collaborate with both Hackney Empire and Counterpoints’ choirs, made of up of migrant, Hackney based women, to welcome the audience, leading into a musical celebration curated by Counterpoints Arts Associate Curator, Kristine Tan and Senior Producer, Dijana Rakovic. This will be in collaboration with Hackney Empire’s creative team, the Creative Director Keith Khan, the Head of Learning and Participation, Lorna McGinty and the Head of Programming – Executive Producer Becca Thomason.
Inspiring Audio Ltd
Children will have an opportunity to learn about the arrival and contribution of the Windrush generation and its descendants on ‘Fun Kids Windrush’ - a special children’s radio station that will broadcast 24/7 across London between 9 and 29 June 2025. It will celebrate the sound of the Caribbean and helping children learn about the arrival and contribution of the Windrush generation and its descendants.
‘Fun Kids Windrush’ will play Caribbean and Caribbean-influenced music from the last 8 decades helping children explore music, musicians and instruments, and how Caribbean music influences British music – from calypso and soca to steel pan and reggae.
Alongside child presenters, the station will feature speech content created by local children exploring Windrush and Caribbean history, culture, food and fashion, as well as bespoke Windrush themed audio dramas. To help us create ‘Fun Kids Windrush’ we will recruit a team of 3 young children from a mix of London’s racial backgrounds to be our ‘Station Managers’ and work the programme team to create the sound of the station, choose the music and develop speech content.
We will also host a number of ‘Radio Days’ at youth clubs and primary schools where as well as introducing Windrush and explaining the station, children will have an opportunity to contribute audio for the station. As well as broadcast, ‘Fun Kids Windrush’ will also be available to listen through smart speakers and the Fun Kids App.
Inspiring Audio is a not-for-profit company that works with schools and community groups, and with Fun Kids - the UK’s award-winning children’s radio station that engages with over 2m children and parents each month across the UK through its radio stations, podcast network and online at www.funkidslive.com, creating audio content that helps introduce children to new things and inspires them to find out more.
Ipswich Windrush Society
Our project is to commemorate and celebrate the journey of our communities so that we can learn to value each individual’s differences and what we have in common. We can respect and value each other through learning and sharing each other’s experiences with our Windrush Day event as a focal point for this, with a lasting legacy. This presents an opportunity to collaborate, share and make a difference in a positive sense for the people of Ipswich and further afield.
Jetblack Creative Arts and Sports Academy
This project celebrates the legacy of the Windrush generation through a powerful mix of storytelling, performance, and cultural engagement. At its heart is a filmed round-table discussion with Nana D and family, where personal stories, memorabilia, and traditions will be shared and preserved as an educational resource for schools. Alongside this, we will host interactive Q&A sessions, a Windrush dance performance, and a Windrush Day celebration at the West Indian Centre, bringing the community together through music, food, and cultural exhibits.
By engaging both young people and elders, the project creates opportunities for intergenerational storytelling and performances, ensuring that the experiences of the Windrush generation continue to inspire future generations. The documentary, school sessions, and public celebration will help to deepen understanding, honour the contributions of those who arrived in the UK, and strengthen connections within the community. Through film, discussion, and shared experiences, this project will leave a lasting impact, keeping the rich history and cultural influence of Windrush alive.
Kirklees Local Television
The Wise Words Project is a vibrant tribute to the Huddersfield Windrush generation, joyfully celebrating their indelible mark on British history, culture, and society. Through 16 powerful one-hour video narratives, this initiative amplifies the voices of first- and second-generation elders who made West Yorkshire Huddersfield their home, weaving together stories of migration, cultural pride, and resilience. These testimonies bring to light the triumphs, trials and tribulations of black Caribbean communities’ perennial struggles in Britain from the late 1940s to the mid-1970s, offering a profound exploration of identity, belonging, and the rich cultural legacy they forged in the face of adversity.
More than a historical archive, the project is a dynamic celebration of black British social history. It honours the Windrush generation’s enduring contributions, from shaping local communities to enriching Britain’s cultural fabric through music, food, language, and traditions. By focussing on their lived experiences, the project not only preserves their legacy but also elevates their role as pioneers who helped redefine modern multicultural Britain.
Accessible via KLTV’s digital platform, the videos will spark nationwide engagement and be distributed to National Education Union (NEU) members, schools, universities, and grassroots organizations. Complementing these stories is a 2-hour educational resource for Years 6 and 7, designed to inspire young learners with interactive lessons that connect past struggles and triumphs to contemporary conversations about race, identity, and social justice.
Rooted in celebration and education, Wise Words ensures the Windrush generation’s history is neither forgotten nor confined to the margins. It champions their cultural resilience as foundational pillars of black British heritage, fostering pride and understanding across generations. This project is a testament to their courageous legacy and a vital tool for ensuring their stories continue to shape a more inclusive future for Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, and the nation.
MAPA Cultural Arts Centre
‘Bradford Roots: New Horizons’ is a vibrant initiative that commemorates, celebrates, and educates about the Windrush generation through music-led workshops and community events. The project will engage Bradford’s African Caribbean community, focusing on intergenerational learning and skill-building. Activities include interactive music workshops, a Windrush Day celebration with traditional drumming and performances, and school visits that deepen understanding of the Windrush impact. We will document the process to ensure lasting educational value, celebrating the rich cultural contributions of the Windrush generation while inspiring future generations in Bradford.
Museum of the Home
Honouring Our Elders at Museum of the Home will celebrate and recognise the significant contribution that the Windrush generation have made to the UK’s cultural fabric. A free festival in the Museum gardens will celebrate Windrush Day in collaboration with Black Rootz and Soilsistars, with dance, steel drum performances, music and poetry. A public talk will delve deeper into how the Windrush generation made their home in the UK. A reminiscence workshop will take place with Hackney Caribbean Elderly Organisation, recording oral histories about their experiences making home here.
New Generation Community Steel Orchestra
On 22 June 2025, the vibrant Blockorama festival will honour the Windrush generation’s contributions to British society through music, storytelling, and cultural education. This community-led project will bring together 150 young steel pan musicians to perform Windrush-era songs, alongside storytelling sessions with Windrush pioneers.
Leading up to the event, weekly workshops will connect young people with their heritage, fostering pride, confidence, and intergenerational unity. The festival will feature a cultural fair with Caribbean food, crafts, and a digital archive preserving these important stories.
Spearheaded by the New Generation Community Steel Orchestra, Blockorama embodies the spirit of resilience and celebration, strengthening community ties while educating future generations. This free event will take place at Ark Burlington Danes Academy in London, inviting everyone to join in this joyous tribute to the Windrush legacy.
Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust
Echoes of Windrush is a creative arts project empowering young people of Afro-Caribbean heritage in Northamptonshire to explore the Windrush history and their family heritage.
Through a series of music and arts workshops, these young people will have the opportunity to create new work (e.g. songs, visual art, music etc.) inspired by and celebrating the achievements of the Windrush generation. By doing so, they will have the opportunity to:
- learn about and reflect on the Windrush story
- connect with members of the local Windrush community
- explore the achievements of the Windrush generation
- embark on their own creative journey through which a collective sense of pride and recognition for these achievements can be established
Following this first phase, a further series of workshops will disseminate what these young people have learned and created and through their leadership help local people gain deeper insights into the Windrush story, as well as the contribution and legacy of the Windrush generation.
The project will launch on Windrush Day 2025 (Sunday 22 June) with our “Windrush Community Band” event; an opportunity to draw young people and families across our networks together to celebrate through creativity and music!
Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust (NMPAT) will lead the project, in partnership with Northamptonshire Black History Association and NN Contemporary Art in Northampton. NMPAT provides music and arts experiences for children, young people and adults across Northamptonshire and is the lead organisation for the Northamptonshire and Rutland Music Hub.
Pegasus Opera Company
Pegasus Opera Company is proud to present Windrush Day Voices, a powerful intergenerational event celebrating the Windrush Generation. Taking place on Windrush Day, 22 June 2025, at Bristol Beacon, this full-day event will bring together local young people and Caribbean elders to share stories, create music, and honour the Windrush legacy.
The day will begin with interactive workshops where young participants will engage with elders’ real-life testimonies, and transform their stories into original songs. Following a Caribbean lunch with the elders, the young people will rehearse their performances, while elders explore the Windrush: The Journey exhibition, highlighting black British composers and the contributions of the Windrush Generation. The event will culminate in a live public performance, where the newly created songs will be performed alongside local guest artists, a professional Pegasus Opera singer, and local elders. These original songs will then be added to Pegasus Opera’s soon-to-be-launched digital Windrush Travelling Songbook, ensuring the stories and voices of the Windrush Generation are preserved for future generations.
With strong community partnerships and a commitment to intergenerational storytelling, Windrush Day Voices will celebrate, educate, and inspire - honouring the enduring cultural impact of the Windrush Generation.
Place of Victory
Place of Victory Windrush 2025 is set to be a celebration like no other, honouring the invaluable contributions of the Windrush generation while creating a vibrant tapestry of cultural appreciation and education. This landmark event will bring together diverse communities through a series of dynamic activities designed to inspire, educate, and entertain.
At the heart of the celebration is the Culinary Cookout, an enthralling event where attendees can savour traditional Windrush dishes. This culinary journey will feature interactive cooking demonstrations, allowing participants to immerse themselves in the flavourful heritage of the Windrush generation. Through these experiences, we aim to cultivate a deeper appreciation for the rich cultural tapestry that these communities have brought to our shores.
Complementing the culinary delights, our Storytelling Sessions will offer a poignant glimpse into the personal stories and histories of the Windrush generation. These sessions are crafted to enhance understanding and empathy, providing a platform for voices to be heard and legacies to be honoured.
Art and music will also take centre stage with performances that celebrate the cultural impact of the Windrush era. From soulful melodies to vibrant visual art, these performances will highlight the creative spirit and enduring influence of the Windrush community on our cultural landscape.
Additionally, Educational Workshops will be an integral part of Windrush 2025, focusing on the historical and societal contributions of the Windrush community. These workshops will engage participants in meaningful conversations and learning experiences, fostering a lasting educational impact that extends beyond the celebration itself.
Join us for Windrush 2025 as we come together to honour the past, celebrate the present, and inspire future generations by recognizing the indelible mark left by the Windrush generation.
Preston Caribbean Carnival Ltd
The mission of Preston Caribbean Carnival is: “to promote the appreciation and understanding of Caribbean culture by and for, diverse communities of Preston, Lancashire and the UK”.
The Preston Caribbean Carnival is proud to deliver the Windrush Legacy in Lancashire project, a dynamic celebration of the Windrush Generation’s contributions to British society. Through cultural performances, educational storytelling, and intergenerational engagement, our project will honour the resilience and influence of Caribbean migrants in the UK.
Key activities include:
- Educational Storytelling Sessions (May–July 2025) – Friends of Windrush Generation and Windrush elders will visit carnival youth groups, sharing personal migration stories and engaging young people in discussions on heritage and identity. To complement the carnival exhibition currently on show at Lancashire Archives, Bow Lane, Preston until the end of June 2025.
- Community Festival Tour (July–September 2025) – The Windrush Group will perform and engage audiences at regional festivals, including the Carnival King & Queen event and the Encounter Torchlight Procession, fostering unity and shared cultural pride.
- Windrush Day City Centre Display (June 22, 2025) – A public celebration on Preston’s Flag Market, featuring live performances, children’s activity and display to commemorate National Windrush Day followed by a celebration at the last remaining Caribbean Club in Preston – Jalgos Social Club with community DJ and sound system.
This project will strengthen intergenerational connections, raise awareness of Windrush contributions, and create a lasting legacy through recorded oral histories and community partnerships.
Prison Radio Association
We are the national charity that uses radio, podcasts and creativity to support people who have spent time in prison. Our project, in collaboration with Near Neighbours, will focus on delivering creative workshops in prisons with people who are descendants of the Windrush Generation, focusing on coaching, writing, and performance.
Over a total of 9 days, we will work with approximately 30 serving prisoners of Windrush descent across 6 UK prisons. These 30 individuals will be supported to write and perform poetry and rap bars celebrating their roots. The workshops will be facilitated and delivered by Windrush creatives and people with lived experience of prison.
These workshops will be recorded for broadcast on National Prison Radio (NPR). By broadcasting these workshops on NPR, we will educate up to 80,000 prisoners about the Windrush story, deepening national awareness. The workshop recordings will feature creative pieces on the Windrush story, highlighting personal experiences of people with Windrush roots. These pieces will allow participants to explore their heritage and share their stories. By broadcasting these voices, we aim to deepen understanding and recognition of the contributions of UK Caribbean communities over the last 7 decades. Over 6 radio programmes, listeners will follow the mentoring journey and the creation of art, giving them the opportunity to learn and develop their own skills along the way.
Through this project we will support prisoners across England and Wales to better understand the contributions of the Windrush generation while encouraging listeners and participants to explore and celebrate their Windrush roots.
Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust
Brighton & Hove Museums’ ‘Foundations of Windrush’ project seeks to reframe the narrative of black and Caribbean migration to Britain, highlighting the deep-rooted connections that predate the arrival of the ship HMT Empire Windrush in 1948. This project will uncover and celebrate the rich histories of black individuals and Caribbean communities who established their presence in Britain centuries ago, contributing significantly to the country’s social, economic, and cultural fabric.
By delving into the stories of sailors, soldiers, artists, and workers who made Britain their home before 1948, Foundations of Windrush will illuminate the resilience and cultural contributions that laid the groundwork for the Windrush generation. It will emphasise that migration is a continuum, showcasing the enduring legacy of these early pioneers. Building on the success of our 2024 project, Windrush Era and Beyond, we will continue to collect local Brighton & Hove histories from Windrush era individuals and their descendants, forming the basis of a new online display for 2025 and adding to schools’ resources.
A highlight of the project will be the Windrush Community Day event in the Royal Pavilion Garden – a vibrant celebration in the heart of Brighton, organised with our community partner, BARCO.
This event will feature performances by local artists; steel band music; Caribbean food; arts and crafts; and zine-making. We aim to foster a sense of community and pride, ensuring that the stories of the Windrush Generation are celebrated and remembered. Decolonised interpretation will explore the history and cultural significance of steel-band music and its roots in protest and cultural expression.
SPID Theatre Company Ltd
SPID (Social Progressive Interconnected Diverse) is an award winning youth charity making art that advocates housing justice. This year they are celebrating their 20th birthday and the completion of a ground breaking £3.4m refurbishment of their theatre at historic Kensal House estate.
SPID Theatre will produce a youth show which celebrates and educates about the contribution of the Windrush generation while developing skills of young people. SPID will deliver an arts and heritage event on National Windrush Day, 12 drama sessions, and a youth production.
We will invite local groups with high proportions of Windrush participants including Pepper Pot, Open Age, and Decolonise the Archives. We will invite past supportive press including the Voice, Time Out and the Stage. It will foster positive cross generational links between people of different age groups and ethnic backgrounds by supporting young people to interview members of the Windrush generation to share their memories. These oral history testimonies will feature within the soundscape of the production, which will happen in SPID’s newly refurbished and fully accessible space on Kensal House estate for an audience of hard to reach participants and traditional theatre goers.
The youth production created will be ‘The Dream,’ the story of a black British teen who discovers the power of black history and how it lives on in West London today. The play spotlights the contribution of the Windrush generation and celebrates diverse heritage in Britain.
Spread the Word
Mouth Mek Fi Nyam is a dynamic, intergenerational project that honors the Windrush generation’s legacy through poetry, storytelling, gardening, and food. Rooted in the preservation of Caribbean culture, this initiative explores the profound role food plays in shaping identity, memory, and heritage within migrant communities.
The project begins with an oral history session led by 2 short story writers, capturing the lived experiences of Caribbean elders. This session sets the foundation for a series of engaging poetry, gardening, and cooking workshops, where participants will creatively respond to themes of migration, resilience, and cultural tradition.
Through poetry, elders and young adults will give voice to their personal and collective histories, while gardening workshops will reconnect participants to Caribbean plants and sustainable growing practices. The cooking workshops will serve as a space for storytelling and skill-sharing, where traditional recipes become a bridge between generations.
At the culmination of the project, a digital and physical anthology will be published, featuring participants’ poems and short stories, preserving their narratives for future generations. The project will conclude with a live event, where attendees can experience readings from the anthology, participate in a panel discussion with writers and elders, and share in a communal meal of Caribbean food.
By weaving together food, storytelling, and creative expression, Mouth Mek Fi Nyam fosters meaningful connections between generations, ensuring the rich cultural traditions of the Windrush generation continue to thrive.
Sudden Productions
Upcoming and experienced African Caribbean Artists will support older participants to find the songs which will bring their memories of Windrush back to life and will devise My Songs of Windrush.
Combining live music and compelling drama, the show will explore how the character, has found the courage to move on from his past, making a successful career for himself as a Calypso and a Jazz singer.
Performed to schools & at The Midlands Arts Centre for Windrush Day, My Songs of Windrush will celebrate the contribution that the Windrush generation has made to music in Britain.
Temple of Kulture
The Immersive Windrush Experience (IWE) at Chatham Dockyard will celebrate the Windrush generation’s legacy through an interactive, multi-sensory journey. This unique event will combine VR technology, live performances, storytelling, music, dance, and cultural exhibitions to educate, inspire, and foster pride in the contributions of Caribbean migrants to the UK.
Visitors will embark on a room to room journey, each space depicting a key aspect of the Windrush story from life in the Caribbean before migration to the struggles and triumphs of settling in Britain. Through VR experiences to projection mapping, guests will step into historical scenes, while live actors and musicians bring personal stories to life. A dance and music space will explore the evolution of Caribbean rhythms, from calypso and ska to reggae and dancehall. The event will also feature traditional games, fashion, haircare exhibits, along with a Caribbean food market to engage all senses.
Designed to promote education, intergenerational exchange, and community cohesion, the project will involve local schools, artists, and volunteers. Workshops will provide young people with skills in storytelling, performance, and event production. The experience will be accessible, with subsidised ticket prices and free entry for children under 16 and adults over 65. This Windrush Day 2025 celebration will leave a lasting impact by fostering a deeper appreciation of black British history while strengthening cultural connections within Medway and beyond.
The Pilgrim Church Charitable Trust
The Nottingham Windrush Festival and Civic Service will be a landmark celebration, honouring the contributions of the Windrush Generation and fostering cultural pride, education, and community cohesion. This project will bring together diverse communities through a grand civic service and an engaging festival, ensuring the Windrush legacy remains central to the UK’s national consciousness.
The Windrush Civic Service will serve as a dignified tribute, featuring personal testimonies, musical performances, and spoken word contributions from Windrush elders and their descendants. The inclusive interfaith (reaching out tour diverse faith communities to be present a collective show of unity and honour to the Windrush Generation) event will highlight the sacrifices and resilience of Caribbean migrants while offering a space for reflection and appreciation.
Following the service, the Windrush Festival will provide an immersive cultural experience, showcasing the richness of Caribbean heritage. Attendees will enjoy live performances, exhibitions, interactive workshops, storytelling, and market stalls featuring local Caribbean entrepreneurs. A reconstruction of a 1950s Windrush-era living room will allow visitors to step back in time and connect with the experiences of the first generation of Caribbean migrants to the UK.
A strong partnership network—including Nottingham City Council, Nottingham Caribbean Carnival, local universities, schools, and faith groups—will ensure broad community engagement. A dedicated project team will oversee implementation, monitoring key milestones, including community consultations, promotional campaigns, and event logistics.
By investing in this initiative, we will not only commemorate the past but also inspire future generations to embrace Britain’s shared, multicultural history. The Windrush Festival and Civic Service will be a powerful and lasting tribute to the Windrush Generation, promoting unity, understanding, and national recognition.
Youth Elements
Youth Elements are launching a dynamic youth-led initiative to honor the Windrush generation through storytelling, poetry, and cultural expression. The project will culminate in a Windrush Poetry Night on Windrush Day 2025, featuring spoken word performances by young people and elders, alongside Caribbean food and music.
To deepen engagement, storytelling workshops will provide a platform for Windrush pioneers to share their experiences, while creative sessions such as Caribbean-inspired jewellery-making will celebrate cultural heritage. Youth participants will take leadership roles in planning and promotion, gaining entrepreneurial and organizational skills.
With support from community partners, the project will engage over 100 young people and 150 community members, fostering intergenerational dialogue and social cohesion. Digital recordings and a poetry anthology will ensure a lasting impact, preserving stories for future generations.