The Past, Present & Future of Protest

2019 marks 200 years since the Peterloo Massacre, a major event in Manchester’s history, and a defining moment for Britain’s democracy.

To commemorate this monumental anniversary, the People’s History Museum (PHM) will explore the changing face of protest: past, present and future.

A year long programme of events and exhibitions will explore creative disobedience and its role in today’s ideas worth fighting for.  Kicking off in January 2019 with a brand new display of protest banners.

The museum’s headline exhibition Disrupt? Peterloo & Protest, opening spring 2019, forms part of the national bicentenary commemorations and will feature objects from the museum’s unique collection, including original Peterloo artefacts.  At the heart of the exhibition will be a specially commissioned film that tells the story of protest and the road to democratic reform.

As part of this Family Friendly exhibition PHM will run a Protest Lab, opening up gallery space to individuals, communities and organisations as an experimental area where views and ideas can be shared and developed for collective action.

As part of the community exhibition strand of the programme we are pleased to announce an open call for submissions from groups or individuals wishing to display or produce an exhibition at the museum in 2019.  We are particularly interested in submissions relating to protest: past, present and future, or more widely those seeking to promote active and collective participation in local, national or international democracy.  The 2019 community exhibition programme will be selected by a panel of museum staff and members of a cross section of community groups.

Available dates

Engine Hall:

Exhibitions will run for one month and slots available are:

• Fri 5 April – Sun 5 May 2019
• Fri 9 August – Sun 8 September 2019
• Fri 6 December – Sun 5 January 2020

Main Gallery Two display area:

• Exhibitions will run for three months and slots available are between January 2019 and January 2020

To apply:

• Read the 2019 Community Gallery Guidance Notes carefully
• Fill in an 2019 Expression of Interest Form (community exhibitions).  Remember to write in clear, accessible language. Applications that exceed the word limits will not be considered
• Attach a maximum of two A4 sheets of supporting visuals
• Indicate your preferred exhibition dates on the form

Deadline for submissions: Sunday 12 August 2018 at 5.00pm

Please send submissions for the attention of Mark Wilson, Exhibitions Officer to the museum address or by email to mark.wilson@phm.org.uk.

If you have any questions please email mark.wilson@phm.org.uk or phone 0161 838 9190.