Tilbury Bridge Walkway of Memories /
Opens from WINDRUSH DAY 22 June 2021
‘As I stand at this bridge and gateway, I feel the spirits of my ancestors passing
through me, still I call to them and they answer’. EVEWRIGHT. Following months of anticipation Evewright Arts Foundation (EAF) is delighted to announce Tilbury Bridge
Walkway of Memories will open in June 2021. A special school’s event will take place on the 22 June
Windrush Day. To mark the public opening of the installation a preview launch will be held on the 26 June. The
installation will then open throughout the summer and autumn so the public can experience and enjoy the
outdoor artwork in a Covid safe environment. Conceived and created by Artist EVEWRIGHT, Tilbury Bridge
Walkway of Memories is the first site-specific outdoor art and sound installation to be held at the Port of Tilbury
in Essex and the UK dedicated to people of the Windrush Generation.
Tilbury Port is an iconic location which has an historic significance to the black community in Britain. This
artwork is a unique statement memorialising the lives of those people who came from the Caribbean who
carried their British passports proudly as British citizens with hope and expectation. They passed through this
location as one of the original walkways where SS Empire Windrush passengers, in 1948 arrived. Although
many arrived before 1948, those that arrived here were the first large post war wave of British colonial citizens
to disembark from the passenger ship at Tilbury Cruise Terminal.
EVENTS
EAF will be hosting several events in June 2021 as part of Windrush Day Commemorations, Estuary Festival
Associated programme and other events to follow.
Windrush Day Essex School Children Event
22 June 2021
Tilbury Bridge Walkway of Memories will open from 22 June 2021, Windrush Day. EAF along with the Port of
Tilbury and The Gateway Learning Community Schools in Essex will host a special invitation only exclusive
preview for 300 Essex School children to visit the installation. (This event is not open to the general public.)
Windrush Day Launches Tilbury Walkway of Memories Exhibition Guide
EAF will launch Tilbury Bridge Walkway of Memories Exhibition Guide on Windrush Day 2021. It will provide
summaries of the audios and information to enhance visitor experience when they visit the installation. The
guide will be available to download from our website www.evewrightarts.org from Windrush Day 2021
Tilbury Bridge Walkway of Memories Private View Launch
26 June 2021 / 10 – 6pm
The private view launch of the outdoor art and sound installation at Tilbury Port will celebrate the opening of
Tilbury Bridge Walkway of Memories to commemorate the lives of the people of the Windrush Generation and
the many who contributed stories to the artwork. The family launch day will enable visitors to experience the
art and listen to over 25 audio stories on their own devices and enjoy a series of performances. Visitors will
also have an opportunity to tour the main terminal on the day.
The launch day will be a limited ticketed event between 10 – 2pm and registration will be required. The venue
will then be open to the general public from 2pm-6pm.
Further details on registration for tickets will be posted on www.evewrightarts.org and our social media
platforms nearer the time. You can also sign up to our newsletters and follow us on our social media platforms
to keep up to date.
Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Instagram EAF /
Public Opening Times.
From 27th June members of the public can visit the installation:
Monday – Friday. 10am-4pm
Saturday- Sunday 10am-6pm
Please share pictures of your visit on our Instagram @evewrightstudio and @evewrightarts.
Location:
Tilbury Bridge Walkway Near Tilbury Ferry / Bus Terminus Fort Road Tilbury Essex RM18 7NJ
The site is accessible by Car, Bus, Ferry and train. The nearest Train station : Tilbury Town
Tilbury Bridge Walkway of Memories Art Installation
Tilbury Bridge Walkway of Memories is an art and sound installation conceived and created by Artist
EVEWRIGHT. The first site-specific outdoor art and sound installation to be held at the Port of Tilbury in Essex
and the UK dedicated to people of the Windrush Generation.
The installation is an immersive visual art experience, installed on 432 panes of glass collaged with
photographs, documents, original boat passenger tickets and memorabilia. The artwork is installed in an
original passenger walkway 55 metres long. As you walk through, you can listen to audio stories about the
lives of some of the elders whose images are featured in the installation.
This installation features over 130 people from the Windrush era and their families through photographs,
documents and audio, telling stories in their own words of their arrival, the lives and families they created and
their contribution to British society. This artwork and soundscape are symbolic and a testimony to those that
arrived on SS Empire Windrush and the many that followed that journey to the UK.
This artwork is the fourth in a series of site-specific work created by artist EVEWRIGHT who developed the
original Caribbean Takeaway Takeover an installation originally staged in Colchester, Essex in 2018, who took
over and transformed S&S Caribbean Takeaway. The idea was to create an innovative and engaging art and
sound installation in an informal setting owned and controlled by the Caribbean community. We value the importance of our community telling their stories in their own voices. This installation shows how
public spaces can be repurposed to share our stories and reach people in new and innovative ways. It
challenges perceptions of where art can be experienced and enjoyed.
‘They were the hero’s that helped to rebuild the Great British Foundations which
we all stand on today’. EVEWRIGHT.
We recognise the importance of Black voices being represented by us telling our own stories to deepen shared
understanding of migration fostering a greater sense of belonging from people of many backgrounds. We will
also feature some of our activities online and will keep you updated. Your comments and feedback are always
welcomed. Do join the conversations on how we are represented, and how we tell our stories. Email
hello@evewrightstudio.com
COVID-19 STATEMENT
We will continue to monitor and follow government guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing
to ensure the safety of our staff and visitors to our outdoor events and other activities. Please see our website
www.evewrightarts.org for the latest information.
