Drake Circus Welcomes Hidden Figures Pop-Up Exhibition

Drake Circus has partnered with Plymouth-based arts collective, WonderZoo, to host a series of pop-up exhibitions in celebration of Black History Month.

The ‘Hidden Figures Plymouth’ exhibition uses history and storytelling to celebrate cultural and racial diversity, bringing talks and workshops into educational and community settings.

The exhibition will be located at the Cornwall Street entrance on Saturday 21st and Saturday 28th of this month between 9am and 6pm.

Untold stories of past figures will be showcased at the pop-up alongside the work of current figures with the hope of encouraging younger generations to explore their vision for the future, whilst understanding the past.

The project showcases past historical figures like Bill and Claude Miller, Plymouth’s father and son politicians, who were the first black city councillor and first black Lord Mayor, respectively, as well as many influential figures including Ann Wilkinson, co-founder of the Plymouth Respect Festival in 1998, and Jack Leslie, the first black professional football player to be selected to play for England in 1925, who played for Plymouth Argyle at the time.

Rachel Hawadi, Project Manager for The Hidden Figures of Plymouth and member of the WonderZoo Crew, said: “It’s fantastic to bring the Hidden Figures pop-up to Drake Circus and we hope to raise awareness, celebrate and create a memorable legacy for the outstanding contributions of people of colour that have lived and worked within the City of Plymouth, past and present.”

Greg Lumley, centre director at Drake Circus, said: “We’re always looking for ways to support our local community and it’s been great to be able to offer WonderZoo space throughout October to host the Hidden Figures exhibition.”

‘Hidden Figures of Plymouth’ is a two-year project sponsored by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. By the end of the project, the Project Manager, supported by WonderZoo, will form a new independent group in Plymouth that promotes diverse history and racial equality, creating a lasting legacy for the city that extends far beyond the initial two years.

As part of the project, the group previously completed a 24-hour takeover of the Plymouth Arts Cinema, showcasing a host of inspiring films dedicated to the stories of those from racially diverse backgrounds. 

The group is currently hosting an exhibition of Jimmy Peters at The Box which will be on show until December.

For more information, please visit https://www.drakecircus.com/event/hidden-figures-exhibit.