• Locations of first two installations inspired by themes of racial justice revealed
• Caroline Daly’s “Stolen Legacy: The Rebirth of a Nation” on display on College Lane
• Ras Akyem’s “Mother Africa” to be located outside Central Library
• Part of the Mayor’s £3.2m Race Equality Project and one of seven host cities across the UK

Liverpool ONE and the Liverpool BID Company have been announced as the first two sponsors of The World Reimagined.

The World Reimagined is a ground-breaking, national art education project aimed at transforming understanding of the transatlantic slave trade and its ongoing impact on society.

The two organisations, which between them represent almost all of the city centre, are each sponsoring one of the ten large globes that will make up a public trail across the whole of Liverpool City Region.

The trail will bring to life the reality and impact of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and invite the public to think about how to make racial justice a reality.

There will be a walking trail of five large globes located around Liverpool city centre, with five more in prominent locations in Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and the Wirral making up a longer, region-wide trail.

The project forms part of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Race Equality Programme, which was established by Mayor Steve Rotheram in 2020.

This programme includes a £3.2 million Race Equality Hub, the region’s biggest ever investment in tackling racial inequality.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

“More than 1.6m people call our region their home and I’m on a mission to make it the fairest, most equal place in the country to live and work. It’s a big ambition and not one I can, or want, to achieve on my own – because every single one of us has a part to play in the fight against discrimination. The fact is that we need a huge, collective effort from across our community and it’s great to see such big names getting behind us on this journey.

“It’s my job to listen, to learn, and to amplify the voices of our black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. This is an opportunity to give a platform to more conversations around racial injustice and to show people that not only are we learning from the lessons of our shared history, but we’re working hard to shape a better future for everyone in our city region – where no one is left behind.”

The project has been brought to the region by the Combined Authority, which is the main local sponsor and is co-ordinating all activity across the region’s six boroughs.

The region-wide trail will run from 13 August to 31 October and aims to provide an enjoyable and thought-provoking learning experience for people of all ages.

The commissioned artists are creating globes responding to the themes ranging from ‘Mother Africa’ and ‘The Reality of Being Enslaved’ to ‘Still We Rise’ and ‘Expanding Soul’.

Artist Caroline Daly at work on her globe.

The globe sponsored by Liverpool ONE is being designed by Caroline Daly and will be located on College Lane.

The design responds to the theme “Stolen Legacy: The Rebirth of a Nation”, which shares the story of how Britain was transformed by the slave trade.

The globe sponsored by the Liverpool BID Company, which represents 1,000 organisations across the city centre, will be situated outside Central Library on William Brown St.

Based on the theme “Mother Africa”, it is designed by celebrated Barbados artist Ras Akyem.

Donna Howitt, Place Strategy Director at retail and leisure destination Liverpool ONE, said:

“We’re delighted to be part of this national project that will shine a light on such an important topic. The globes will be a major talking point across the Liverpool City Region, helping to provoke debate and to revisit our own history, while also giving visitors to Liverpool ONE a new ‘must-see’ installation while they’re here.”

Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool BID Company, said:

“It is vital we use the public realm as a way to cast a light on the aspects of our history some may want to hide. We are proud to support this project as it helps to educate and inform, empowering our city centre community with the knowledge they need to help to bring about positive change”.

The World Reimagined will inspire and create a moment to open imaginations to new possibilities – instil pride in what it means to be Black and British.

It will be one of the largest art education projects for racial justice the UK has seen, and the globe sculptures will play an integral role in helping people travel through this Journey of Discovery.

Each globe will enable the public to experience, discover and be inspired by art as well as present the opportunity to be part of the discourse around racial justice and what it means to be British.

The Liverpool City Region is one of seven involved across the UK, along with Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Leicester, London, and Swansea.

The trail will be the centre of a broader learning and engagement programme, with schools, community groups, and cultural institutions from across the city region taking part.

In addition to the larger globes, another 41 smaller learning globes will be created by 30 schools and 11 community organisations across the region.

There are a variety of opportunities for local businesses to get involved with this exciting project.

To find out more about these opportunities, please contact Natalie Collins at [email protected]