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White text on a dark purple background reads
White text on a dark purple background reads

Our Freedom: Then & Now

A range of exciting events nationwide in celebration of the 80th anniversary of VE/VJ Day.

Our Freedom: Then & Now is a new UK-wide, locally-led arts and creative programme reflecting what ‘Our Freedom’ means to local people and their communities, following the 80th anniversary of VE/VJ Day.

Future Arts Centres will lead the programme, working with 60 arts centres and libraries, their communities and artists to create special cultural events, exhibitions and performances that are meaningful to people living in these places and across the UK.

Our Freedom: Then & Now

A busy café filled with people sitting at tables and chatting. White coffee cups sit on wooden tables between groups of people in colourful clothes. Some people wear orange jackets, green coats, and red tracksuits. Green plants hang from the ceiling above the crowd. A purple screen shows text in the background. The café has cream-coloured walls and bright lighting. People stand and sit throughout the space, creating a lively social atmosphere.
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A theatre stage with purple lighting shows two people standing at a podium. Behind them sits a large screen displaying
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A person in a dark suit and glasses stands at a podium with a microphone, holding papers and speaking. Behind them, large blue text reads
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Our Freedom in Washington

Step into a powerful evening of storytelling, music and visual art as Arts Centre Washington presents Unbound: Our Freedom Cabaret  – a live performance event exploring the meaning of freedom.

Created by intergenerational community groups alongside theatre maker Liv Hunt, this unique multimedia production brings together voices from Washington Youth Theatre, Washington Young Film Makers, Right Track Young Musicians, Creative Age and Washington Community Podcasters. Through original theatre, live music, recorded oral histories and projections, the performance reflects on personal and collective ideas of freedom – then and now.

Developed in collaboration with local artists and heritage partners, the show draws on real stories and archival materials from Washington and Sunderland, weaving them into a vibrant, emotionally resonant experience.

Watch this space to see how the project grows and find out about the final product!

A workshop leader in a striped orange and purple top stands in front of four young people sitting on black plastic chairs in a hall. Black curtains hang behind them. The children wear casual clothes including t-shirts and jeans, and one wears glasses. A water bottle sits on the wooden floor.
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Young people sit in a circle on black chairs in a bright hall with wooden floors. A workshop leader in striped clothing stands in the centre. String lights hang from the white ceiling with blue lighting around the edges. More participants sit on wooden benches in the background.
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Four people play musical instruments together in a room with stone walls. One person with bright pink hair holds papers, whilst others play bass guitar and acoustic guitars. Red cables connect the instruments. Water bottles sit nearby on the wooden floor.
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Three young people perform a drama activity. Two stand on either side holding up a large white paper with drawings of a face and book. A third person kneels behind the paper, creating a puppet-like scene. Black chairs are arranged around them in the bright classroom.
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Young people stand in rough line in a room with dark floor against old stone walls. Red rope lies in patterns on the ground with yellow circles placed about. One young person in a dark stripey jumper and long curly hair is talking while holding the end of the red rope that is on the floor. The other young people wear casual clothes and observe. the scene looks to be a discussion or workshop.
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Three young people are sat in a line wearing party hats and mime eating food from empty party plates. Two other young people are sat facing them in the foreground. A final young person stands in the background, holding a white paper plate to cover their face and wear a red party hat. The scene looks to be an ad-hoc performance in front of a small audience.
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Young people are gathered around a table draped in a green cloth. one is sat to the left hand side and wearing denim. Two are to the right, one stood wearing light grey and the other wearing a dark t-shirt is sat with their hands behind their back. They are all looking at another young person sat behind the table wearing a crafted turban with red feathers hanging down to one side. Two people sit in chairs facing them. The scene looks to be an ad-hoc performance in front of a small audience.
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Two young people sit e at a table talking while a group of people are stood and seated facing forward watching them. The scene looks to be an ad-hoc performance in front of a small audience.
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Freedom Road

by Simon Armitage

UK Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage was commissioned by Future Arts Centres to write a poem as the centrepiece for the project. ‘Freedom Road’ will act as inspiration sparking exploration of what freedom has meant across generations and how it is felt and understood today. It will help to guide creative responses developed by local community groups as part of the project.

Read Freedom Road

The programme is delivered in partnership with Libraries Connected and Open Eye Gallery, supported using public funding by UK Government through Arts Council England.

Future Arts Centres
VE Day
Libraries Connected
Open Eye Gallery
Arts Council England logo
Funded by UK Government logo