Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory and Learning at Penton Street

01/06/2026

The London Recruits
Drama on 4 | BBC Radio 4
Thursday 4 June, 2.15pm
Available afterwards on BBC Sounds.

“If you're caught, you'll be tortured, and imprisoned for a very long time. Are you sure you want to go?”

Set in 1970, this new BBC Radio 4 drama tells a fictionalised story inspired by the extraordinary history of the London Recruits: young white sympathisers recruited by ANC exiles in London to travel secretly to South Africa and carry out acts of resistance against apartheid.

The play draws on London Recruits: The Secret War Against Apartheid, edited and contributed to by Ken Keable and published by Merlin Press, which brings together first-hand accounts of those involved.

The play is written by Gregory Evans and directed by Jeremy Mortimer, the cast includes Nicola Walker, Jordon Stevens, Fraser Wall, Trystan Gravelle, Nkhanise Phiri, Stewart Clegg and Luvo Cornelius.

A Reduced Listening production for BBC Radio 4. More info at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002x5k9

The story of the London Recruits has also been brought to screen in the award-winning documentary Comrade Tambo’s London Recruits, offering a gripping account of these covert missions, the individuals involved and sacrifices made in the fight for justice.

The London Recruits' story is a valuable testament to the power of international solidarity, and the ongoing importance of collective action in the fight against racism and injustice.

23/05/2026

Just 2 days left. Don’t miss it.

All Shall Be Afforded Dignity! – an exhibition of powerful linocuts by Norman Kaplan – is closing soon at Worldly Wicked & Wise Gallery.

This is a rare chance to experience Kaplan’s striking lino prints and satirical cartoons up close – works that trace life under apartheid, the struggle for freedom in South Africa, and the enduring fight for dignity and justice.

The travelling exhibition is co-produced by the Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory and Learning at Penton Street, Action for Southern Africa - ACTSA and the Anti-Apartheid Movement Archives and traces a journey through histories of resistance, solidarity, and the ongoing struggle for justice. For the first time shown publicly, the exhibition also includes new linocuts by Kaplan engaging with Palestinian land and people – connecting histories of resistance across contexts.

We’ve loved welcoming all our visitors into the space – from former anti-apartheid activists to contemporary organisers, members of London’s Southern African diaspora, local community audiences including sixth form students studying South African history, and beyond.

The images here capture just a glimpse of that – alongside pics of some of our brilliant volunteers - Jessica setting up for a schools session and Jieun alongside trustee Lela at the open evening last week.

📍 WWW Gallery, 81 Salusbury Road, NW6
⏳ Final days – 10am - 6pm on Saturday 23rd and 11am - 4pm on Sunday 24th May

Come by, bring a friend, and spend time with work that stays with you.

19/05/2026

🎭 Ticket Giveaway: HAMLET at Sadler’s Wells 🎭

We’re delighted to partner with our neighbours at Sadler’s Wells Theatre to offer a pair of tickets to:
HAMLET by The Dance Factory

A bold reimagining by South African choreographer Dada Masilo
📍 Sadler’s Wells, Angel
🗓️ 25–26 May

This powerful dance theatre production reinterprets Shakespeare’s tragedy through the eyes of Ophelia, blending classical ballet with African dance and an evocative score by Thuthuka Sibisi.

🎥 Rehearsal footage by Lauge Sorensen

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To enter:

1. Like this post
2. Follow us and Sadler's Wells
3. Tag someone below in comments that you'd like to watch the show with

⏰ Deadline: 9am, Friday 22 May
🎟️ A winner will be selected at random from entries across our social media channels and contacted via direct message before noon on Friday 22 May.

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Find out more about the performances:
https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/dada-masilo-the-dance-factory-hamlet/

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This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. UK-based entrants only. Travel not included. The winner must be able to attend on 25 or 26 May.

08/05/2026

ON THIS DAY | 8th May 1996

South Africa adopted its new Constitution, a defining moment replacing apartheid rule with a constitutional democracy based on equal rights.

At its heart sits the Bill of Rights: not separate from the Constitution, but central to it.
If the Constitution sets out how a country is governed, the Bill of Rights sets out what must never be compromised - dignity, equality, freedom.

In 1996, artist Norman Kaplan responded to a national call to mark this moment. His linocut 'Bill of Rights' represents those principles through image and form.

Awarded first prize and selected as the cover for a print portfolio, ‘Images of Human Rights’, that was issued by the Artists for Human Rights Trust in 1996, 'Bill of Rights' is now permanently engraved into the windows of the Constitutional Court of South Africa - alongside another of his pieces, 'All Shall Be Afforded Dignity'.

You can see both works in our current exhibition WWW Gallery (Queen's Park, London, NW6) until late May, a reminder that rights are not abstract. They are fought for, shaped, and held onto.

Co-produced by the Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre, Action for Southern Africa - ACTSA and the Anti-Apartheid Movement Archives. Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Artworks: Norman Kaplan
Photography: Bill of Rights, Steve Russell Studios | All Shall Be Afforded Dignity, Ben Law-Viljoen
Poster Design: Elizabeth Rozumna

04/05/2026

EXHIBITION ANNOUNCEMENT

‘All Shall Be Afforded Dignity!’ – The Art of Norman Kaplan

📍 Worldly Wicked & Wise Gallery
81 Salusbury Road
Queen’s Park, NW6, London

🗓️ 5 – 27 May 2026 (Tuesday to Sunday)
🎟️ Free entry

A travelling exhibition co-produced by the Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre, Action for Southern Africa - ACTSA, and the Anti-Apartheid Movement Archives, this new London iteration continues a powerful journey through histories of resistance, solidarity, and the ongoing struggle for justice.

Through linocuts, political and satirical cartoons created across apartheid South Africa, exile in the UK, and the hopes of post-liberation democracy, the exhibition weaves a narrative exploring dignity, democracy, and the enduring human spirit.

‘All Shall Be Afforded Dignity!’ has been seen by over 15,000 people across nine UK locations since 2024. For the first time in this iteration, a selection of Kaplan’s recent linocuts is presented publicly - turning to Palestinian land and people, foregrounding the realities of colonial dispossession alongside expressions of determination and resilience.

🔗 Explore Norman's works online:
https://antiapartheidlegacy.org.uk/resources/exhibitions/asbad/

🔗 More info about the exhibition at Worldly Wicked & Wise Gallery: https://antiapartheidlegacy.org.uk/all-shall-be-afforded-dignity-worldly-wicked-wise-brent-5th-to-27th-may-2026/

With thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Poster design Elizabeth Rozumna ( Visual Communication, London Metropolitan Univercity )

01/05/2026

1st May - International Workers’ Day

Also known as May Day, today has its roots in the late 19th-century labour movement, when workers organised globally to demand fair pay, safer conditions, and the eight-hour working day. It remains a powerful reminder of collective struggle - and the ongoing fight for dignity and justice in work and life.

This print, Unemployed in Johannesburg (1972), by Norman Kaplan, speaks directly to these realities under apartheid - where economic exclusion and racialised labour systems shaped everyday life.

Recently donated to our collection, the work captures both hardship and humanity, reflecting the lived experience of those pushed to the margins.

Also shown is an image of Norman sketching as part of the preparation for this print (shared courtesy of the artist).

If you missed our York exhibition, co-produced with Action for Southern Africa - ACTSA and the AAM Archives, don't worry - 'All Shall Be Afforded Dignity!' continues in a new iteration at WWW Gallery (Queens Park, London NW6) opening on 5th May, bringing together some of Kaplan South African works alongside recent linocuts shown publicly for the first time. These new pieces turn to Palestinian land and people, foregrounding ongoing struggles against dispossession, and expressions of resilience.

30/04/2026

We’re hiring.

As we prepare to open the Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre (AALC) in 2026, we’re growing our team and looking for people who want to play a role in shaping a major new cultural and heritage space.

We’re currently recruiting for:
🔹 Operations and Development Manager (part-time)
🔹 Interpretation Producer (Consultant)

Both posts are part supported through The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

These roles offer the opportunity to work at a pivotal moment - as we transition into our newly restored home at Penton Street and establish a new museum and engagement platform exploring Britain's role in anti-solidarity.

We’re looking for people who are thoughtful, collaborative, and motivated by the power of heritage to connect past struggles to contemporary social justice. Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK at the time of application.

📅 Application info:

🔗 Find out more and apply for the Operations and Development Manager role via CharityJob: https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/the-anti-apartheid-legacy-trust/operations-and-development-manager/1066379?tsId=36 (apply by 22nd May)

🔗 Find out more and apply for the Interpretation Producer role:https://antiapartheidlegacy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Interpretation-Producer-.pdf (apply by 15th May)

Information for both roles is also on our website at https://antiapartheidlegacy.org.uk/opportunities/currrent_opportunities/

Please share with your networks or tag someone who might be interested.

28/04/2026

Marina Gentry Espinosa shares her reflections on 'All Shall Be Afforded Dignity!' - art by Norman Kaplan - exploring how exhibitions can spark conversation, learning and meaningful engagement.

An MA Museum Studies student University of York, Department of Archaeology, she considers what success really looks like in a museum context - not just footfall, but how audiences connect with histories of anti-apartheid struggle and solidarity.

💬 “The most important [measure], to us at least, has always been the engagement from visitors… ‘All Shall Be Afforded Dignity!’ has achieved what we set out for, which is to encourage discussion and learning.” Marina

Drawing on visitor feedback, Marina reflects on how audiences reported learning something new or deepening their understanding of apartheid and the fight against it - sometimes through local histories, sometimes more broadly - highlighting the exhibition’s ability to not only inform, but to actively deepen understanding: connecting global histories of apartheid to local acts of solidarity, and showing how engaging directly with art and archives can shift perspectives and spark critical reflection.

📍 Final day to visit this week at Thin Ice Press is Thursday 30th April (1-8pm)

📍 In London? You can catch it 5–27 May at WWW Gallery Park - more details coming soon!

Read Marina’s blog at https://antiapartheidlegacy.org.uk/community-engagement-with-all-shall-be-afforded-dignity/

Exhibition co-produced by Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory and Learning at Penton Street, Action for Southern Africa - ACTSA and AAM Archives with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Share this: A blog by Marina Gentry Espinosa When I began my Master’s in Museum Studies at the University of York, I had my sights set on a career in curating. I envisioned myself conducting object research or planning the layout of collection items. And while my placement with the Anti-Apartheid ...

27/04/2026

🗳️ Freedom Day | 32 years on

On this day in 1994, South Africans voted in the country’s first democratic elections - a moment shaped by patience, determination, and collective hope.

In the days before the main polls opened, those given special voting status - including elderly and disabled voters - were supported to cast their ballots early. Acts of care and solidarity were part of what made this moment possible.

These illustrations by Maria Lourdes Epam Bopa, created through our collaborative work-based learning programme with Visual Communication, London Metropolitan Univercity, draw on archival images from that historic election - from long queues stretching for hours, to quiet moments of assistance and dignity at the polls. Inspired in part by photography from Ian Berry (Magnum Photos), they capture both the scale and the humanity of the moment.

“I am coming from a generation that runs away when it comes to voting so researching about this day made me realise that voting is a privilege and a right that we shouldn't take lightly.” - Maria Lourdes

A reminder that democracy is not just won - it is participated in.

25/04/2026

What does it take to bring an exhibition to life?

Olivia Reed shares her behind-the-scenes experience of All Shall Be Afforded Dignity! - from working with archival material to helping shape how histories of anti-apartheid solidarity are presented.

As an MA Museum Studies University of York, Department of Archaeology student, she reflects on curating artwork by Norman Kaplan, showcasing political histories of protest and resistance, the responsibility of working with archives, and why this work continues to matter today.

📷 "One of my favourite displays from the Borthwick Institute for Archives materials focuses on student-led disinvestment campaigns. York students were part of a global movement targeting companies like Barclays and Shell for their links to apartheid. I was struck by how this activism was captured in student newspapers – protests at the Heslington branch of Barclays and the Hull Road petrol station, alongside graffiti, cartoons and commentary critiquing corporate complicity. There’s even a piece of graffiti misspelling “apartheid” as “aparthied” – a small, human detail that brings the moment to life! " - Olivia

Read it here: https://antiapartheidlegacy.org.uk/behind-the-scenes-of-all-shall-be-afforded-dignity/

Exhibition 'All Shall Be Afforded Dignity!' on at Thin Ice Press until 30th April