Activities will place communities at the heart of Windrush Day
2026 as nation continues to celebrate and commemorate the
Windrush generation.
Festivals, touring artwork and other projects celebrating the
outstanding contribution of the Windrush generation and their
descendants are today, 15 May, set to receive a share of
£500,000.
A total of 33 projects, from Plymouth to Leeds, will receive
government funding to bring communities together and mark the
lasting contribution of the Windrush generation to British life.
These community-led initiatives will mark the eighth annual
Windrush Day on 22 June 2026, following on from the 30 projects
that received funding last year.
Minister for Faith and Communities, said:
The Windrush generation helped build the Britain we have today,
and we are a stronger nation when we take the time to recognise
and commemorate that contribution.
The projects receiving this funding are doing incredible work to
honour their legacy and remind us that our shared history is
something to celebrate, and something worth investing in.
Funded projects for 2026 include:
- Pantonic Steel Orchestra in London: Steel Roots, Future
Voices celebrates Windrush heritage through steel pan
music, storytelling and exhibitions. Their project will
culminate in a cultural performance showcase to inspire pride and
safeguarding of Windrush musical and community legacy.
- Changing Our Lives in Birmingham: Windrush Through Our Senses
is a Windrush Day event for people of all ages that will see
young people with learning disabilities in Birmingham and the
Black Country explore Windrush history in accessible ways with
their elders, working together in workshops to create a sensory
Windrush story.
- Jamaica Society in Leeds: An educational and cultural
programme will be delivered across the city, combining school
workshops, a Reflection Wall, a Young Entrepreneurs Expo on
Windrush Day and a public cultural celebration to mark the day.
- Whispered Tales in Liverpool: A 20-minute performance
celebrating the Windrush Generation's heritage through shining a
light on the SS Ormonde - the ship that brought 241 people to
Liverpool from the Caribbean - reaching thousands of people
across educational and public spaces.
- Full Gospel Revival Centre in Nottingham: The Windrush Voices
project will capture and document first-hand stories from
Windrush generation elders through a professionally produced
documentary, complementing a wider programme of city events
including a music celebration and original short films released
online.
- Tapestry of Black Britons CIC in Bristol: Woven and
embroidered tapestries celebrating Windrush heritage will be
created and displayed in Bristol before being toured across
England, raising awareness of and pride in the Windrush story.
- City Council Libraries in Leicester: Windrush history will
come to life across sixteen public libraries and at a city
festival attracting 60,000 visitors. Working with 100
schoolchildren and Windrush elders, the project will create
lasting educational installations and deliver an immersive
experience for communities.
- City Council in Oxford: A programme of events in Oxford will
share the local Windrush story across days of community-focused
activities. This will include panel discussion, exhibition tours,
a memorial lecture and an integrated film project to help
celebrate the Windrush story.
Since the funding initiative began in 2018, more than 300
projects have received a share of £4.25 million in celebration of
the contributions of the Windrush generation and their
descendants.
All projects will deliver an event or activity on national
Windrush Day on 22 June and are expected to conclude in late July
2026.
