"We Are Here UK was a big inspiration for the development of my creative practice during my time at University. During my second year, I'd heard of We Are Here UK online and researched it for various projects, using its purpose as one of the catalysts for the eventual launch of Fuse - it was one of few creative platforms that only highlighted creatives of colour within the industry and I'd felt represented due it's content throughout the years. It was inspiring to see the types of creatives that were featured and I feel lucky to have discovered it back then!" Jaheed Hussain from FUSE

ABOUT

This is an archive of the work We Are Here UK, which was an artist-led and artist-run platform, ran from 2017 to 2021.The aim was to provide an open platform for discussion around what it means to be British, led by women and non-binary people of colour. The increase in anti-immigration rhetoric since the referendum to leave the EU in June 2016 made the project particularly poignant.

Initially starting out as a standalone exhibition at Alev Lenz Studio in Shoreditch (July 2017), it featured a mix of fourteen handpicked, established and emerging artists, creating artwork that explored their dual identities and heritage. An overwhelming response to the first exhibition led this to turn into an ongoing project and platform for the following five years, working with universities and arts organisations including the V&A, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Camden Roundhouse and London School of Economics amongst others. The organisation closed in 2022 as the artists running it felt that it had run it's course and so as mentioned, this site now exists as an archive.

A big thank you to everyone we have worked with and we hope that this archive may help anyone interested in our work over the years and interested in maybe starting their own artist led collective or organisation.

Click the images below to zoom in on an illustrated timeline of our journey created by Illustrator, Jess Nash and thanks to Ragavee Balendran who created the 'Thank You, it's been real' header artwork here and at the top of our website.