GB · International contemporary art platformA community craft project titled Crafting Our Homes brought together around 500 members of the Barnet African Caribbean Association and the Walthamstow-based Afro-Caribbean Elders Association. The initiative took place in Wembley Hill and focused on preserving Afro-Caribbean heritage through traditional creative skills.
Participants engaged in workshops exploring crochet, embroidery, beading, miniature Caribbean basket making, and smocking using African fabric scraps. Using a carpet from The Front Room as a base, they created a large-scale embroidery centred on the theme of home.
In addition, the group produced a Windrush-inspired square for the Barnet Community Quilt. This piece is now on permanent display at The Stonegrove Community Centre, serving as a lasting tribute to the community’s history.
Throughout the workshops, crafters shared personal stories and memories related to family, migration, and crafting practices from the 1960s and 1970s. These conversations were recorded and transcribed to accompany the artworks, providing context and preserving oral histories.
The project was led by Heritage Community Crafts C.I.C., aiming to foster connection and cultural preservation through shared creative expression. The initiative highlights the value of craft as a means to explore identity and community heritage.
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