“I Am an Archive, We Are an Archive”
We are delighted to announce that the 20th Annual Huntley Conference will take place on Saturday 21 February 2026, bringing together artists, young people, archivists, scholars and community members for a bold, creative and intergenerational gathering at The London Archives.
This year’s theme, “I Am an Archive, We Are an Archive,” places voice, identity, belonging and creativity at the centre of our shared inquiry. It recognises that archives are not simply collections of papers: they are living worlds shaped by the memories, stories and cultural lineages that individuals and communities carry within them. Each of us holds a personal archive. Together, we form a collective one.
As part of this year’s focus, we also explore Living with Archives—how groundings, identity, power and the Black global imagination shape the stories we inherit and the futures we build.
A Day of Groundings, Creativity and Global Exchange
Join us for an interactive and reflective programme that moves from youth-led explorations to artistic interpretation and international dialogue. The day is designed to spark conversations that examine how archival materials—and the lives behind them—support empowerment, belonging and self-reliance across generations and geographies.
Our 2026 programme includes:
Artist Film Screening + Conversation
Our Bodies, Nigeria’s Ghosts (19’) by Rose Abba
An intitmate screening of Abba’s powerful short film and her conversation exploring identity, absence and the politics of memory.- (15-20 spaces only)
Youth-Led Workshops with Symona Turkson and Drew Iheoma|
Young curators take the lead in exploring Black-led archives, grounding the day in lived experience and the perspectives of emerging cultural practitioners.
“We Are an Archive” with archival artist, community and organisational poet, Pauline Rutter
Inspired by her evolving installation Lifting Us Up, Pauline will lead an open, interactive conversation that honours shared stories, capturing and reflecting upon the live responses, ideas and suggestions that emerge through encounters with the archive.
“I Am an Archive” with acclaimed Artist Sharon Walters
A reflective dialogue on the role of the artist as storyteller, cultural interpreter and keeper of community memory. Sharon speaks to how art gives us permission to engage with difficult themes—identity, voice, belonging, self-determination and navigating post-colonial realities.
Keynote: Professor Abdul Alkalimat
Archiving Resistance: Black Studies, Identity and Power in a Changing America
A timely and necessary examination of Black Studies and the political challenges facing knowledge institutions today.
Why This Conference Matters
The Huntley Archives were built to honour radical imagination, nurture Black intellectual life, and centre the voices that have long shaped British and global history. This year’s theme invites us to recognise ourselves not only as custodians of the archive, but as contributors to it—active participants in a cultural lineage that moves across borders, generations and creative forms.
Whether you are an artist, student, researcher, community member or simply curious, you will find something here that speaks to your own archive: your story, your voice, your place in the wider tapestry.
Join Us
This conference promises to be one of our most intimate and inspiring gatherings yet.
Explore Living with Archives—Groundings, Identity, Power and the Black global imagination in a creative, intergenerational gathering now!
Tickets: Via Eventbrite Link
We look forward to welcoming you, sharing space together, and continuing the Huntley legacy of connection, learning and visionary storytelling.
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