Charter for a Kennington 1848 Commemoration

Through our 2018 ‘Open Call’, we asked people to contribute ideas for a memorial or commemoration to the 1848 Chartist rally. Ideas included a statue of William Cuffay, a monument to the ‘birthplace of democracy’, a virtual memorial, a spoken word app, and events such as tree planting, a picnic and a festival. What we learnt is that the story of Kennington 1848 resonates with people in a way that can not easily be reduced to a single monument.

What interests many people is not just the 1848 rally alone, but the wider traditions of assembly, activism and democracy linked to the place. Using what we have learnt, we have drawn up a draft charter. We think of it as a set of collective values in the spirit of the movements which shaped this story. It sets out the ambition which our commemoration should aspire to meet, and sets the agenda for developing a more detailed brief.

We hope that in the future others will be inspired to take up the cause, and make this ambition a reality! 

DRAFT CHARTER FOR A KENNINGTON 1848 COMMEMORATION

The Kennington 1848 Commemoration should explore the following themes:

1. ASSEMBLY – consider Kennington Park as a place where people have gathered for the purposes of activism and democracy / citizen’s assemblies / debate / protest.

2. ACTION – engage people as active citizens / encourage active participation / community action / positive change.

3. DEMOCRACY – The history of democracy / representation of the people / the Chartist legacy / building consensus / embracing diverse views / a platform for  under-represented people. 

4. COMMON – Kennington Park and its specific history as a common / common rights / common purpose.  

5. CELEBRATE – Keep the unique spirit of place alive through participatory celebration.    

6. PERPETUATE – Continue and protect the park’s historic use as place of assembly, activism and democracy for future generations.

Open Call Gallery

Choose a template

Click on a template of your choice to download a pdf version. Complete your drawn or written proposal using any media – scan at 72dpi same-size and return to us here opencall@kenningtonchartistproject.org

When you send your design for inclusion in our gallery, you agree for it to be used in the following ways as outlined here