our pick of London’s best cultural events and celebrations

June 22 marks the 75th anniversary of the landing of HMT Empire Windrush, a passenger liner and cruise ship which carried 800 Caribbean migrants to the UK.

The British Nationality Act, which came into effect in 1948, provided citizenship to members of the British Empire. People from the British commonwealth saw the legislation as an opportunity to find work and better their lives, and over the following two decades, as many as half a million people arrived in the UK – a large proportion of whom came from the Caribbean.

Now, 75 years later, June 22 is celebrated for being one of the most important moments in British history, shaping and enriching the country we live in today.

Here’s our pick of some of London’s best events to celebrate Windrush day.

Table of Contents

Windrush 75 concert

DJ Trevor Nelson is hosting this one-off special concert, which will feature a whole host of beloved British artists including Craig David, Beverley Knight, the R&B band Loose Ends, G-folk (grime meets folk) artist Hak Baker, saxophonist YolanDa Brown, author and poet Salena Godden, and Calypsonian (a focus on West Indian Calypso music) composer and musician Tobago Crusoe.

The evening’s acts will be backed by the Chineke! Orchestra, a majority BME orchestra that was created in 2015 by British bassist Chi-chi Nwanoku.

Royal Albert Hall, June 9; royalalberthall.com

Windrush 75

Boy with flag, Wilfred in Handsworth Park, photograph, by Vanley Burke, 1970, England (© Vanley Burke)

To commemorate Windrush, the V&A is putting on both an exhibition and a series of events. The free exhibition, titled Between Two Worlds: Vanley Burke and Francis Williams, is built around the portraits of two Jamaican gentlemen which were created three centuries apart. Vanley is a British-Jamaican photographer, while Francis Williams was a scholar and poet who became a British citizen in the 18th century. There will be a free Lunchtime Lecture on June 22 to accompany the show.

The series of events include a Historical and Hidden Caribbean Tour, which will take place every Sunday until November 26 and which will focus on objects and stories related to Caribbean culture. British Guyanese activist and historian Arthur Torrington will be in conversation with presenter Diane Louise Jordan on June 10, and there will be a participatory workshop led by University of Goldsmith design lecturer Dr Rose Sinclair, which is focused around Francis Williams, on July 8. On August 4 writer and dramatist Dr Michael McMillan will be discussing Black British photography and “the evolution of becomingness”.

V&A; vam.ac.uk

From War to Windrush 75

This afternoon of talks and performances will be hosted by actor Leonie Elliot (Call the Midwife). Guests will include journalist Kamal Ahmed, actor David Harewood, writer Trevor Phillips, campaigner Patrick Vernon, researcher Dr Angelina Osborne and poet Shirley May.

Visiting research fellow Dr Les Johnson, director of think tank British Future Sunder Katwala, historian Garry Stewart, author Bonnie Greer, journalist Anne McElvoy and novelist Dr Anthony Joseph will also be speaking throughout the day. Expect topics to cover the importance and impact of Windrush and Britain as a modern multicultural society.

Imperial War Museum, June 17; iwm.org.uk

Windrush 75

The National Maritime Museum is hosting two special events to commemorate the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush. On June 22, expect a day of celebration of Caribbean culture: there’ll be performances from both a multi-school choir, and the Caribbean Social Forum choir, workshops that will use the museum’s objects to provoke and inspire stories about Caribbean histories and family stories, There’ll be a talk with writer and researcher, Veronica Mckenzie, and there’ll be fun events such as dominoes matches and a special dance workshop.

On June 24 there’ll be a free family festival, which will include live performances from musicians and spoken word artists, Calypso dancing, vocal workshops from Hamilton’s Sharon Rose, dominoes matches, a series of performances from the Caribbean Social Forum, Windrush flag-making, a family history workshop put on by the museum’s library and much more.

National Maritime Museum; June 22-24; rmg.co.uk

Lecture: Reimagining Our Future: A celebration of the Windrush legacy

Portrait of rapper Noa Sabi, interviewed for film Inner Journeys: Levelling the Playing Field (Image © Yves Salmon)

This free lecture, which is being presented by the London College of Communication and hosted by curator Maureen Salmon, will include a short documentary film, words from theatre actor Peter Badejo, works from photographer Yves Salmon, and contributions from young and upcoming creatives with Caribbean heritage. The lecture will discuss the importance of the Windrush migration, and its impact on culture and society today.

London College of Communication, June 22; eventbrite.co.uk

The Caribbean Front Room – Stories from Windrush and Beyond

This installation at the Camden Black British History community hub focuses on the Caribbean front room. “It became a space where people from the Caribbean diaspora gathered, shared stories, and upheld their cultural traditions,” explains Love Camden. Expect a recreation of one of these front rooms, transporting you back in time.

Windrush: A Voyage through the Generations

Ingrid Munroe has taught her 12-year-old grand-daughter, Carlicia, how to crochet, a skill of many of the first generation Caribbean women. (Jim Grover)

This exhibition from photographer Jim Grover focuses on the communities and families that have grown from the Windrush generation, provoking questions about the way heritage, cultures and traditions change over time, and how they are still being kept alive today.

Clapham Library; to September 30; windrushvoyagethroughthegenerations.com

Indo + Caribbean: The creation of a culture

This free display at the Museum of London Docklands looks at the Indian workers who were recruited to work for the British in the Caribbean between 1838 and 1917. Expect letters, photographs, contracts, postcards and jewellery and all bringing to life this often forgotten history.

“As we mark the 75th anniversary of Windrush this year, Indo + Caribbean is a chance to learn more about Britain’s colonial footprint and the diverse communities from the Caribbean that have enriched our city,” said Museum of London curator Shereen Lafhaj.

Museum of London Docklands, to November 19; museumoflondon.org.uk