Archives and endurance: a roundtable discussion

Book chapter

Beauchamp-Byrd, M., Grant, C., Kokoli, A., Klorman-Eraqi, N., Sarathy, J., Salter, G., deSouza, A. and Webb-Ingall, E. 2026. Archives and endurance: a roundtable discussion. in: Ohadi-Hamadani, M., Spencer, C. and Tobin, A. (ed.) Grassroots Artmaking: Political Struggle and Activist Art in the UK, 1960–Present Bloomsbury Publishing.
Chapter titleArchives and endurance: a roundtable discussion
AuthorsBeauchamp-Byrd, M., Grant, C., Kokoli, A., Klorman-Eraqi, N., Sarathy, J., Salter, G., deSouza, A. and Webb-Ingall, E.
Abstract

Interweaving the perspectives of eight contributors who share a range of experiences with archives from founders and creators to users and researchers, this roundtable discussion explores the dynamic connections that link artistic and creative practice; different forms of grassroots organizing; and the formation, care, maintenance and use of archives. Rather than a static or closed institutional repository, archives emerge through this discussion as crucial resources for art production and activism alike, providing connections with previous initiatives and campaigns, as well as future-oriented, embodied, and dialogic modes of engagement. At the same time, the participants consider the vulnerability and potential co-option of archives, particularly in a context of austerity politics, neoliberalism, digitization and AI, and the rise of far-right extremism, while attending to the dynamics of surveillance and control involved in processes of institutionalisation.

KeywordsArchives; Austerity; Activism; Black Arts Movement; BLK Movement; Diaspora; Feminism; Documentation; Institutions; Art; Organising
Sustainable Development Goals5 Gender equality
10 Reduced inequalities
16 Peace, justice and strong institutions
4 Quality education
Middlesex University ThemeCreativity, Culture & Enterprise
Research GroupCREATE/Feminisms cluster
Book titleGrassroots Artmaking: Political Struggle and Activist Art in the UK, 1960–Present
EditorsOhadi-Hamadani, M., Spencer, C. and Tobin, A.
PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
Bloomsbury Visual Arts
ISBN
Paperback9781350453661
Hardcover9781350453630
Publication dates
Print11 Jun 2026
Publication process dates
Accepted18 Feb 2025
Deposited22 Oct 2025
Output statusIn press
Accepted author manuscript
File Access Level
Open
Copyright Statement

The ebook editions of this book are to be available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by UKRI.

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