Our Freedom: Then and Now - a national arts project
Our Freedom: Then and Now, was a powerful new exhibition and companion podcast series created by a cohort of young artists and professionals. The project officially launched at JW3 in November 2025. It is part of a nationwide creative project spanning 60 libraries and arts centres across the UK. JW3 is proud to be the only Jewish participating organisation.
JW3’s project invited young people aged 18–35 to explore how the Holocaust is remembered across generations and what freedom means today.
The launch event featured remarks from the Mayor of Camden Councillor Eddie Hanson; Holocaust survivor Joan Salter MBE; artist and project facilitator Adam Kammerling; members of the creative cohort; and music by Shir.
Quotes
“We are very proud to have this exhibition at JW3 in our bourough. JW3 plays a huge role in our Camden cultural strategy, so we’re really proud and really happy to be here for the launch.”
Mayor of Camden Councillor Eddie Hanson
“I think it is so important that these sorts of projects happen, and that they include the younger generations. Especially living in a place like London – enabling young people to connect with their heritage.”
Mayor of Camden Councillor Eddie Hanson
“Over the past 40 years, the Holocaust has become an important part of me, but it does not define me. I am in control of what I do without guilt or trying to adapt my actions to fit the expectations of others. I am now free to march to the beat of my own drum. That is what freedom means to me.”
Joan Salter MBE
“The question was – how do we tell these stories? How do we remember these stories? How do we commemorate these stories in a way that is communal, celebratory if it can be. How can we bring them together and how can we hold them together? One of the invitations that I have to the group is ‘how can we commemorate and remember, but also how can we celebrate? The first word of this project is freedom, and we have the freedom to tell. We don’t choose the stories that we’re given, but we do choose the ways in which we tell them.”
Adam Kammerling, Artist
“This project was communal, and it was celebratory, and it was beautiful, and it was energising and joyous and I am so proud of all of the work we created, and so happy to have been a part of this.”
Adam Kammerling, Artist
“We don't only exercise freedom through voting at the ballot box. It is an important but small part of living in a free society. It is about being able to express yourself creatively. To tell your story and to share and connect with your history. I am so proud of the 15 stories that have been brought to life through this project, many of which were untold.”
William Galinsky, Director of Programming and Impact at JW3
Background
Over several months, participants worked with professional artists to uncover personal and family histories connected to the Holocaust. Using photos, documents, audio, and personal objects, they created memory pieces honouring survivors, commemorating relatives who did not survive, and reflecting on how later generations inherit and respond to this legacy.
The Exhibition
Running 23 November – 10 December at JW3, the free exhibition presented a moving collection of installations and artistic responses shaped under the guidance of Adam Kammerling.
The Podcast
The Our Freedom: Then and Now podcast series offers listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the project’s creative journeys. Hosted by Thamar Barnett, Gianina Dwek, and Adam Kammerling, each episode delves into family history, artistic process, and what it means to be a third-generation descendant after the Holocaust, asking: What does freedom really mean?
Listen Now: https://production8x.podbean.com/
Skills, Learning and Legacy
The project supported participants as they developed skills in:
Storytelling: Communicating complex histories with creativity and care.
Podcasting: Crafting compelling audio narratives.
Exhibition Design: Understanding the art of presenting engaging displays.
Our Freedom: Then and Now is part of a UK-wide arts and creative programme that produced 60 new works reflecting on what “Our Freedom” means to communities across the country. The programme is delivered by Future Arts Centres in partnership with Libraries Connected and Open Eye Gallery, with public funding from the UK Government through Arts Council England.
