An ambitious exhibition co-produced by a young group of working-class volunteers is on display at the Working-Class Movement Library.

The exhibition, Keep The Flame Burning, opened at the WCML on Friday 18 July as has been opened as a part of the National Lottery Heritage Funded project, ‘Big Flame: Inspiring Community Organising Then and Now’.

The exhibition is a culmination of a series of fortnightly workshops which happened between September 2024 and June 2025.

The group, who have dubbed themselves the Little Flames in homage, worked together to explore the library’s archive of Big Flame material.

Big Flame were a libertarian socialist group who operated across the UK between 1970 and 1985.

Together, the Little Flames discussed their thoughts and feelings on class, political organising past and present, and the role of archives in these movements.

The hope is that the exhibition tells some of Big Flame’s story, and illustrates that though the shape of struggles change, our resistance to them must continue – as they hope to keep the flame burning.

Residents who visit the exhibition will be able to see a feature film, audio and photography and displays some of the beautifully designed material from our Big Flame archive.

Also on display is an original Big Flame banner used by the group during protests in the 1970s and 80s and in response a newly commissioned banner created by the group with local textile artist, Lou Miller.

Following the opening of the exhibition, Amie Kirby, Project Coordinator of the Big Flame: Inspiring Community Organising Then and Now project said: “I could not be prouder of the group who put this exhibition together, and I am really thankful to them, the WCML, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund for giving me the opportunity to work on such a rich and engaging community project.

“Throughout the ten months of developing the exhibition and the group’s understanding of the archives, I have come to know them as insightful, sharp, and fiercely funny people with something to say – much like Big Flame themselves.

“I hope that the exhibition shows how needed these spaces are, for working class young people to have access to radical areas of their own history.”

The exhibition opened up on Friday 18 July, and will be open to Friday 10 April 2026, and has been offering residents a get a perspective from the archives, as Belinda Scarlett, Library Manager said.

“This project and the exhibition have been a fantastic opportunity for the Working-Class Movement Library to work with young working-class people from Manchester and Salford and get their perspectives on the material in our archive.

“It has been brilliant to see how relevant the issues explored by Big Flame are to working class people today and how our archive can be used to educate and inspire new generations of activists.

“We are grateful to the National Lottery Heritage for their financial support without which the project would not have taken place.”

The exhibition will be open to Friday 10 April 2026, with more information can be found here. 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *