A NEW exhibition will re-imagine the Congo House/African Institute which was based in Colwyn Bay between 1889 and 1912.

Conwy Museum Service is staging this exhibition in Colwyn Bay Library from March 16 until December 2024.

The Congo House/African Institute in Colwyn Bay was founded in 1889 by Reverend William Hughes.

He was a Baptist missionary in Congo from 1882 to 1885 and set up Congo House (later called African Institute), as a training institution after having to return to Wales due to ill health.

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The Institute was set up to train black students in a range of skills and trades.

Some returned home after this, while others went on to study at universities across Britain, returning to Africa as doctors, teachers, nurses and journalists.

The museum service has worked with people from North Wales and Central Africa to tell the story of the African Institute.

The exhibition uses art, animation, and artefacts to explore different perspectives on this important part of Black History in Wales.

It will show the creative reflections from an art project led by Cameroonian, North Wales-based artist Mfikela Jean Samuel who worked with art teacher, Aimee Jones, and pupils from Ysgol Bryn Elian.

They explored the story of the Institute to produce a series of paintings.

Mfikela Jean Samuel said: “As an African artist living in North Wales, this project to me is a great fusion of experiences that brings together the past and the present story of immigrants and visitors who come to North Wales.”

TAPE Community Music and Film also led an animation project with Ysgol Gogarth and members of the Colwyn Bay community to bring to life some of the stories of the African Institute through animation.

Elly, Sam and Noah, animators at TAPE, said: “It was an honour for TAPE to work with the local community to create these animations.

“The involvement of so many, including key community members for Matadi (a city in DR Congo), has helped make this an incredible, unforgettable and rewarding experience for everyone involved.” 

Cllr Aaron Wynne, Conwy County Borough Council’s cabinet member for culture and leisure, said: “This exhibition offers important new perspectives and Conwy Museum Service has created a rich experience for visitors to connect and explore the history of Congo House/African Institute.”

The library’s opening hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday – 9am-5.30pm; Tuesday 10am-7pm; and Saturday 9.30am-3pm.