Couching liberty: a multi stakeholder practice-led research project supporting public engagement with textile artefacts

Igoe, Elaine and Forster, Laurel (2025) Couching liberty: a multi stakeholder practice-led research project supporting public engagement with textile artefacts. Futurescan 6: Shifting Paradigms, UK, Leicester, United Kingdom. 09 - 10 Sep 2025.

Abstract

This collaborative public engagement project brought together academics in Cultural History and Textile Design from the University of Portsmouth, museum professionals from Portsmouth City Museums and Galleries, and the micro-design enterprise Stitch School. Centered on the Overlord Embroidery—a monumental textile frieze depicting D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, originally designed by British artist Sandra Lawrence and executed by the Royal School of Needlework—the project sought to deepen public awareness and engagement with this historic artefact.

Through the lenses of socio-political and cultural themes of the 1960s and 70s, global conflicts, the Women’s Liberation Movement, and the contested status of textiles in the art world, the initiative aimed to reframe the embroidery's significance. Over four days in October 2024, participants from colleges, community groups, and the general public collaborated in stitching a thematically designed cloth, engaging in textile practices while reflecting on historical and contemporary issues such as military action, occupation, and freedom.

This project delivered significant outcomes for all stakeholders: increased visibility and economic opportunities for Stitch School, higher visitor engagement and media interest for the D-Day Story, and rich qualitative data to inform future public engagement and collaborative research. It also underscored the potential of combining craft, dialogue, and history to address civic and academic objectives.

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Contributors

Author: Elaine Igoe

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