A public engagement project exploring the City of Wells’ historical links to the transatlantic slave trade and its lasting impact on Britain and the Caribbean.
I was commissioned to design a fold-out A3 leaflet and trail map to support visitor engagement and encourage learning across a range of audiences. The materials combined historical information, mapping and visual storytelling in a format that was clear, accessible and easy to navigate.
City of Wells: Slavery Campaign
The brief
To create an engaging and accessible visitor resource that communicated complex historical information and guided people through Wells, encouraging exploration and learning about the city’s connections to the transatlantic slave trade. The materials were to be designed for visitors and local audiences with varying levels of existing knowledge, requiring the subject matter to be accessible without oversimplifying its historical significance.
The Challenges
-
Communicating complex and sensitive historical information clearly
-
Creating an engaging visitor experience without trivialising the subject matter
-
Combining substantial written content with a clear and practical trail map
-
Making the materials accessible to audiences with different levels of knowledge
-
Establishing an appropriate visual tone for a difficult and thought-provoking subject
The Solution
The design needed to engage people while remaining thoughtful and respectful. I used a clear editorial structure to break the historical information into manageable sections, with the map and visual elements providing a practical route through the content. The visual approach was deliberately considered rather than overly decorative, allowing the subject matter and stories to remain at the centre of the experience.
The result
The finished leaflet and trail map created an accessible way for visitors to explore Wells while learning about a difficult and often overlooked part of its history. The combination of historical information, mapping and visual storytelling encouraged people to engage with the subject at their own pace, connecting the wider history to specific places within the city.
