From a Liberation Films project, photo documents community campaign for a pedestrian crossing in Balham, London (circa 1973), subsequently included in the film Starting to Happen (1974). [Detail]. Courtesy of the London Community Video Archive (Goldsmiths University London).
Join us for a Library Session with filmmaker and researcher Dr Ed Webb-Ingall to celebrate the launch of his new book ‘The Story of British Video Activism’ (2026).
The book traces the democratising impact of portable video recording technology from the late 1960s to the early 21st century. Webb-Ingall introduces pioneering and dynamic videomakers from John 'Hoppy' Hopkins to Liberation Films and Ceddo Film and Video Workshop, showing how video played a powerful role in local and national campaigns on issues including housing, labour struggles and racial justice.
Copies of ‘The Story of British Video Activism’ will be available to buy at the event.
About the speaker /
Dr Ed Webb-Ingall is a filmmaker and researcher working with archival materials and methodologies drawn from community video. He is a co-founder and project director of the London Community Video Archive is the author of BFI Screen Stories: The Story of British Video Activism. Previous solo exhibitions include, Three Rivers (2025), Peer (2024), Grand Union, Devonshire Collective (both 2023); South London Gallery (2019); Focal Point (2018). Group exhibitions include Brent Biennial (2022); MK Gallery, Invisible Dust (both 2019). He is a senior lecturer at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London.
Event Details
Thursday 26 March, 6–8pm
Tickets
Free. Booking is recommended to ensure a place.
Access
This event takes place in the Library and event space on the ground floor and the exhibition spaces on the second floor of 5 Florence Street.
The building has step free access and a lift to the second floor.
Accessible toilets are available.
The nearest subway station is Bridge Street, a 14 minute walk away.
