Exhibition: Resistance, rights and refuge: Britain and Chile 50 years after the Chilean coup

An exhibition to mark the 50th anniversary of the Chilean military coup.

On 11 September 1973, a military coup overthrew Chile’s democratically elected socialist government and ushered forth 17 years of dictatorship. Tens of thousands were imprisoned and tortured, and more than 3,300 murdered and disappeared. In Britain, trade unionists, politicians, academics, students, musicians, church groups and others mobilised in diverse and expansive ways against the new regime. They formed part of a new global solidarity movement that shaped a human rights revolution and stimulated radical artistic and cultural production.

Chilean events, and the arrival of more than 3,000 Chilean refugees in Britain, stimulated conversations about human rights, democracy, and refuge. This exhibition explores these conversations and celebrates Chilean contributions to Britain 50 years on.

Curated by Dr Tanya Harmer and Gloria Miqueles in partnership with Dr Gillian Murphy at LSE Library and Paul Dudman, archivist at the Living Refugee Archive (LRA), University of East London.