The New Union Flag Project

The New Union Flag

The New Union Flag (NUF) reimagines the Union Jack as a living symbol of the many communities that have shaped the United Kingdom’s cultural landscape. Created from fabrics, patterns, and textiles from around the world, it transforms the traditional flag from a fixed emblem of national identity into a dynamic, evolving celebration of diversity, migration, and belonging.

Originally conceived as a reflection on the UK's colonial legacy, the New Union Flag continues to evolve, responding to the changing social and cultural fabric of contemporary Britain. Each iteration reflects new contributions, stories, and perspectives, ensuring that the flag remains an ongoing collective artwork rather than a finished object.

Since 2015, the project has grown through the participation of people from a wide range of national, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Over the years, it has engaged thousands of participants through exhibitions, workshops, festivals, public events, school programmes, and community collaborations. The flag has been exhibited at major cultural institutions, including Turner Contemporary, Tate Modern, Southbank Centre, People's History Museum, Museum of Liverpool, The Jewish Museum London, Rich Mix, and Hastings Contemporary, among many others.

In 2022, I was commissioned by The World Reimagined—widely recognised as one of the most ambitious public art projects ever undertaken in the UK—to transform the flag into a large-scale sculpture. Since then, the work has toured prominent public locations, including Trafalgar Square, the City of London, and National Maritime Museum.

The project encompasses photography, filmed conversations, participatory workshops, public interventions, exhibitions, and community events. It brings together people with differing views on national identity, belonging, and representation, creating spaces for dialogue, reflection, and exchange. The flag has appeared in demonstrations, celebrations, social gatherings, and public-space interventions, continuing to spark conversations about what it means to belong in Britain today.

As a living artwork, the New Union Flag remains open to new contributions and collaborations. Invitations for exhibitions, public talks, workshops, and community projects are warmly welcomed.

The project has been supported by Counterpoints Arts, Arts Council England, City of Sanctuary, Greater London Authority, and Refugee Week.