London Heritage Quarter has today announced a new audio-visual exhibition in partnership with Heard Storytelling, celebrating the people who live, work and contribute to the Victoria area, while also marking the 50th anniversary of Westminster Cathedral Piazza.
Running through to March, the exhibition will transform Westminster Cathedral Piazza into an open-air gallery of 10 ‘Living Portraits’, each sharing a true spoken story from someone connected to the local community. Visitors will be invited to scan QR codes on each portrait to listen to first-hand accounts of resilience, creativity and hope, placing listening at the heart of the experience.
Living Portraits: February – March
Created to commemorate 50 years of Westminster Cathedral Piazza as a public space, the exhibition reflects the Piazza’s long-standing role as a place of gathering, reflection and community. The 10 physical portraits celebrate individuals whose lived experiences and contributions continue to shape Victoria today.
Each Living Portrait links to an audio story told in the subject’s own voice, offering an intimate and immersive way to experience place through people.
Featured stories include:
Colin Wiseman, whose work at The Passage (homeless charity) is shaped by his own lived experience of homelessness, demonstrating how listening to people with experience leads to more meaningful and effective support.
Sola Okusaga, whose work challenges perceptions and expands opportunity by introducing young people from under-resourced communities to snow sports, showing how representation and visibility can reshape aspiration.
Sarah MacDonald Eggers and Bridget Jacob, whose community-led greening of King’s Scholars Passage highlights the power of collaboration, local listening and shared ownership of space.
Celebrating 50 years of a civic space built on connection
Since opening in the 1970s, Westminster Cathedral Piazza has been a place where people pass through, pause and come together. Marking its 50th anniversary, the Living Portraits exhibition brings new meaning to the space by amplifying the voices of those who use it every day, past and present.
The project aligns with the Piazza’s original civic purpose – creating an open, accessible environment that fosters connection; while reimagining how public spaces can reflect the lived experiences of the communities around them.
The power of listening in a noisy world
In a world full of distraction, the exhibition champions active listening as a powerful tool for empathy and understanding. By focusing on spoken storytelling, the project shows how listening can challenge assumptions, change perceptions and bring communities closer together.
Free, accessible and open to all
The Living Portraits exhibition will be free, accessible and located entirely in public space, welcoming local residents, workers and visitors alike. Launching on Blue Monday, it also offers a timely reminder of hope, community and shared humanity during a period often associated with disconnection.
Ruth Duston OBE, CEO of London Heritage Quarter, said: “This exhibition celebrates both people and place. As we mark 50 years of Westminster Cathedral Piazza, it feels fitting to honour the voices and stories that have given this space its meaning. By encouraging people to pause and listen, we hope to foster deeper connection within the Victoria community.”
Caroline Dyer, Director of Heard Storytelling, said: “Heard Storytelling exists to help people feel truly heard and find creative ways to share real stories with new audiences to bring people closer together. Spoken storytelling holds a rare power to deepen understanding and spark reflection. By presenting these remarkable stories from those who help shape Victoria in this creative way in this public setting, we hope to create an experience that stays with listeners long after they’ve heard it.”
