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Celebrating 50 years of equality legislation championed by one woman, Barbara Castle.

17 July 2025
4680 Alight Social Art D48 Birimngham

This week sees the launch of Brought to Light 2: Thanks Barbara Castle – the latest instalment of Alight Media’s commissioned art series with internationally renowned public artist Martin Firrell.

The new work shines a light on the courageous political legacy of Barbara Castle, one of the most influential and fearless figures in British politics. During her time in Parliament, Castle laid the foundations for a more equal society – driving forward key legislation like the Equal Pay Act, introducing the Child Benefit Act, and making it illegal to discriminate, particularly against women, on the grounds of sex via the Sex Discrimination Act.

Thanks Barbara Castle celebrates her impact and invites passers-by to reflect on how far we’ve come – and how far we still have to go – in the ongoing fight for equality.

Martin Firrell is an internationally acclaimed Franco-British public artist long associated with the international out-of-home industry. He uses art to engage the public in conversations that, in the artist’s own words, “aim to make the world more humane”.

Read more at socialart.work

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Inclusivity and meaningful connection have always been at the heart of what we do. Through Brought to Light we aim to share socially important stories with communities across the UK. Thanks Barbara Castle is a powerful example of this. As we mark the 50th anniversary of her pioneering work, it’s the perfect moment to highlight the progress she made, whilst acknowledging there is still a lot more to do.

Matthew Dearden, CEO & co-Founder, Alight Media