The Cockpit Gallery was set up in 1975 by the Cultural Studies Department of the Inner London Education Authority, Cockpit Arts Workshop. Based originally at the Cockpit Theatre in Gateforth Street, it opened at Princeton Street in Holborn, London in 1979. The gallery showed and produced photographic exhibitions dealing with contemporary cultural and social issues, and their policy was to privilege the interests and concerns of young working-class people. Each year during school terms they had approximately 8 exhibitions on display. Entrance was free and school groups were encouraged to visit. They also organised meetings related to the work on display and ran courses and workshops.
In producing hand-printed photographs and text laminated into portable exhibitions, they worked closely with young people, teachers, youth and community groups, women’s and black organisations, photographers and historians. They paid critical attention to how photographs constructed meanings and views of the world. (At a time when access to making photographs was both more expensive and difficult to do, they) tried to help people develop their control over the means of representation. They welcomed any initiatives that would lead to future collaborations. The Gallery had a range of photographic and technical facilities, including a laminating machine, making them available to people producing exhibitions.
Some of the exhibitions were shown once in the Gallery. Some were exhibited and then made available for hire to educational establishments. (Schools, colleges, universities, adult education institutes, workers educational associations etc) or other community groups, (youth centres, art associations, galleries, trades councils, co-op centres, libraries, etc.) Hire fees were negotiable. They were all free of charge to schools within the Inner London Education Authority area.
It opened in Holborn with 4 exhibitions under the collective title Schooling and Culture on Monday 22 October 1979
Gallery touring show publicity in about 1982/3
Gallery touring shows advertised in 1983
The Gallery was able to reach all the institutions that were run by the ILEA by taking their publicity to the post room at County Hall. The GLC and the ILEA shared the building.
Gallery publicity in 1986
Touring Exhibitions with dates when shown in the Gallery
* And the Camera Clicked: Blackfriars Photography Project (28 Sep – 24 Oct 1989) Kamina Walton from Blackfriars Photography Project & Southwark Primary Schools.
A Falklands Scrapbook (5 Jan -2 Feb 1983)
Approaches to Urban Education (22 Oct-22 Nov 1979)
Aurat Shakti (3-26 March 1986) (2 copies)
Being at School (1-19 July 1985)
Beyond the Family Album (1979)
Changing Attitudes towards the Young Offender – Sara McCarthy? (Jan – Feb 1981)
*Daughters of the Pale-Rosy Massil, City Lit. No images available
Dolls House (9 Sept – 9 Oct 1985)
Family Fantasy and Photography (1981)
Fighting Spirit: Women and Martial Arts – Maggie Murray (21 Feb – 22 Mar 1989) – No images available
*From Victim to Victor (c.1989) – AIDS work from Goldsmiths degree student Will Percy – No images available. ( Advertised but not toured)
Future Vision (1986) – No images available (2 copies)
Girl’s Subcultures (1980 – 81)
Helen Taylor (1985) – No images available
Here and There (15 Apr – 10 May 1989) – No images available
Home Truths: Women and the Design of Houses (1984?)
Homeworking, Time for Change (1985)
It’s Not All Swings and Roundabouts (23 Jun – 28 Jul 1989) – No images available
More than Black and White (1987)
*Now We’re Talking- Cass Breen/Liz Mellor- Morley College. No images available.
One Hundred Years of Homeworking 1880-1980 (13 Sept – 7 Oct 1982)
One Hundred Months of Women’s Liberation with Spare Rib (30 Oct – 9 Dec 1980) – No images available
On Yer Bikes Boys (9 Sept – 9 Oct 1986)
Our Way of Rockin’ (28 Mar – 3 May 1984)
Positive Action for Women at Work (nd)
Promises Promises (9 May – 14 June 1984)
Staying On (24 April – 22 May 1985)
Talking to a Brick Wall: Posters on Homelessness and Capitalism – Faction Films (14 Jan – 18 Feb 1988) No images available.
The Big Bang for Bureaucrats. Cartoons on the Offensive – Leon Kuhn (1983)
The Good Ones Have Their Top Buttons Done Up (1979)
The Picture of Health? (15 Jan – 14 Feb 1986) ( Large and small version)
Toys – Are They Playing With You? (18 Nov – 15 Dec 1987)
Welcome to Britain (nd) – No images available
*We’re Doing this For Real -Margaret Burr, Notre Dame School. Guatemala and the Missing.( abt 1989) No images available.
What is this Thing Between Us? (18 Mar – 10 April 1987)
Who’s Still Holding the Baby??? (1978)
Whose World is the World? (1979)
*Late exhibitions recorded as transferred from Interchange to Camerawork. No images available.
The work of the galley featured in Ten.8 magazine. Issue No.26, 1987
When the ILEA was abolished the Gallery moved to Interchange in Camden.
Cockpit Gallery Exhibitions & Cultural Studies projects 1973-89 