Sugar permeates our daily life - from a visible spoonful in coffee or tea to the hidden grams in a loaf of bread. Each intake of sugar brings with it a boost of energy for the body and a subsequent low, leaving us wanting more. In the western world we are addicted to the sweet substance of sugar, yet the complex colonial history of this addiction and the global political economy of its industrial production often fail to register.

Collaborating with materials specialist Ellie Doney and The National Caribbean Heritage Museum- Museumand FEAST Journal is hosting an evening exploration of sugar at Manchester Museum - encouraging visitors to make, taste and talk about sugar and our complex relationship to its hidden histories.

The evening will entail:

Sugar Creation: In a participatory research-led workshop, you will join artist researcher Ellie Doney to experience the active properties of sugar in its many raw and refined states, tasting and touching as we go. We will then use dark brown sugar as a casting material, looking at the many forms sugar takes throughout it’s making, and exploring its material properties to make our own sugary forms, whilst discussing the complex histories and processes of sugar production.

The workshop is a drop in activity for adults.

Sugar History & Artifacts: Throughout the evening an interactive display of artifacts relating to the history of sugar from Manchester Museum’s permanent collection will be on display. Diversifying, complementing, and problematizing the museum’s artifacts Museumand will present a selection of their growing collection referencing a history of sugar production in the Caribbean.

Sugar Consumption: A traditional Caribbean punch made from a recipe supplied by Museumand will be available to purchase throughout the evening in conjunction with a tasting table of botanical and refined sugars in all their various forms.