Posters
- Examples by The Poster Collective (London)

The Poster Collective was started in London in the early 1970s by a group of practising artists, photographers and filmmakers who were ex staff and students from The Slade School, Royal College of Art and St Martins. It was formed on the basis of developing a coherent visual style, which addressed the political issues of the time. There were many volunteers who worked for short periods of time, but the core group worked full-time on a voluntary basis and the organisation was non-profitmaking. It was broadly based, non-aligned and active throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It collaborated with local and national trade unions, community and women’s organisations, and international organisations. Many of the members came from other countries including Chile, Holland, Africa, Argentina, Ireland and Brazil. Over two decades the Collective produced numerous hand-printed posters to support campaigns and large series of educational posters challenging the dominant views of history. It also produced films and organised exhibitions.
For more information see: The Poster Collective website {external_link}.

Image	Details
	Title: Irish Republic ... Date: 1980 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'The Provisional Government of the Irish Republic to the People of Ireland' Description: In the centre of the poster is the text of the proclamation of the Irish Republic that was read at the beginning of the Easter Rising in Dublin on 24 April 1916. The seven photographs at the top of the poster are of the signatories to the proclamation, all of whom were executed by the British following the Rising. The photograph at the bottom is of a group of Irish Volunteers. The 'Easter Lily', the traditional symbol of Republicans, also appears on the poster. This poster was produced by The Poster Collective in collaboration with Sinn Féin. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: James Connolly Date: 1985 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'James Connolly. No revolutionary movement is complete without it poetical expression. ...' Description: A poster based on a photograph of James Connolly together with a quote by him. Connolly was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916 and was a signatory to the proclamation of the Irish Republic. Connolly was executed by the British following the Rising. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: James Connolly (2) Date: 1985 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'The Bourgeois press and politicians incessantly strive to inflame the working class mind ... ' Description: A poster based on a photograph of James Connolly together with a quote by him. Connolly was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916 and was a signatory to the proclamation of the Irish Republic. Connolly was executed by the British following the Rising. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: The Cause of Labour ... (2) Date: 1985 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'The Cause of Labour is the Cause of Ireland ... The Cause of Ireland is the Cause of Labour' Description: A poster based on a photograph of James Connolly together with a quote by him. Connolly was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916 and was a signatory to the proclamation of the Irish Republic. Connolly was executed by the British following the Rising. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Fight For Ireland Date: 1980 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'The socialist of another country is a fellow patriot, as the capitalist of my own country is a natural enemy' Description: This poster is a montage of photographs, posters and cartoons from the early part of the 20th century. The main photographs depict events in Ireland surrounding the 1916 Easter Rising. The main quotes within the poster are by James Connolly who was one of the leaders of the Rising. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: A Nation That Enslaves ... Date: 1980 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'A nation that enslaves another cannot itself be free' Description: The poster contains a montage of images. Some of the photographs are of events in Northern Ireland however the main bottom image is of a line of British police officers at a demonstration somewhere in England. Both the quote and the images make the connection between events in Northern Ireland and the potential for unrest in Britain. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Give Us Civil Rights ... Date: 1975 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'Wherever there is repression there is resistance' Description: The three photographs in the poster were taken in Northern Ireland. The bottom photograph shows a demonstration by women against the use of plastic bullets, or 'baton rounds', by the British Army. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Criminalisation Date: 1980 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'Criminalisation of struggle needs normalisation of repression' Description: The sole image in the poster is of a hand behind prison bars. The poster calls on people to, "support the struggle for political status". Between September 1976 and October 1981 Republican prisoners were involved in a protest aimed at the restoration of 'special category status' or 'political status'. As part of their protest Republican prisoners took part in two hunger strikes one in 1980 and the second in 1981. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: H Block Date: 1981 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'H Block Political Status for Irish Prisoners' Description: The poster is a montage of images mainly related to the protest that took place within the H-Blocks of Maze Prison. The prison protest was an attempt to secure the return of 'political status'. The three photographs at the top of the poster are images from an earlier period and are an attempt to show a connection between the H-Block protest and earlier events in Ireland. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Long Kesh Date: 1981 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'Long Kesh Concentration Camp. Don't Let The Prisoners Die. Force the British government to grant their demands.' Description: This particular poster deals with the Hunger Strike of 1980 or 1981. At the bottom of the poster are the 'five demands' issued by Republican prisoners in order to end the hunger stike. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Political Status Date: 1981 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'Political Status For Irish Prisoners. The Irish prisoners of war are asking for what is rightfully their own - the 32 counties of Ireland.' Description: The poster contains a montage of images. The three images in the top-left of the poster deal with an earlier period of Ireland's history. These images are included to draw a connection between the contemporary prison dispute and earlier periods of conflict when British treatment of Republican prisoners lead to civil unrest.. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Ireland Unfree ... Date: 1978 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'Ireland Unfree Will Never Be At Peace' Description: Another poster dealing with the protests by Republican prisoners who were demanding the return of 'special category status' or 'political status'. Again historical images alongside contemporary ones are used to highlight the long-standing nature of the conflict. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: The Cause of Labour ... Date: 1985 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'The Cause of Labour is the Cause of Ireland ... The Cause of Ireland is the Cause of Labour' Description: The poster contains a montage of images. Historical images of events surrounding the Easter Rising in 1916, are linked to contemporary events in Northern Ireland.There are also quotes from James Connolly and Karl Marx. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Self Determination Date: 1980 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'Self Determination For The Irish People' Description: The poster is comprised of an image of 'the Starry plough' together with historical and contemporary photographs and a series of quotes on the topic of Ireland. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Solidarity With Irish Women ... Date: 1980 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'Solidarity with Irish Women in the Fight Against British Imperialism' Description: The poster contains four images, two historical and two contemporary, which illustrate the role of women in Irish political life. The top photograph may be one taken on board the boat 'Asgard' in July 1914 as guns were smuggled into Ireland to supply the Irish Volunteers. The bottom photograph shows women banging dustbin lids on the pavement; this was a method of warning people in the local area that a British Army raid was taking place. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Women In Struggle Date: 1980 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'Women In Struggle' Description: Photograph of a protesting woman. The main quote is by James Connolly. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Troops Out Now! Date: 1975 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'We cannot conceive of a free Ireland with a subject working class; we cannot conceive of a subject Ireland with a free working class' Description: The main text in the poster is a quote from James Connolly. The poster also contains two contemporary photographs of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Wherever There is Oppression ... Date: 1975 (?) Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'Wherever There is Oppression There is Resistance' Description: The poster is a montage of four contemporary photographs of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]
	Title: Occupation Forces Date: 1985 Produced by: The Poster Collective (London) Main text within image: 'Occupation Forces Belfast' Description: The photograph was taken in the Short Strand area of Belfast. A British Army helicopter can be seen flying low over the rooftops. The billboard contains an advertisement for the Halifax which is a British building society. At that time few people living in this part of Belfast would have been able to avail of its services. Image formats: [small] [medium] [large]