Candour and Communities: A new exhibition reflects on a century of lies and cover-ups

A new touring exhibition from the Centre for People’s justice offers a powerful insight into a landmark new law designed to end cover-ups by those in public office. Candour and Communities shines a light on some of the most devastating disasters and scandals over the past century – all of which are marked by a widespread culture of lies and concealment by public authorities across the UK.

Co-created with the communities affected, the exhibition explores fifteen disasters, scandals and injustices over the past 100 years and highlights how institutional cover-ups caused and deepened suffering. Through retelling these interconnected stories of shared injustice, the exhibition reflects on how the Public Office (Accountability) Bill – also known as the Hillsborough Law – might have impacted these cases. This historic new law will impose a new ‘duty of candour’ on those in public office and impose criminal sanctions on those who breach it.   

The exhibition invites members of the public to share their views and consider how they can shape the Hillsborough Law as it passes through Parliament. Regarded as a “people’s law”, the Hillsborough Law is the result of decades of public campaigning by bereaved families and victims. The Centre for People’s Justice is currently playing a crucial role in bringing public opinion into the parliamentary process as the new law is drafted, and attendees will be invited to engage in this process.

Candour and Communities will tour around the UK between January and April 2026. 

It will be hosted at The Wave, University of Sheffield, between Monday 16^th – Wednesday 18^th February 2026, from 8:30am-5:30pm.