Jason and the Coal Mining Adventure

Bright, colourful and immersive, Jason and the Coal Mining Adventure, offers a joyful reimagining of Britain’s mining history and the communities at its heart.

A national art project celebrating the heritage and lived experiences of Britain’s mining communities opens at the Museum on Friday 27 March. At its centre is a world‑first tapestry by artist Jason Wilsher‑Mills MBE, created with the historic Flanders Tapestry studio and funded by Arts Council England. Inspired by stories gathered from former mining communities, the work blends traditional weaving with digital animation and audio drawn from interviews with mining families.

The tapestry is deeply personal to Jason, reflecting his own family’s mining history and memories of NUM banners and the Wakefield Miners’ Gala. Alongside it, you will encounter monumental inflatable sculptures and new film and animation created with Hot Knife Digital Media, bringing bold contemporary art into dialogue with the Museum’s mining collections.

Community collaboration has shaped the project, with Jason working closely with schools, disability groups, community organisations and former mining families. Three disabled artists have also received micro‑commissions and mentorship, with exhibitions planned for 2026. To reach communities nationwide, three replica tapestries will tour nationally, visiting the People’s History Museum, Kent Mining Museum and the National Mining Museum Scotland.