Birth Rites is a collection of contemporary art on childbirth. The collection is currently housed at Hornsey Town Hall and comprises photography, sculpture, painting, artist books, print, wallpaper, drawing, new media and film.
Birth Rites Collection aims to facilitate the production of new cutting edge works by artists who might not normally address the subject because of its taboo status within contemporary art practice, to support the work of artists whose work already engages with issues on this subject and to acquire relevant existing works to expand the collection.
The collection was housed in the Mary Seacole Building in the Midwifery School at the University of Salford from 2009-2017, King’s College, London from 2017 - 2021, across four buildings on Guy’s Campus and at the University of Kent between 2022 - 2026. The collection is currently housed in Hornsey Town Hall, London.
Through the presentation and dissemination of the work in the public domain, BRC encourages debate and increases awareness around childbirth practice. The collection receives donations of artworks to the collection from artists. It runs a programme of commissions, a competition for new works and a public programme.
