Two years after the final blast furnace fell silent, a powerful new exhibition is set to open in Port Talbot, bringing the community's experiences, memories and hopes for the future into sharp focus.
Steeling Ourselves: Reflections from Port Talbot After the Blast Furnace Closure, created by acclaimed photographer Jon Pountney in collaboration with leading researchers, launches on 31 July 2026 from 6pm - 8pm at The Plaza, Port Talbot, before remaining open to the public until 7 August 2026.
Combining striking photography with deeply personal stories from local residents, the exhibition captures a community navigating one of the most significant industrial transitions in Welsh history. Through intimate portraits, reflections and shared memories, visitors will gain a unique insight into life in Port Talbot after the closure of the blast furnace.
The exhibition forms part of the ground-breaking After the End research project, which explores how communities experience endings and transitions, examining themes of memory, resilience, identity, power and resistance. The project is led by Professor Patricia Kingori (The Ethox Centre, Oxford Population Health) alongside Professor Ruth Ogden (Liverpool John Moores University) and Professor Laura Salisbury (University of Exeter).
More than an exhibition, Steeling Ourselves is a celebration of Port Talbot's people: their strength, creativity, and determination to shape the future while preserving the memories and experiences that matter. The collection creates a space where art, research and community experience come together, encouraging conversations about belonging, heritage, and what comes next.
Jon Pountney, whose work is widely recognised for its exploration of memory, community, and social history, offers an evocative portrait of a town at a pivotal moment. His photographs document not only a changing landscape, but also the people whose lives and identities have been intertwined with Port Talbot's steelmaking legacy for generations.
Researchers hope the exhibition will spark wider discussions about the social impacts of industrial change and ensure that local voices play a central role in conversations about regeneration and the future of communities experiencing major economic transitions.
Funded by the After the End project (Wellcome), Liverpool John Moores University, and the University of Exeter, the exhibition is part of a wider effort to preserve local knowledge and create opportunities for meaningful dialogue between residents, researchers, artists and policymakers.