A Democratic Chorus: Common Sense Reimagined
Free sound installation (12 minutes)
Published in January 1776, Common Sense is Thomas Paine’s groundbreaking pamphlet arguing for American independence. Read by hundreds of thousands of people, it became one of the most influential political works ever written, helping to inspire the American Revolution.
Although Common Sense was published as a printed pamphlet, it was also widely read aloud in taverns, coffee houses, churches and public spaces. At a time when not everyone could read, hearing Paine’s arguments spoken helped spread ideas that would change the course of history.
Inspired by that tradition, this installation brings together a chorus of contemporary voices reading passages from Common Sense. Contributors range from local schoolchildren and community members to historians, campaigners and public figures from both the United Kingdom and the United States, reflecting the democratic spirit at the heart of Paine’s writing.
Rather than focusing on individual speakers, the installation invites you to listen closely to the words themselves and reflect on their power, eloquence and enduring relevance. Take a seat, listen, and encounter Common Sense not simply as a historic text, but as a living voice that continues to challenge, inspire and provoke.
Generously funded by the University of Sussex.
Tom Paine’s Bones
Having led the Festival of Democracy parade through the streets of Lewes to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, Tom Paine’s Bones has now come home to Bull House.
Created by artist Polyp, this striking 8-foot walking skeleton puppet celebrates one of Lewes’s most influential former residents. Paine’s bones have become part of his legend—after his death, they were removed from his grave in America with the intention of returning them to Britain, but they were lost, and their whereabouts remain a mystery.
The puppet playfully reimagines that story. More than a skeleton, it is a reminder that while Paine’s bones may have disappeared, his ideas are very much alive. His passionate belief in democracy, equality and the power of ordinary people to shape society continues to inspire around the world.
Come face to face with Tom Paine, discover the story behind the puppet, and perhaps be inspired, as Paine urged, to “begin the world over again.”
Signed copies of Polyp’s visual biography of Paine are on sale in the shop.
