17 — 19 OCTOBER 2018 WILL YOU STAND WITH US?
POPULAR CULTURE AND SOCIAL CHANGE
A retreat dedicated to Popular Culture and Social Change, with a special focus on migration and displacement
Produced by Counterpoints Arts. Supported by and in collaboration with Unbound Philanthropy, Social Change Initiative and Dartington Hall Trust. We are especially delighted that Bridgit Antoinette Evans, Executive Director of the Pop Culture Collaborative in the US, will join us to share learning and successes from their influential grant-making programme.
Our conversation this year will be framed by Alice Sachrajda’s 2017 research, Riding the Waves, focusing on the vibrant popular culture scene in the UK and its potential to instigate social change.
Throughout we will also present inspiring work by a range of artists, activists and cultural producers, short inspirations and provocations, organised walks, workshops and plenty of informal networking and shared meals. The inspirations will include international artists whose large-scale public work speaks audaciously to current debates about migration, such as the recent Tate Modern Hyundai Turbine Hall commissioned artist, Tania WELCOME TO OUR POPULAR Bruguera, and UK artist Marc Quinn, who will present his CULTURE AND SOCIAL forthcoming project Odyssey. Our wider arts programme, inspired by the theme of CHANGE RETREAT popular culture and organised in collaboration with Dartington Hall, will also include a residency with artist Belinda Zhawi, a screening of A Northern Soul, which tells We are delighted to welcome you to our 2nd biennial the story of Hull’s ‘hip hop hopefuls’ and a performance retreat in Dartington Hall, which this year is framed by the by Mozambique-born rapper and spoken word artist intersection of ‘Popular Culture and Social Change’. In Mohammed Yahya & Native Sun, alongside Yemeni- creating this reflective space, our aim is to facilitate new Scouse poet Amina Atiq. cross-sector collaborations and explore the potential of popular culture to catalyse social change, especially in The 2018 retreat is a critical stepping stone for relation to migration and displacement. Counterpoints Arts, since we aim to continue to generate conversations about popular culture and social change Taking place over two and a half days, the retreat beyond the retreat, ideally resulting in collaborations, co- will bring together over 50 selected individuals from productions, public commissions and further cross-sector the worlds of visual and performing arts, advertising, networking. broadcast, digital and news media, charity and policy, activism and philanthropy. Together, we will explore We thank Dartington Hall for hosting the retreat and all the wide appeal of popular culture across a range of participants for taking time out to engage with such an art forms and practices, harnessing popular culture’s urgent and timely issue. Special thanks to Unbound potential to reflect the concerns and lived experiences of Philanthropy and the Social Change Initiative for their diverse audiences. support and for making this retreat a reality.
1 2 WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY 17 OCTOBER 2018 17 OCTOBER 2018
11.30 – 14.00 ARRIVALS & CHECK IN 18.15 – 20.00 A NORTHERN SOUL EAST WING RECEPTION Screening in THE GREAT HALL
12.30 – 14.15 LUNCH A poignant portrait of Hull’s ‘hip hop hopefuls’. UPPER GATEHOUSE Following 2015’s Doc/Fest Grand Jury Winner 14.30 – 14.45 WELCOME A Syrian Love Story, Sean McAllister returns to STUDIO 6 his hometown, Hull. Back living with his 90 year- A brief welcome to Dartington Hall and the retreat old parents and reflecting on changes to the city by Rhodri Samuel, CEO of Dartington Hall Trust affected by public spending cuts and Brexit, Sean and Almir Koldzic and Áine O’Brien, Co-Directors is drawn to the fringes of town where he encounters of Counterpoints Arts. Steve – a struggling warehouse worker with a dream.
14.45 – 15.00 INTRODUCTIONS The film will be followed by a panel discussion Introductions led by retreat facilitators Tim Finch chaired by Abigail Scott Paul (Joseph Rowntree and Chrissie Tiller. Foundation) and featuring Sean McAllister (director) and Steve Arnott (main protagonist). 15.00 – 15.40 POP CULTURE & SOCIAL CHANGE Bridgit Antoinette Evans, Executive Director of the Pop Culture Collaborative, reflects on how the 20.00 – 22.00 DINNER intersection of pop culture and social change has UPPER GATEHOUSE evolved into a new social justice field in the US.
15.40 – 15.50 RIDING THE WAVES Alice Sachrajda presents a summary of her recent report, commissioned by Unbound Philanthropy, exploring how popular culture might influence social change in the UK.
15.50 – 16.30 Q&A Bridgit Antoinette Evans and Alice Sachrajda, chaired by Taryn Higashi, Executive Director of Unbound Philanthropy.
16.30 – 17.30 FREE TIME & CHECK IN Snacks, tea and coffee served in Garden Room
3 4 THURSDAY THURSDAY 18 OCTOBER 2018 18 OCTOBER 2018
7:30 – 9:30 BREAKFAST 10.50 – 11.25 INSPIRATIONS THE WHITE HART Artists, cultural leaders and campaigners talk about their inspirations and present examples of their 8.30 – 9.30 WILD & CURIOUS change-making work. Presenters include Tania COURTYARD Bruguera (artist), Manaf Halbouni (artist), Marc Quinn Take a walk through Dartington land with Myrtle (artist), Hammad Nasar (Stuart Hall Foundation), Cooper, founder of Wild & Curious Foraging. Wear Richard DeDomenici (artist). sturdy walking shoes or boots! Please gather at 8.30am in the Courtyard. 11.25 – 12.55 WORKSHOP 1: CURRENT LAY OF THE LAND Participants work in smaller groups to identify YOGA challenges and shared networks in the popular SHIP STUDIO culture and social change field in the UK. Relax and stretch with Justin Dalton in a Scaravelli- inspired gentle yoga session. 13.00 – 14.00 LUNCH UPPER GATEHOUSE WANDER Wander around the beautiful Dartington Hall Estate 14.00 – 14.30 INSPIRATIONS gardens as lush greens turn to warm autumnal Producers, activists and campaigners talk colours. The gardens include a Grade II listed about their inspirations and share examples of Henry Moore sculpture, 1500 year old yew tree and their change-making work. Presenters include Silent Spaces that offer peace and solitude. Magid Magid (Mayor Of Sheffield), Iain Dodgeon (Welcome Trust), Laura Padoan (UNHCR) and 10.00 – 10.20 OVERVIEW Eloise King (film-maker). Moderators Tim Finch & Chrissie Tiller summarise the previous day’s discussions. 14.30 – 16.30 WORKSHOP 2: CROSS-SECTOR OPPORTUNITY What might a Pop Culture Collaborative equivalent 10.20 – 10.30 COUNTERPOINTS ARTS & POPULAR CULTURE be in the UK? Áine and Almir outline the aims of the UK Popular Culture strand and Dartington retreat. 16.30 – 17.00 WORKSHOP FEEDBACK
10.30 – 10.50 PROVOCATION — CREATIVE CASE 17.00 – 17.15 BREAK AND POPULAR CULTURE: A CRITICAL CONVERSATION 17.15 – 17.30 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE Hassan Mahamdallie reflects on the shared vision Belinda Zhawi will present South X South East - A and challenges underpinning the development of journey from Southern Africa to South East London, Arts Council England’s Creative Case For Diversity. a multimedia live reading.
5 6 THURSDAY FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER 2018 19 OCTOBER 2018
17.30 – 18.30 FREE TIME 7:30 - 9:30 BREAKFAST THE WHITE HART 18.15 – 20.00 DINNER UPPER GATEHOUSE 8.30 - 9.30 WANDER Wander around the beautiful Dartington Hall Estate 20.00 – 21.30 PERFORMANCE gardens as lush greens turn to warm autumnal THE GREAT HALL colours. The gardens include a Grade II listed Henry Poetry, spoken word and music event featuring the Moore sculpture, 1500 year old yew tree and Silent internationally acclaimed Native Sun, a London Spaces that offer peace and solitude. based duo consisting of Mozambique-born rapper Mohammed Yahya and singer-songwriter Sarina YOGA Leah. They’ll be joined on stage by Yemeni-Scouse SHIP STUDIO artist and activist Amina Atiq. Relax and stretch with Justin Dalton in a Scaravelli- inspired gentle yoga session. 21.30 - 23.00 RECEPTION THE GREAT HALL 10.00 -10.10 RE-FRAMING Drinks and networking event with the performing Moderators Tim Finch & Chrissie Tiller summarise artists and local community activists. the previous day’s conversation.
10.10 – 10.40 INSPIRATIONS Artists, cultural leaders and campaigners talk about their inspirations and present examples of their changemaking work. Presenters include Chrystal Genesis (Producer), Alice Julia Harper (What Larks!), Naima Khan (Campaigner), Nathalie McDermott (On Road Media) and Khaled Barakeh (artist).
10.40 – 12.40 WORKSHOP 3: CREATING PROTOTYPES An interactive session facilitated by branding and digital agency Templo will open up a space for the creation of prototype projects focusing on wider audience engagement.
12.40 – 14.00 LUNCH UPPER GATEHOUSE
14.00 – 14.40 PROTOTYPE PRESENTATIONS
14.40 – 15.00 CLOSING REMARKS AND FINAL GOODBYES
7 8 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
AMINA ATIQ AMY BERE WRITER AND PERFORMER DARTINGTON HALL Amina Atiq is a Yemeni-Scouse writer, DIRECTOR OF ARTS spoken-word performer and activist. She Amy joined Dartington in 2015 from explores identity and politics in her work. the Geraldine Connor Foundation, a charity She has been involved in national and in West Yorkshire, where she was Director international projects, working alongside responsible for strategic development, Roots & Routes international, Ice and Fire partnership and programming. An theatre, Writing on the Wall, The Arab experienced cultural and arts manager Arts Festival, ORT gallery, Firstdraft and with seven years’ experience in classical many more. music, Amy worked in two large-scale opera companies, Glyndebourne, Sussex KHALED BARAKEH and Opera North, Leeds. Her focus since ARTIST 2007 has been in engagement, learning, Khaled graduated from the Faculty of Fine participation and artist development. Amy Arts in Damascus (2005), and completed graduated with an MA Advanced Theatre his MFA at Funen Art Academy in Odense Practice from the Royal Central School (2010) and his Meisterschüler at the of Speech and Drama and began her Städelschule Art Academy in Frankfurt career as a creative producer and theatre (2013). Moving to Europe resulted in major director, during which time she worked at changes in his practice: originally trained the Battersea Arts Centre for the producing as a painter, he developed a stronger company Your Imagination, established concentration on conceptual art practices. a collective of theatre artists, supported He is currently Berlin-based and works emerging and established practitioners in a in a variety of media, focusing on issues producing capacity (I’m a Camera Theatre revolving around power structures in Company, Fecund Theatre, Ridiculusmus relation to identity, culture and history. He etc) and created her own performance is part of a global ‘artivism’ movement work. Amy is a Fellow of the RSA and lives – often focusing on topics of cultural in Devon with her family. preservation, aiming to see between the cracks of social and political systems. STEVE BRADFORD Khaled is founding Director of Co- THE DARTINGTON HALL Culture which houses the Syria Cultural PHILANTHROPY MANAGER Index (SCI), the Syrian Biennale Project Steve currently works as Development and Giving Spaces - three projects Manager in the Central Philanthropy dedicated to mapping and connecting team, having originally joined Dartington the Syrian artistic community around the as part-time programme adviser in the globe and showcasing their work to wider social justice department. During his time audiences. at Dartington Steve has been involved in project development and securing funding for a series of strategic initiatives including the establishment of the LandWorks prisoner rehabilitation project, the Seedbed
9 10 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
Social Incubator, the Deer Park heritage SOIZIG CAREY and learning project, and Dartington’s SCOTTISH REFUGEE COUNCIL land-use programme. Since 2016, Steve Arts and Cultural Development Officer has also led Dartington’s involvement in Soizig is Arts and Cultural Development a local refugee support network, bringing Officer for Scottish Refugee Council, together a range of community groups an independent charity dedicated to in the area. Before joining Dartington, providing advice and information to Steve worked at the Youth Justice Board, people seeking refugee protection in latterly as Head of Strategy Co-ordination Scotland. Scottish Refugee Council has and Parliamentary Affairs. Prior to that been developing arts and cultural projects he was Home Affairs Advisor for the with refugee and receiving communities Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party, a since its inception in 1985. We see parliamentary researcher and Box Office the use of arts and culture as a tool to Manager at the Hackney Empire. support our work around the integration of refugees and challenging public TANIA BRUGUERA attitudes. Soizig is also a Designer Maker, ARTIST specialising in Contemporary Jewellery Tania Bruguera is a Cuban installation and Objects. and performance artist. She lives and works between New York and Havana, MARCIA CHANDRA and has participated in numerous ARTIST international exhibitions. Her work is also Marcia is a visual storyteller working in the permanent collections of many around themes of migration, place institutions, including the Museum of and urban environments. Informed by Modern Art, the Bronx Museum of the Arts political ecology, visual ethnography and and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes participatory methods, her approach is to de La Habana. Bruguera’s work pivots construct narratives through observation around issues of power and control, and and collaborative reflection. Marcia has several of her works interrogate and re- recently spent a year filming the Open present events in Cuban history. As part University’s PASAR project, a participatory of the work, Bruguera has instigated an theatre and walking project with migrant Immigrant Respect Awareness Campaign, mothers. Marcia is also co-producing with and launched an international day of Counterpoints Arts, the participatory arts actions on 18 December 2011 (which the and neighbourhood storytelling projects UN has designated International Migrants Everyday on Canalside and Clapham Park Day), in which other artists also made Creative Co-op. She delivered a series work about immigration. Bruguera is the of short films as part of Who Are We? Tate Modern Hyundai Commission Turbine project at Tate exchange, commissioned Hall artist with a current installation by Counterpoints Arts. A forthcoming focusing on migration, neighbourliness project, also with Counterpoints Arts and civic activism. is Refuge City set in London, Athens and Berlin in collaboration with the LSE Resilient Cities Programme. Marcia works
11 12 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
with NGOs, communities and research The Observer’s New Radicals of 2018. Kat organisations in the UK and internationally holds a Postgraduate certificate in Sports as a photographer, filmmaker, and visual Philanthropy from George Washington projects producer. University and a first class Postgraduate Degree in Law. She regularly contributes EMILY CHURCHILL ZARAA to national and international media and COUNTERPOINTS ARTS print outlets. Kat is co-author of The Refugee Week UK Coordinator Protest Handbook (Bloomsbury Press). Emily has coordinated Refugee Week UK, a national festival of arts and RICHARD DEDOMENICI cultural activities exploring refugee ARTIST experiences, for almost four years. She Richard makes performances that has a background in media, music are social, joyful, topical and political and community work and previously - although rarely simultaneously. coordinated My Journey, a multimedia He specialises in anarcho-surrealist storytelling project at Migrants Resource interventions which create the kind of Centre. Emily has an NCTJ qualification uncertainty that leads to possibility. His in print journalism and a BA in Arabic and first television programme, Fame Asylum, Development Studies, and has lived and was described by The Guardian as ‘the worked in Palestinian refugee camps in worst idea for a television programme in the West Bank and Syria. the world ever’, and nominated for a Royal Television Society Award. Richard’s 2015 KAT CRAIG adaptation of his inexplicably popular ATHLEAD CIC Redux Project for BBC4 was called ‘one CEO of the smartest, strangest, subversive Kat is an award-winning human rights half hours of television I have ever seen’ lawyer who uses popular culture to by critic Matt Truman. This summer the create positive social change. Her work project visited Doc|Fest in Sheffield, includes a social impact campaign for The Great Exhibition of the North, and Oscar-nominated documentary Dirty the Festival of Thrift in Redcar. His Wars; co-designing a multi-media art installation Shed Your Fears, born at the collaboration with an exonerated ex- last edition of this retreat, debuted at Tate Guantanamo Bay detainee (covered by Modern’s Tate Exchange‘s Who Are We? the New Yorker, and receiving the Yoko programme in 2017. Richard’s performed Ono Courage Award 2014); and creating in over 30 countries, and in 2019 he will the Guardian’s most-watched video ever, unveil his most ambitious commission yet with hip hop artist Mos Def. In 2016, Kat for the Radical Independent Art Fund. founded Athlead, the UK’s first not-for- profit sports philanthropy consultancy helping athletes become leaders and pioneers in social change. Athlead’s clients have been shortlisted for the Beyond Sport Awards and included in
13 14 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
DEVINDA DE SILVA Addicted Parents and The Secret Life NATIONAL THEATRE WALES of 4, 5 and 6 Year Olds; comedy series HEAD OF COLLABORATION Quacks; and the feature films Dark Devinda is a founding member of River and Journeyman. National Theatre Wales (NTW). NTW is non-building based, working all over the OWEN DOWSETT country, using Wales’ rich and diverse DARTINGTON SOCIAL JUSTICE landscape, its towns, cities and villages, INNOVATION its incredible stories and wealth of RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT talent as our inspiration. Each strand of OFFICER NTW’s work has a unique relationship Owen supports the development with the people and places of Wales and delivery of DSJI projects and and Devinda’s main role is to develop, programmes. Owen previously worked oversee and co-ordinate this. He has for Developing Health & Independence, over 20 years’ experience of working supporting services for vulnerable people. with communities across the UK and Earlier in his career, Owen worked at the internationally. Economic and Social Research Council where he developed and managed IAIN DODGEON a portfolio of social science research WELLCOME relating to the environment and climate STRATEGIC VENTURES MANAGER change. He has a Masters in Sociological Iain Dodgeon works in Public Research from Lancaster University which Engagement at global health involved research on the empowerment foundation, Wellcome. A former medical of asylum seekers and other marginalised doctor and television producer with groups through bicycle repair. As a over fifteen years’ experience in the freelancer he undertook research on how entertainment industries, he has led social enterprises can be innovative in the the charity’s development and growth 21st Century and in protecting the right to in television, radio, film and interactive the city. entertainment. He pioneered its strategic work with the games industry, At other times Owen organised a large supporting the creation of many music festival in support of Oxfam, run multi-award winning games engaging half marathons and a London Marathon. audiences with ideas in health, science He travelled widely, wrote about his and research, including the 2017 hit experiences of India, Nepal and Sri PS4/PC games Hellblade: Senua’s Lanka, and also taught English and Sacrifice and Everything. Prior to delivered song-writing workshops to Wellcome he worked at companies classrooms of children. including Endemol, BBC and STV. Wellcome’s recent entertainment portfolio also includes documentaries Out of Thin Air, A World Without Down’s Syndrome and Against the Law; series
15 16 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
ISMAIL EINASHE strategies for social movements using FEATURE AND INVESTIGATIVE transportive story experiences, often in the JOURNALIST pop culture realm, to shift the thoughts and Ismail Einashe is a feature writer and feelings of mass audiences. She received investigative journalist based in London. her MFA from Columbia University and BA He has written for The Sunday Times, The from Stanford University. Guardian, The New York Times, Frieze, Prospect, The Atlantic, New Humanist, TIM FINCH NPR and The Nation, among others. COUNTERPOINTS ARTS He has worked for BBC Radio Current CHAIR OF TRUSTEES Affairs and presented on BBC Radio. Tim Finch is a writer, broadcaster and He is an Ochberg Fellow at the Dart campaigner on refugee and migration Center for Journalism and Trauma at issues. He is the founding director of Columbia University Journalism School Sponsor Refugees, set up the migration and an associate at the Cambridge communications agency IMiX, is a former University Migration Research Network head of migration research at IPPR (CAMMIGRES). and was director of communications at the Refugee Council. He wrote the BRIDGIT ANTOINETTE EVANS refugee-themed novel ‘The House of POP CULTURE COLLABORATIVE Journalists’ and worked on the Ai Weiwei EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR documentary ‘Human Flow’. He is the Bridgit Antoinette Evans is a thought founding chair of Counterpoints Arts. leader in the culture change strategy field who has dedicated her career to the CHRIS GALE relentless investigation of the potential of BEN & JERRY’S artists to drive cultural change in society. HEAD OF SOCIAL MISSION, EUROPE In 2016, Bridgit was a Nathan Cummings Chris is the Head of Social Mission, Europe Foundation Fellow, piloting Culture for Ben & Jerry’s. He worked for 7 years Changes Us, a coordinated learning on issues surrounding education and skills system designed to accelerate the social development in Ghana, India and South justice sector’s understanding and use Africa and then transitioned into working of culture change strategy. For Unbound more closely on how business can drive Philanthropy and Ford Foundation, she has social impact, spending time at both Ben led culture change research and strategy & Jerry’s and Marks & Spencer, before design projects aimed at unearthing moving back to Ben & Jerry’s full time breakthrough strategies for the immigrant where he heads up their social mission rights and gender justice movements. In in Europe and the development of the 2008, Bridgit founded Fuel | We Power Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, which provides Change, a culture change strategy grants to refugee and asylum seeker led studio in New York City, as the home for organisations in the UK. her collaborations with leading social change innovators. Through this work she designed long-term culture change
17 18 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
CHRYSTAL GENESIS at the British Institute of Human Rights she STANCE PODCAST led a range of national campaigns and CO-FOUNDER practice initiatives to bring human rights to Chrystal Genesis co-founded Stance, an life in areas such as equality, health and award-winning arts, culture and current social care, education, tackling poverty affairs podcast exploring diverse, global and strengthening the impact of civil perspectives, hosted as a transatlantic society sector campaigning and advocacy. conversation between Chrystal Genesis in London and Heta Fell in San Francisco. She was previously Chair of the Women’s Chrystal is a freelance producer and Resource Centre and trustee of the broadcast journalist. After working at the UK Equality and Diversity Forum and BBC for almost a decade - creating multi- is currently a school governor at her platform content for Radio 4, 6 Music, daughter’s primary school in Totnes. An BBC 1 and BBC World in London and active fellow of the Young Foundation and Washington DC, she now works in artistic the Royal Society of Arts, in 2016 Ceri was programming at Southbank Centre for awarded an honorary doctorate by the contemporary music, performance and Open University for public service and dance. Stance Productions creates audio innovation in equality and social justice. and programming content for charities and brands internationally. TOM GREEN PLATFORMA / COUNTERPOINTS ARTS CERI GODDARD PROJECT MANAGER DARTINGTON SOCIAL JUSTICE Tom Green has managed the Platforma INNOVATION project since 2011 and produced the ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Platforma Festival in London (2011), Ceri leads the development and delivery Manchester (2013), Leicester (2015) and of the DSJI strategy and programmes at Newcastle and the North East (2017). Dartington. Previously he has worked for organisations including the Refugee Previously Director of Equality and Gender Council, the Writers’ Guild and Youthnet. Innovation at the Young Foundation she Tom has written plays for theatre and BBC initiated the Gender Futures initiative which Radio 4. His most recent theatre project developed new gender equality innovation was about boxing and migration. and gender lens investment frameworks and projects, as well as wider work to MANAF HALBOUNI increase the equality impact of place ARTIST based social innovation and investment. German-Syrian artist Manaf Halbouni was born in Damascus to a Syrian father Prior to this she spent four years as Chief and German mother. He studied at the Executive of the Fawcett Society, the UK’s Damascus art school and has lived in leading campaigning organisation for Germany since 2009. Manaf has exhibited women’s equality and rights. Before this, and undertaken commissions throughout as Director of Practice and Development Europe, including Nowhere is Home, a
19 20 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
co-commission by Counterpoints Arts 2001-2008. Previously, Taryn was a and the V&A in 2015, and What If?, a Program Officer at The New York residency with Deveron Arts in Scotland Community Trust; a staff attorney for in 2017, in which he worked with the Safe Horizons in New York City; and local Syrian community to turn the tables an associate at the law firm O’Melveny on the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement. & Myers. Taryn is the recipient of In 2017, Manaf unveiled Monument, an numerous awards, including the installation consisting of three 40-foot Roberts W. Scrivner Award for Creative high upturned buses, based on a picture Grantmaking, one of philanthropy’s of a barrier erected in Aleppo to protect highest honors, which she shared with civilians against snipers. Monument her colleague Geri Mannion of the was met with protests from far-right Carnegie Corporation of New York. groups, but received huge support by Taryn and Geri co-founded the Four those who understood its meaning as a Freedoms Fund, to secure the full symbol of suffering as well as of hope for integration of immigrants as active reconstruction and peace. participants in our democracy, which has made more than $94.3 million in ALICE HARPER grants since 2003. Taryn serves on WHAT LARKS! the Board of the International Refugee DEVELOPMENT PRODUCER Assistance Project, the Advisory Board Alice Harper has worked in the TV of the International Migration Initiative industry for over 10 years, during that time of the Open Society Foundations, and she has worked on productions and in the Steering Committee of the Asian development in documentary, comedy Women’s Giving Circle. and entertainment. Currently Alice works as a development producer at What MATILDA JAMES Larks, an Independent TV production SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE company which make socially conscious PRODUCER comedy dramas and factual shows. Matilda is a Producer and Casting What Larks make Damned on Channel Director. She is currently Producer at 4 and have recently delivered Romesh Shakespeare’s Globe, working on festivals Ranganathan’s sit com The Reluctant and response programming, and was Landlord on Sky 1. Head of Casting there for 4 years, casting over 50 shows for the Globe and Sam TARYN HIGASHI Wanamaker Playhouse. Highlights there UNBOUND PHILANTHROPY included Farinelli and the King in the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Playhouse, West End and on Broadway, Taryn Higashi is the Executive Director Nell Gywnn by Jessica Swale (Globe of Unbound Philanthropy. Taryn and West End, Olivier for Best New managed the migrant and refugee Comedy 2016), the touring production rights portfolio at the Ford Foundation of Hamlet which went to every country in from 1997-2018 and was Deputy the world, and The Complete Walk, 37 Director of the human rights unit from short films made for the Shakespeare
21 22 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
400 celebrations. Other recent work for Arts Showcase. As a keen champion for theatre includes Lady Windermere’s Fan diversity and equality in the arts, Nike has directed by Kathy Burke and A Woman led numerous discussions and workshops of No Importance directed by Dominic in USA, South Africa, Canada, UK, Dromgoole (both Vaudeville Theatre). Denmark, Australia and The Netherlands. Recent film credits include three features She is a Trustee for The European Cultural for Open Palm Films: Undercliffe, Pond Foundation, Birmingham Contemporary Life and Benjamin, which was written and Music Group, Royal Africa Society and The directed by Simon Amstell. Bush Theatre.
DR DELIA JARRETT-MACAULEY NAIMA KHAN THE CAINE PRIZE FOR AFRICAN PAUL HAMLYN FOUNDATION WRITING PROGRAMME COORDINATOR Chair of the Caine Prize board of trustees Naima coordinates the activities of Delia Jarrett-Macauley, the youngest the Act For Change Fund at Paul daughter of Sierra Leonean parents, is a Hamlyn Foundation. She works with writer, academic and consultant. She has funding partners to manage grants published four books including the Orwell and relationships with supported Prize-winning novel ‘Moses, Citizen and organisations. She was previously the Me’ and edited collections on gender, Arts & Culture Officer at Aziz Foundation. feminism, Shakespeare, Race and Naima is also a trustee of the Inclusive performance. As Chair of the Caine Prize Mosque Initiative which was chosen as since 2016, Delia has led the organisation one of Nesta and The Observer’s 50 through positive changes to increase the New Radicals of 2018 for their work on opportunities available to African writers. intersectional feminism. She is a content creator and arts journalist, having begun NIKE JONAH her career as the Theatre and Film Desk COUNTERPOINTS ARTS Editor at Spoonfed Media after graduating CREATIVE PRODUCER - POPULAR from King’s College London with a BA in CULTURE AND SOCIAL CHANGE English Language and Communications. She is currently working as a Creative Producer at Counterpoint Arts on their Pop ELOISE KING Culture and Social Justice Initiative. Nike is DIRECTOR AND EXECUTIVE the co-founder and Executive Director of PRODUCER the Pan African Creative Exchange (PACE) King is an award-winning Director and that launched July 2018 at the Vrystaat Executive Producer. Her work, noted for Arts Festival in Bloemfontein, South it’s ‘curation and fluency in the subversive’, Africa and a Visiting Research Fellow has a focus on telling powerful human at The Royal Central School of Speech stories that foreground marginalised and Drama (2017-2019). From 2004 to voices. Previous titles include: Kids 2012 Nike developed and produced Behind Bars (ITV ), Divorce Clinic (BBC), the Arts Council England’s flagship Acid Attacks (VICE/BBC) and JME x diversity initiative: Decibel Performing Corbyn and Gurls Talk with Adwoa Aboah
23 24 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
(i-D). King’s work has garnered over 100 JAKE LEE million views and crossed digital and UNBOUND PHILANTHROPY all major terrestrial platforms including UK PROGRAMME DEPUTY BBC, Channel 4, ITV, MTV, A&E and Al DIRECTOR Jazeera English - exhibiting in The ICA, Jake is a social justice lawyer who is Tate Britain and MoAD. Also an alumni responsible for Unbound Philanthropy’s of the Edinburgh television festival’s arts and cultural grant-making in the UK. Ones to Watch scheme and Sheffield He uses creative grant-making to catalyse Documentary Festival Future Producers, social change and has been instrumental in 2018 King was recognised for in instigating multiple funder collaborations, ‘Outstanding Achievement’ in Campaign supporting new organisations and advising magazine’s list of female leaders defining non-profits. Currently this is focused on creativity. King co-founded Women on exploring how to harness the potential Docs, a screening collective and event power of popular culture and storytelling. network celebrating the contribution of Jake is also the Strategy Director at the women to documentary film. Legal Education Foundation, where he leads on work to engage civil society in ALMIR KOLDZIC the issues implicated by the UK’s decision COUNTERPOINTS ARTS to leave the EU, amongst other initiatives. CO-DIRECTOR Jake was one of the founding architects Almir is a Co-Founder and Co-Director of a fellowship scheme for young social of Counterpoints Arts. He has worked justice lawyers- which is now the largest for over 15 years on developing creative of its kind in the UK. When not working, strategies for engaging with refugee and Jake is an avid consumer of the arts and migrant experiences. His experiences popular culture who briefly studied fine art, include leading on the development of a which confirmed that he is better suited to national strategy and identity for Refugee the law and social justice. Week UK; initiating the Simple Acts participatory programme; developing LAURA LINES Platforma – a national arts and refugees ESMEE FAIRBAIRN FOUNDATION networking project; curating and producing GRANTS MANAGER events, exhibitions and commissions; and Laura joined the Esmee Fairbairn developing lasting partnerships with a Foundation in 2007 as Administrator big number of organisations across the - Communications and Resources, country, ranging from mainstream cultural becoming Grants and Communications organisations and inter/national NGOs to Officer in 2014 and Grants Manager smaller arts organisations and community in 2016. Her specialist area is social groups. His passion is literature. He change. She also co-convenes the ACF’s has studied English literature (BA), criminal justice network and is a Trustee Anthropology (MA) and Creative Writing. of Safe Ground which empowers people to change, reduce reoffending and build stronger communities.
25 26 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
CLIVE LYTTLE a ‘Wasteman’ and for banning Trump ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND from Sheffield, in addition to writing a RELATIONSHIP MANAGER ‘Yorkshire letter’ to the current Home Clive has professional experience as a Secretary, Sajid Javid. Magid uses producer and artistic director of venues, creativity and social media to engage festival and events. This experience with his audience on an emotional level includes arts in residence, producing the and to get his messages across. first Greenwich Anti Racist Festival and as programme director at the Croydon HASSAN MAHAMDALLIE Clock Tower. Whilst in Croydon he helped ARTIST develop the annual Croydon Festival. He Hassan Mahamdallie is an artist, majored in music during his degree in playwright, theatre director, writer and creative and performing arts. He studied specialist in diversity and the arts. A senior Jazz with guitar as main instrument and policy maker and consultant, he authored also worked as a producer with a number Arts Council England’s unique approach: of releases. Projects have included an The Creative Case for Diversity. He has independent dance label in West London delivered keynotes on the creative case and he was chair of Beat Dis, a Jazz to cultural sectors in the UK, Europe, the and community music organisation for US and South Africa. He was until recently a number of years. Clive’s current role Director of the Muslim Institute, and helps includes an interest in Circus, Street edit its journal Critical Muslim, for which he Arts, Outdoor Arts, Live Arts, Theatre is its roving reporter. He is the founder of and Carnival. Roles at the Arts Council theatre company Dervish Productions. His have included Combined Arts Officer, last play, The Crows Plucked Your Sinews, Head of Combined Arts (South East) and is about Somalis in Britain and Britain in Relationship Manager Combined Arts. Somalia. He is presently writer for Common He recently completed an MA in Cultural Wealth theatre company’s forthcoming Leadership at City University. devised drama on the UK arms trade (2019). Published books include a MAGID MAGID biography of Victorian artist/activist William LORD MAYOR SHEFFIELD Morris and a history of Black British Magid Magid is a Somali born refugee Radicals. He also blogs for the Dream who is the youngest and first Green Deferred site on 1970s Punk music. Lord Mayor of Sheffield. He grew up in Sheffield, studied Aquatic Zoology at Hull University and worked for the homeless charity, ‘Shelter’, before he got elected as a councillor. A photo of Magid went viral in May following his inauguration. Magid has made further headlines because of his unorthodox way of working. He has also received national and international coverage for branding Donald Trump
27 28 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
SEAN MCALLISTER CHIEDZA MHONDORO TENFOOT FILMS COUNTERPOINTS ARTS DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR OFFICE MANAGER In 2016, Sean was nominated for a BAFTA Chiedza is Counterpoints Arts’ Office for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Manager. Her background is in Visual Director or Producer for A SYRIAN LOVE Art and she has previously worked in STORY. He has another 9 film award wins museums and arts centres on exhibitions, and 11 nominations to his credit, including public programming and arts education. Grand Jury Award at the 2015 Sheffield Chiedza first worked with Counterpoints Doc Festival (A SYRIAN LOVE STORY), Arts on the curation of Adopting Britain: Special Prize and Citizens Prize at the 70 Years of Migration and has worked on 2009 Yamagata International Documentary the development and delivery of several Film Festival for his film JAPAN: A STORY Refugee Week projects. Her interests OF LOVE AND HATE and the Special Jury are in celebrating and exploring shared Prize for World Cinema – Documentary at human experiences through the arts. the 2005 Sundance Film Festival for THE LIBERACE OF BAGHDAD. MILICA MILOSEVIC CREATIVE SCOTLAND NATHALIE MCDERMOTT Head of Equalities, Diversity and ON ROAD MEDIA Inclusion Milica came to the UK from CEO former Yugoslavia in 1992 and has Nathalie is a former journalist and worked in the arts sector for over 20 founded the charity On Road Media years. As Senior Relationship Manager which improves media coverage of for Diversity and Music at Arts Council communities that are misrepresented, England, Milica led on diversity, equality including “Angles: A Different Take strategy and policy, informing the on Sexual and Domestic Abuse” and development and delivery of diversity the award-winning “All About Trans” strategy across England. Alongside which has leveraged over £5.5 million managing a team of arts, diversity, and in positive programming in the UK. engagement specialists, Milica managed On Road is running 2 pilots this year relationships with a diverse portfolio dealing with the issues of poverty and of arts organisations, many of whom immigration, supporting people with led social inclusion programmes with lived experience of both issues to meet refugees, older people and homeless and collaborate with senior media people, and collaborations with the youth professionals from news editors to soap justice system and arts in health and opera script writers, from children’s TV wellbeing programmes. Milica’s previous commissioners to fashion magazine roles at Arts Council England included writers. On Road is this year’s winner working as Senior Strategy Officer, of the “Small Charity, Big Achiever” Diversity (National), Head of Diversity category of the Third Sector Awards. team at the London Regional office and Nathalie grew up in Dublin and Brussels Head of Lottery at the London Regional and lives in London. Arts Board. As a volunteer, Milica has
29 30 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
fundraised for arts and social inclusion the tampon tax to Richard Ratcliffe’s fight projects and is a Trustee of the Drawing to free his wife Nazanin from prison in Shed and Shapeshifter Productions. Iran. Kajal has worked in the campaigns and tech sector for over 12 years, is an HAMMAD NASAR advisor for the women in STEM group STUART HALL FOUNDATION Ada’s List and founded the People of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Colour initiative. “Hammad Nasar is a curator, researcher and writer based in London. He is ÁINE O’BRIEN Executive Director of the Stuart Hall COUNTERPOINTS ARTS Foundation, and Senior Research Fellow CO-DIRECTOR at the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies Áine is Co-Founder/Co-Director of in British Art (Yale University), where Counterpoints Arts, and has worked he co-leads (with Sarah Turner) the across the arts, education and activism London, Asia project. He co-founded for over 25 years in the US, Ireland (with Anita Dawood) the London-based and the UK. She set up the Centre arts organisation Green Cardamom for Transcultural Research and Media (2004-12), and was Head of Research & Practice in 2005, a doctoral programme Programmes at Asia Art Archive, Hong aligning migration research with the Kong (2012-16). He was a Fellow of the creative arts; and in 2017 created Clore Leadership Programme (2006/7). FOMACS (Forum on Migration and He has curated or co-curated numerous Communications), curating arts and exhibitions internationally, including: cross-sector public projects focusing ‘Lines of Control: Partition as a Productive on migration. Her film documentaries Space’ (2005-2013); ‘Excessive include: Silent Song (2000) on Kurdish Enthusiasm: Ha Bik Chuen and the lyrical protest in Europe; Here to Stay Archive as Practice’ (2015); ‘Rock, Paper, (2006) on migrant activism; and Promise Scissors: Positions in Play’ – the UAE’s and Unrest (2010) on gendered migration national pavilion at the 57th Venice and long-distance motherhood. She is Biennale (2017) and ‘Speech Acts: co-editor of a book/DVD-ROM Projecting Reflection-Imagination-Repetition’ at Migration: Transcultural Documentary Manchester Art Gallery (2018-19). Practice (Columbia University Press, 2007). Áine leads on Counterpoints KAJAL ODEDRA Arts’ Learning Lab platform, developing CHANGE.ORG UK national and international learning EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR partnerships; and on the ‘Who Are We?’ Kajal is UK Director at Change.org, the project, for Tate Exchange, brokering world’s largest online petition website exchange among artists, arts and cultural with 200 million users worldwide and organisations, activists and academics, over 17 million in the UK. The platform and reflecting on identity, belonging, has supported some of the biggest migration and citizenship. people powered campaigns in the UK - from Laura Coryton’s campaign to end
31 32 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
LAURA PADOAN VIVIAN PAULISSEN UNHCR EUROPEAN CULTURAL FOUNDATION EXTERNAL RELATIONS OFFICER KNOWLEDGE MANAGER Laura has been a spokesperson for In her role as the Knowledge Manager, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, for over Vivien is dedicated to experimenting, a decade. She works on parliamentary learning and sharing knowledge across advocacy and communications on UK the organisation and in collaboration and international refugee issues, and with grantees and other partners. She manages relationships with high profile is involved in strategy and concept supporters in the UK. She co-chairs development of programmes, ECF’s the Families Together coalition of 20 diversity and equality policy and the organisations campaigning on refugee alignment of criteria and guidelines within family reunion. the organisation. She is responsible for digital strategy and pilot projects that PALI PALAVATHANAN foster experiment and nourish ECF’s TEMPLO programmatic work, such as FundAction, CO-FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR a new European participatory Pali Palavathanan is the Co-Founder and grantmaking partnership with funders Creative Director of TEMPLO, a branding and activists in Europe. Vivian is a board and digital agency based in London, member of the global funders alliance specialising in #CreativityForChange. EDGE (Engaged Donors for Global TEMPLO’s work focuses on human Equity) which brings together progressive rights, education, culture and ethical foundations in mutual advocacy and businesses with a current client list that support for systemic change. includes the United Nations, London School of Economics, Plymouth College DIJANA RAKOVIC of Art, Amnesty International, Kingston COUNTERPOINTS ARTS University and the Design Museum. PROJECT MANAGER Pali is a regular speaker on branding Dijana is a Project Manager at and design at events including V&A Counterpoints Arts, her role spanning Creative Quarter, Somerset House’s the interconnected production, curation Pick Me Up Festival, British Council’s and participation strands, with an added 10X10 and Design Museum’s Power, area of special interest in climate change Protest & Participation. TEMPLO’s work and environmental justice. Dijana leads has been featured in Wired Magazine, on the production of London events for The Independent, on the Channel 4 Counterpoints Art’s music programme News, in the ‘What Design Can Do’ book and also its Refugee Week UK artistic ‘Designing for Activism’ and was recently programme, in collaboration with flagship exhibited at London’s Design Museum cultural institutions such as the V&A, British as part of the ‘Hope to Nope’ exhibition Museum, Southbank Centre and others. about graphic design and politics. Other productions Dijana has worked on include Insomnia at Southbank’s Bargehouse, Counterpoint at Rochelle
33 34 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
School, Dis/placed at Shoreditch Town College of Communication and Arts Hall, Adopting Britain with Southbank University Bournemouth and is a mentor Centre, Everyday on Canalside, a for design students interested in the participatory project with residents on world of design management. a local housing estate and the multi- platform partnership programme Who Are ALICE SACHRAJDA We? at Tate Exchange. Dijana is in the FREELANCE alumni of the Creative Climate Leadership CREATIVE RESEARCH programme, which took place in Slovenia CONSULTANT in October 2017, coordinated by Julie’s Alice is a creative researcher and Bicycle, facilitated by PiNA and supported storyteller. She is co-founder and director by Creative Europe. of Odyssey Stories, a project sharing stories about identity and belonging in RITA RAY transport locations. Alice currently works as MWALIMU EXPRESS / THE SHRINE a cultural strategy consultant to Unbound DJ, BROADCASTER, CURATOR Philanthropy. In 2017 she authored ‘Riding Currently Rita is a Club DJ, broadcaster, the Waves: How pop culture has the presenter, curator, performer and potential to catalyse social change in the compiler. She presents the African music UK’. Before embarking on a freelance review for Focus On Africa on the BBC career Alice worked as a senior researcher World Service is a regular contributor at the Institute for Public Policy Research. to the Arts hour and Cultural Frontline. In 2014 she authored ‘Shared Ground: She is one of the main presenters of the Strategies for living well together in an era stations flagship music series, Global of high immigration’ and ‘Be Here Now’, a Beats. You can also hear her on SOAS. graphic novel exploring life and change in FM Radio. British communities. Alice is a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and a trustee of ANOUSHKA RODDA Counterpoints Arts. She has a background TEMPLO in law and received a distinction for an MSc MANAGING DIRECTOR in Human Rights at LSE, specialising in the Anoushka Rodda is the Co-Founder international law of refugees and migrants. and Managing Director of TEMPLO, a branding and digital agency ABIGAIL SCOTT PAUL based in London, specialising in JOSEPH ROWNTREE FOUNDATION #CreativityForChange. TEMPLO’s work DEPUTY DIRECTOR ADVOCACY AND focuses on human rights, education, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT culture and ethical businesses with a Abigail leads JRF’s work to reframe current client list that includes the United the narrative and public debate around Nations, London School of Economics, poverty in the UK. She works with the Plymouth College of Art, Amnesty media, content creators, cultural partners International, Kingston University and the and grassroot activists to improve public Design Museum. Anoushka is a guest understanding of the issues facing lecturer at Kingston University, London people in poverty, as well as to try and
35 36 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
influence media narratives and improve the leads a museum and gallery in Devon, representation of people in poverty in our developing projects on the North Devon mainstream culture, in order to build public coast. She is also a South West regional and political will for action on poverty. advisory board member for the National Trust, whose core purpose is to look after SASHWATI SENGUPTA special places for ever, for everyone. FREELANCE - COUNTERPOINTS ARTS MUSIC CURATOR FABIEN SOAZANDRY Sashwati Mira Sengupta is an arts & INVINCIBLE FRAMES culture curator, producer, DJ and musician DIRECTOR working with UK-based international Fabien Soazandry is a Film Director, musicians including artists with refugee Artist and Curator of Malagache descent. backgrounds. She has worked with: His film work has won multiple awards, Refugee Week and Platforma Festival including Best Director at the 2010 produced by Counterpoints Arts, Journeys BEFFTA. When he was 16, he worked Festival International and Night of Festivals with The Hayward Gallery as their in- produced by ArtReach, Music Action house filmmaker. He also worked with International, Community Arts North West the BBC as a documentary filmmaker; and Manchester May Day Festival, and and with Livity as a freelance filmmaker is a member of the Musicians Union, the (shooting campaign marketing films for Manchester Trades Council, and the Anna a number of companies including Nike), Lindh Foundation Network. Mindshare, MTV, Sony BMG. He also worked for Current TV on a documentary MARIAM SHARP about pop culture in Paris, before CULTURALSIX setting up his own production company, DIRECTOR Invincible Frames (www.invincibleframes. Director of CulturalSIX since 2010, com). Through Invincible Frames he Mariam Sharp leads an agency that has worked for Channel 4, Accenture, delivers commercial exhibitions in the UK EY, Saatchi and Saatchi, the Cabinet and internationally. Mariam’s research Office and many more. Fabien had his into the traditions of coffee led her to first visual art exhibition at the American create a new international trade event Embassy in 2017, and has since started in Brussels, exploring its history and working with Gallery Delarue (www. role in our popular culture. To deliver gallerydelarue.com), curating exhibitions this she created a new business called and managing artist portfolios, including African Coffee, which will be part social bringing to light the iconic photographer enterprise. Previously she worked for Esther Anderson’s unseen photos of Bob Arts Council England as Head of Visual Marley. Arts and Literature, creating strategy and allocating funding across the South West region of the UK. This included bringing the British Art Show to both Bristol and Plymouth, Devon. Mariam
37 38 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
EMMA STEVENSON development and implementation of COMIC RELIEF Praxis’ strategy ‘Challenging Exclusion’, SENIOR GLOBAL INVESTMENT as well as its highly successful youth PARTNER programme which gave a voice to young Emma Stevenson joined Comic Relief asylum seekers and young people in 2016, where she is Senior Global with irregular status using participatory Investment & Funding Partner. She is arts. Alex’s undergraduate stdy was in responsible for developing new and Community Development and Youth Work innovative global funding opportunities, as at Goldsmiths College, and he has a well as leading the organisation’s Social Masters Degree in Violence, Conflict and Change strategy, exploring innovative International Development from SOAS. ways including storytelling to engage stakeholders and influence behaviours and LALITA TAYLOR policy on social justice issues. Emma has BBC almost 20 years’ experience of working in LEAD PRODUCER the public and NGO sector, developing Lalita is currently leading on a knowledge strategy and policy on a range of issues sharing project at the BBC where editorial and currently has strategic overview of the meets tech, digital, social and engineering. gender justice, early child development She organises labs, conferences and and migration thematic areas within Comic lunchtime talks for BBC staff and the Relief. She is passionate about effective industry. The project’s focus this season engagement and participation and has is AI, Data and Personalisation, with the co-designed programmes on a range of next season moving on to questioning issues ensuring people are listened to and how to reach the under 35s and the their voices heard. underrepresented. Lalita has been a journalist for 30 years and has worked ALEX SUTTON on a variety of programmes across BBC PAUL HAMLYN FOUNDATION News including World Service and leading SENIOR GRANTS MANAGER on BBC Breakfast’s social media delivery. Alex joined PHF in 2015 as Senior Grants She’s also worked with many charities Manager to focus on our migration and and devised award winning campaigns integration work. Alex is an experienced for Samaritans, Best Beginnings, Working programme manager with over 15 years’ with Men, British Federation of Women experience working in the sectors of Graduates, National Council of Women migration, youth work and international and many more. She is a founding trustee development in Nepal, Ghana and for the Fathers Development Foundation, the UK. Prior to joining PHF, Alex was working with a team of visionary people Social Protection Programme Manager who aim to inform and create a climate for at the Overseas Development Institute, positive change. and Deputy Chief Executive at Praxis Community Projects, an organisation supporting vulnerable migrants in London. During his time at Praxis, Alex led the
39 40 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
CHRISSIE TILLER working with young people. He performes CHRISSIE TILLER ASSOCIATES internationally, and makes up one half of DIRECTOR the hip hop/ Afro Soul band Native Sun, Chrissie Tiller is a passionate writer, who will perform during the retreat. thinker, teacher, and practitioner with a long history of working on participation, Mohammed worked with Counterpoints access and inter-cultural dialogue through Arts on two collaborations this year. One is collaborative and social arts practice: a co-curated compilation album, produced particularly in trans-national contexts to mark the 20th year of Refugee Week. and places undergoing social, economic The album is titled Stimela! and it includes and political change. This has included the second collaboration, an original track initiating and leading major arts and titled An Escape From Yarl’s Wood, written, cultural networks, focused on the wider recorded and performed with Palestinian role of the arts within society, across the duo EbzilJaz and Lowkey. EU, ex-Soviet countries, Central and South- East Europe and Japan. For 12 years she JANE WELLS was Director of the MA in Participatory and TATE EXCHANGE Community Arts at Goldsmiths alongside PROGRAMME MANAGER her work on arts, participation and social Jane is a Northern Irish curator, activist inclusion for the European Commission, and community organiser currently living Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Goethe in London. Direct action and creative Instituut, European Cultural Foundation, resistance are central to her work. She is ELIA, IETM, British Council and other a founding member of the London-Irish international funders. Her recent think Abortion Rights Campaign and has led piece, for Arts Council England, Power Up, campaigns to challenge various social, examines current debates around cultural legal and political structures in both Irish democracy and social justice in the context states. Driven by a belief in the power of privilege, cultural capital, politics, values of museums to act as agents for social and ethics. change, she is currently Programme Manager at Tate Exchange – a space at MARIO FAUSTINO VERISSIMO DA Tate Modern dedicated to exploring the BARCA (MOHAMMED YAHYA) role of art in society. Most recently her RAPPER AND WORKSHOP LEADER role involved working with artist Tania Mohammed is Mozambican born, London Bruguera and 21 local people to think based rapper, poet, workshop leader together about how an international and events organiser. He has delivered institution like Tate Modern can learn from workshops on hip hop and human rights in and adapt to its neighbours. Atlanta, London and Sudan, organised by the British Council.
Mohammed is a seasoned performer, a sought after hip hop artist and an educator with substantial experience at
41 42 BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES
MAURICE WREN Brunel University and is a qualified REFUGEE COUNCIL teacher, having recently completed CHIEF EXECUTIVE his PGCE in 2013. He has worked Maurice joined the Refugee Council as across the youth sector as a senior Chief Executive in March 2013, following support worker, a teaching assistant twelve years as the Director of Asylum Aid, and is passionate about filmmaking, a charity providing legal representation to especially documentaries and short people seeking refugee protection. films. Charles has played an active role in the development of the Tate Neighbours’ Previously, he held senior management programme in the context of Tania roles in the homelessness field at Shelter Bruguera’s recent Turbine Hall Hyundai and the Housing Associations Charitable Commission which focuses on migration, Trust, and governance positions at neighbourliness and civic activism. Innisfree and L&Q Housing Associations. Maurice co-founded the Independent BELINDA ZHAWI Asylum Commission in 2007 and Detention ARTIST Forum in 2009, and is presently Co-Chair Belinda Zhawi is a Zimbabwean born of the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum writer and educator currently based in at the Home Office and Chair of UK London. Belinda was the 2016/17 Institute Refugee Week. He is a Trustee of Migrant of Contemporary Arts Associate Poet. Voice, Every Casualty Worldwide, and the She’s co-founder and host of poetry social European Network on Statelessness. and press, BORN::FREE. Belinda is the author of Small Inheritances (ignition Maurice was made a Patron of Action Press, 2018). She is the recipient of an Foundation in 2016 and was awarded artist residency award, supported by an honorary doctorate by Edinburgh Dartington Hall Trust and Counterpoints University in November 2017 in recognition Arts in the context of the Popular of his humanitarian support for refugees. Culture and Social Change Retreat. This collaborative residency enables an artist CHARLES YASSIN of any discipline to explore the role of LIONHEART IN THE COMMUNITY public art in relation to pop culture and PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER human migration/displacement. Charles is LITC’s Youth Officer specialising in the recruitment of learners, learner achievement, attendance, and retention and resource development. He supports young people to work towards their apprenticeships, in volunteering and to become active citizens. He also acts as a mentor, providing career advice, delivering transnational workshops and providing skills development training. He studied Drama and English at
43 44 ABOUT ORGANISERS AND SUPPORTERS
Counterpoints Arts is an arts organisation that engages Dartington Hall Trust is many things to many people with refugee and migrant experiences through arts but one aim underpins everything. And that’s how we and cultural programmes. Our mission is to support use our estate to stimulate new thinking and action to and produce the arts by and about migrants and help develop a more sustainable, more just and more refugees, seeking to ensure that their cultural and artistic enriching world. In this, very little has changed since contributions are recognized and welcomed within British Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst bought this estate in arts, history and culture. 1925 and embarked on what they called the Dartington counterpointsarts.org.uk Experiment to regenerate a rural community.
The Elmhirsts welcomed artists, economists, Social Change Initiative is a new international not- horticulturists and social reformers to Dartington and for-profit organisation based in Belfast. Its mission is to encouraged them to grapple with the pressing issues of improve the effectiveness of activism for progressive their day. The common theme then, as now, concentrated social change, particularly in divided societies and to on making the world a better place for others. Today influence the way this work is funded and supported. we are a social enterprise that ploughs surplus from our thesocialchangeinitiative.org commercial enterprises back into the many projects we fund and support. dartington.org Unbound Philanthropy is a private grantmaking foundation that works to ensure that migrants and refugees are treated with respect and engage with their new communities. We support pragmatic, innovative, and responsive approaches to immigration and immigrant integration in the United States and United Kingdom. unboundphilanthropy.org
45 46 GETTING TO DARTINGTON HALL
The Popular Culture and Social Change retreat is being held at Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6EL, which is a ten minute taxi ride from Totnes rail station.
We have booked pre-paid taxis that will be making return journeys between Totnes Station and the estate between 12pm and 2.30pm. These are Southhams Cabs which will be booked under the name Counterpoints Arts. The taxis will wait for as many passengers as possible before leaving the station. If the taxis fill up, there will be others making the same dedicated journey during the times above. If you are travelling outside this window, local taxi firms include Southhams Cabs (01803 840404) and Badger (01803 840 400). Please ask for a receipt and give a copy to Chiedza, either in person or by email ([email protected]), who will process your refund.
UPON ARRIVAL Delegates can check into their rooms at East Wing Reception (point 1 on the Estate map at the end of the programme). Drivers should proceed past the main car park, taking the second right over a cattle grid and up to the small parking area designated for check-in/out.
Dartington Hall’s Guest Services Assistants will welcome you and provide you with a Parking Permit for the main car park.
47 48 CONTACT & SOCIAL NOTES
CONTACT DETAILS For logistical queries prior to the retreat or to let us know of changes to your travel plans, please email Chiedza on [email protected].
If you have travel issues while on the way to the retreat, please call or text Chiedza on 07429 427 697.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND PRIVACY We invite delegates to share their reflections and experiences online using the hashtag #popchange2018.
However, we ask that all delegates be respectful of the privacy of others and of the Popular Culture and Social Change retreat as a safe space for free- flowing conversation. With this in mind, delegates are asked to secure permission before mentioning participants by name or tagging them in photos online.
We hope that the Popular Culture and Social Change retreat will be a relaxed and enjoyable experience for all delegates, and for this reason we ask that delegates save funding pitches for a later date.
49 50 NOTES NOTES
51 52 NOTES NOTES
53 54