Exhibition 6th-29th September, Open from 6pm Thursdays and Fridays, and 12-5pm Saturdays and Sundays at Star and Shadow Cinema.

Featured artists: Oz Peters, Madiaw Ndiaye, Abu Zayd de Gale, more tbc

The interactive exhibition includes specially commissioned art installations, projections and documentary panels, defined by 3 main themes: ‘Liberation’, ‘Arts and Culture’ and ‘Innovation’ with examples of the significant contributions to these fields of the lesser known people of Afrikan heritage we will feature. Our aim is to equip visitors with knowledge that can supplement and challenge their understanding of history, reframing how we see the world today, with Afrikan contribution to our world given its proper place and value. Highlighting these figures provides inspiring role models, showing young people of Afrikan origin that their heritage is powerful, worthy of celebration and acknowledgement.

The exhibition is free to attend.

The ‘Unsung’ programme:

A series of events at Star and Shadow Cinema celebrating the lives and achievements of sheroes and heroes of Afrikan heritage.

Forum Theatre Workshop: Sunday 16th September, 12-5pm, Star and Shadow Cinema

‘Theatre is a form of knowledge; it should and can be a means of transforming society. Theatre can help build our future, rather than just waiting for it.’ Augusto Boal

This workshop will introduce participants to ‘Forum Theatre’ and looking at how this could be used as a tool to unpick and challenge prejudice and institutional racism in the North East.
Forum Theatre is a tool used for community problem-solving, and generating discussions and actions. PARTICIPANTS DO NOT NEED TO HAVE ANY PREVIOUS THEATRE EXPERIENCE. This is designed for everyone, whether they consider themselves ‘actors’ or not.
Minimum age for this workshop is 12 years old.
Please register for your free place for this workshop by e mailing Rosa at rosa@dynamixcic.org

Mentoring Workshop and programme: Sunday 23rd September, 12-4pm, Star and Shadow Cinema.
Recognising the under-representation of people of Afrikan heritage in the Arts and Culture sector/Creative industries in the North East, this workshop is for young people of Afrikan Heritage who are interested in pursuing careers/developing their skills in arts and culture to meet with and hear from professionals in these fields, who can share their journeys and experiences, and answer questions. We then aim to pair young people with a mentor from their field of interest, who will commit to supporting them in their development, and in accessing opportunities, over the coming year. Participants and mentors will be served a delicious meal (Afro-Carribean food from Trinidad by The Calabash Tree,) as part of the event.

Mentors will be from a wide range of disciplines/fields, from film, to music, creative writing, visual art, theatre, digital arts and design, dance, and arts management, and more.

Time Commitment:

1 hour per month of ‘contact’ time with mentor (e.g. face to face meeting or skype call)
Up to 4 emails or other form of written communication per month, around advice, feedback on creative projects/ideas, highlighting and accessing opportunities, support with applications, etc.
Quarterly update on how the mentorship is going, what progress has been made, what benefits the mentoring has brought, and any issues that either mentor or mentee are experiencing with the process.

Please contact Rosa Stourac McCreery rosa@dynamixcic.org or 07964212929 to express your interest in being a mentor/mentee (someone who is paired with a mentor to support them).

‘Unsung: The Background’, Films, and more events:
This programme, consisting of an exhibition, film screenings, a theatre play and workshops, gives context and inspiration for the work of artists and activists engaged in challenging racism today, and providing role models and skills development for young people. With this programme, we also particularly want to involve and be accessible to refugees and asylum seekers, and people of Afrikan heritage living in the area.

Films:
We will also have weekly screening of Afrikan films (both short films and feature films) throughout the residency, starting on 6th September, and then on 13th, 20th and 27th September.
Full programme can be seen on the Star and Shadow website.

There will be guided visits to the exhibition for local schools, with the possibility to do a half or full day session, including optional screenings of Afrikan films for young audiences, and Afrikan food provided. Please contact rosa@dynamixcic.org for more info or to organise a visit.

We are also running workshops for teachers and other educators. Please call or e mail Rosa at: 07964212929 or rosa@dynamixcic.org for more info or to book a group visit/workshop

There will be an ‘Unsung’ Closing Party, with headliners ‘Ladies of Midnight Blue’ with support from a number of local performers of Afrikan Heritage, full line up tbc, and the world premier of new music from Oz Peters which was produced especially for the ‘Unsung’ programme, inspired by the Afrikan sounds he sampled for his sound-art installation ‘Patchwork’ featured in the Unsung exhibition.
There will be a full bar and tantalising West Afrikan food by Nobia’s catering.

Curational lead: Lalya Gaye (Attaya Projects)
Curational team: Rico Jakk, Rosa Stourac McCreery