Young artists and activists come together to reflect and respond to the Black Lives Matter movement.
We Will Still Breathe is an online event of film and performance, debate and discussion curated by Battersea Arts Centre, Alfred George Bailey and Tunde Adefioye, as we navigate ways to acknowledge, transform and move forward.
The event will open with a panel discussion, chaired by Tunde Adefioye and featuring Jaamil Olawale Kosoko (US/American Chameleon), Aminata Ndow, Mohamed Barrie (Black History Month Belgium) and Dulcie Usher (The Agency).
Please note this discussion may contain conversation topics that people may find distressing.
There will be a screening of Alfred George Bailey’s film I Still Breathe, which voices the experiences of young people followed by a directors Q&A.
We will then lead on to a series of activations by members of The Agency. Experience Black Girl Joy through Danielle Honger’s UnRestricted LDN, Prince Agyei’s album launch which unites each of the wards in his home of Wandsworth; and Undefined Fluidity‘s discussions around the Black Trans experience.
A Collaboration between Alfred George Bailey & The Agency, co-curated by Tunde Adefioye.
#WeWillStillBreathe was part of our Make/Love Season #MakeLove2020
DONATE TO BLACK LIVES MATTER UK
All of our We Will Still Breathe events are free, however please consider a donation to Black Lives Matter UK.
Chair of our Online International Panel for this event, Tunde Adefioye, has collated this resource list of important books, films and essays relating to the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
Take a read and keep the discussion going. If you would like to suggest a work to add to this list, email your response to boxoffice@bac.org.uk.
The Agency is a Battersea Arts Centre and Contact programme devised in partnership with People’s Palace Projects. Developed in Brazil, it’s aim is to facilitate the professional training, support and advice for 16-25 year olds needed to develop a project that will benefit their local community. The Agency runs nationwide and takes place in London, Manchester, Cardiff and Belfast.
Danielle Honger is a South London based curator and facilitator. She is the founder of social enterprise Unrestricted LDN. Through workshops and conversations, Unrestricted LDN focuses on uplifting young black girl’s self confidence whilst simultaneously challenging the ‘angry black girl’ narrative.
Unrestricted LDN will be debuting their summer zine (Respect Me). Through photos, artwork and poetry this celebration in physical form is a glimpse into the pilot workshops from Spring 2020. Self-care, sisterhood and self-reflection are at the heart of Unrestricted’s work.
Prince Agyei (De./VZION) is a Ghanian born Christian musician living in South London. His work and craft are inspired by his faith and passion to connect with and enlighten new people. He is currently recording a community based album called ViZION.
The ViZION album is a multi-genre collection of stories written and performed by artists connected to Wandsworth. It features talents such as Ginka TMP, Tsepiso, JahMoves and JL Poleon.
ViZION UnCovered (VU) is an online presence that has been established to host content for the project.
We’ve invited artists and activists to submit their responses to celebrate #BlackLivesMatter; through acknowledging the events of the past six months, and navigating the way we can heal through art and performance to come together to build a better future for our communities.
We carry our ancestors with us that’s why our backs are being tested in an attempt to distance us from them. We all feel a deeply rooted pain for our community because we are connected. The power lies within the people, in our names, tongues, bodies & spirit. It is our POWER.
Choreographer, performer, director and editor: Niquelle LaTouche
Videographer: Jeremy Meslien
Music: Track Eight #30byThursday by Mikey J Asante
Dear Black Wombman, we are Nature.
A spoken word poem by Niquelle LaTouche.
Poet, performer, director and editor: Niquelle LaTouche
Co-director: K. Daniel Ki_Media
Videographer: K. Daniel Ki_Media
This short film is an artistic interpretation of a black girl’s response to cornrows being renamed as ‘boxer braids’. The anchor point of the film is cultural appropriation but it expands much wider than that – it isn’t about taking a stance as a victim, it is about reclaiming our place as black women and not being afraid to take up space.
A Zine created by SOUNDS LiKE CHOAS in response to Black Lives Matter. This zine brings together contributions and expressions from our collective of artists age 13-25, it was produced in collaboration with SOUNDS LiKE CHOAS alumni Zoe Thompson, zine maker and artist.
We will not be silent on issues that affect us. We will be vocal, unapologetic, intentional. From within the borders of this zine and beyond, this is how we show we care.
Strike A Light is a Gloucester-based organisation that believes that everyone, regardless of their background should be able to experience, watch and partake in creative activity.
This film shares the voices and experiences of Black Elders in Gloucester. They recorded interviews during lockdown and then filming took place under social distancing. Their stories capture the living history of this unique time.
Danielle has worked with her brother, Fitzgerald Honger, on a response to the Black Lives Matter movement using spoken word and a video collage of protest photography.
Danielle’s piece was one of three micro-commissions offered to young black artists, inviting them to share a creative response to the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
Rico Sisney is a recording artist and activist based on the West Coast of the United States. Rico has developed a musical recording on sound-cloud called ‘hearts too full’ in response to racism and police brutality in the United States.
Rico’s piece was one of three micro-commissions offered to young black artists, inviting them to share a creative response to the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
coletivA ocupação are a company of students from different districts of São Paulo, Brazil. They create projects that sit between art, activism and education. In February 2020, they brought their production When It Breaks It Burns, an immersive protest piece about the 2015 high school occupations in Brazil, to Battersea Arts Centre as part of our Going Global season.
ColetivA’s piece was one of three micro-commissions offered to young black artists, inviting them to share a creative response to the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
