35.875 people have died in the mediterranean sea since 1993 to today trying to reach a safe port. Hundreds continue to die monthly. Spanish and Italian governments have started prosecuting and forbidding navigation to any NGOs that will try to save their lives. Our brothers and sisters keep dying. The seas of the world are filled with black bodies.

In this piercing and heartbreaking piece, Sally uses the Kola nut, and the significance of the ritual behind it, as a narrative device. 

A scene from Sally Fenaux Barleycorn’s short film, Unburied

The Significance of the Kola Nut

“He who brings the Kola nut brings life.”

In joining our forces with Runnymede Trust,we have collaborated on commissioning two short films that resonate with our ethos and project themes.

We are pleased to announce our second commission, Alors on Danse by Director, Choreographer, and Creative Producer of Afrique Au Monde, Irene Ashu.

The short film is an exploration of African cultural diffusion. African dance has changed the world and created a global culture. From Shaku Shaku to tribal dance styles, Alors on Danse presents a raw and untraditional exploration of movement. African dance is birthed from our joy, pain, anxiety, ego, fears, love, and ancestors. From Beyonce to Michael Jackson, to Shakira, African dance has created waves on global stages. Paris is a melting pot of African migrants and some of the best afro-beat dancers in the world. Alors on Danse follows five iconic dancers through the streets of Paris reflect the ways in which African dance has traveled and evolved.  

Bio

From Arizona to Hollywood. From Arizona native Irene Ashu is making a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Irene is a dancer, director, and choreographer. Since moving to Los Angeles in 2013 Irene worked alongside artist such as SZA, P!NK, Superfruit, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Hudson, David Guetta, Afrojack, DJ Carnage, WIZKID, Fanny Neguesha, AlunaGeorge, Chris Brown, Big Sean, Jeremih, SHIN, Carrie Underwood, Little Mix, Beba Rexha, MAJOR LAZER, and more.

Irene has performed and curated performances on shows such as the Late Late Show With James Cordon, and the MTV VMA awards. Irene had the privilege of performing with P!NK for her Michael Jackson Video Vanguard performance. Irene has appeared, directed, and choreographed various commercials with brands such as Apple, Sony, Coolhaus Ice Cream, Hollister, Google, Android, LG, Toyota, Irvine Auto Center, and Under Armour.

Beyond her work, Irene is Cameroonian activist and the owner of Dance For A Cause. Dance For A Cause is non-profit that gives underprivileged children & teens the opportunity to learn about jobs like directing, choreographing, producing, and more.

For more information about Irene and her work check: Www.ireneashu.com

Twitter: @IreneAshu

Creative Interruptions is a project funded by the UK Government’s Arts and Humanities Research Council. We conduct research and support diverse communities to explore the role of the arts, media and creativity in challenging forms of exclusion, including racism. 

The current uncertainties around immigration, cultural difference, rights and responsibilities have resurfaced global debates on colonialism, borders, race, and resistance and brought to light the creativity that these circumstances produce. With this in mind, we have collaborated with different people from diverse backgrounds to find out why, and how, particular kinds of creative forms, textures and (alternative) aesthetics are used in arts and activism.

Some of the questions we have been asking include:

What is it about theatre, film, or the digital medium that makes each of them the most appropriate or enabling forms and spaces to communicate, share and enable activist messages, for example around race and class politics? In what circumstances does everyday creativity constitute a creative intervention?

Our team has teamed-up with Runnymede Trust ,and we have been writing posts on the Race Matters blog. You might have seen a few blog posts floating around Twitter news-feeds, if not here are the direct links to these articles, we aim to publish more soon:

Arts and Resistance in a Hostile World

Research subjects or co-creators? Making public outreach count

Together with Runnymede Trust we are currently co-organising a roundtable discussion about inequalities in the cultural and creative industries to enable conversations between artists from different communities, and, cultural policy-makers, towards thinking about what need to be changed and how we can do this through a collective effort. This will take place on the 17th June at the BFI in London, as part of our festival.  

To register for the festival and see our exciting programme click here: http://creativeinterruptions.net/festival/

In joining our forces, Runnymede Trust and Creative Interruptions have also collaborated on commissioning two films that resonate with the ethos and project themes. 

• inequalities and racism in the arts
• making differences between policies and practice in the art world
• engaging with the ideas of race, access, and representation
• ideas and opinions related to how art is used to tackle issues around race and/or class, and other inequalities

These films are still cooking, but keep your eyes peeled as we intend on announcing our commissions shortly.