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Branded Proposal
Background | Aims and Objectives |
Approach | Residency Structure | Outcomes
Artists: Poulomi Desai and Parm Kaur
Background
This residency will involve members of the refugee communities and asylum
seekers in the London Boroughs of Harrow & Brent, which act as 'hosts'
to approx.16,000 people from about 36 different countries from Somalia,
Afghanistan, Iraq, Rwanda, to name a few.
- Research into the experiences of refugees has shown that many encounter
high levels of unemployment, have poor housing and health, and achieve
limited access to welfare services. In addition, many suffer social
isolation, discrimination and marginalisation.
- There are limited voluntary and statutory organisations which work
with people for their welfare needs. To date, as we have been given
to understand, there has been no arts based work included. In fact in
both boroughs arts facilities of excellence and high quality arts projects
which address contemporary issues are virtually non-existent.
- This engaging and educative residency will provide an introduction
to production methods and explore and reflect through visual and aural
creativity on peoples backgrounds and positions in an 'imposed new homeland'
which is currently not only hostile and derisive of their presence but
also unwilling to respond adequately to the ethnically and racially
motivated attacks in the media and on the streets.
As arts practitioners, we have considerable experience of working around
issues of identity, displacement and representation within our own arenas
and have worked in sometimes difficult and sensitive contexts. This will
be the first time we will be collaborating altogether and presents a unique
opportunity to learn from each others approaches and from the experiences
brought to the residency by this specific group of peoples which will
not only enhance our methods of working but also provide a broader insight
into our concerns as artists.
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Aims and Objectives
- To create a residency that enables us as artists to explore new ways
of working within areas connected with our agendas but outside of their
usual constructs and to seek new ideas in the production and presentation
of our practise through the collaboration.
- To provide a residency, working individually and as a group, that
brings people together to explore their creative talents, learn new
skills and find a confidence and self-esteem through the production
of multimedia work.
- To create a long term partnership development between artists, the
agencies involved and to develop a sense of solidarity with members
of the refugee groups through the introduction of our work and others
and in facilitating the creative skills that people may bring with them.
- Given the context of the residency we think it is important to have
tangible outcomes which can be owned and imparted; to produce a multifaceted
approach to the final pieces, ie. text-based pieces/a spoken word/sound
performance, a video, a 'postcard' exhibition, and a specifically designed
web site (the designers and hosting service have already confirmed their
support and sponsorship)
This residency will involve providing a supportive outlet for self-expression
and emotional sharing and act as a medium to channel some of the particularly
traumatic and violent memories that people have, leading to a greater
understanding and solidarity and perhaps enabling people to move forward.
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Approach
- This is an artist led residency in its final decision-making, development
and management to ensure that the agenda of the residency is kept paramount
and to enable us to bypass, from our experience, the sometimes disparate
and conflicting agendas of the sectors involved. This does not preclude
other means of partnership as highlighted below. As an artist-led group
we will be able to offer our skills outside of an authority structure,
and in introducing ways of being able to make ones presence visible
and heard, will particularly reduce the sense of isolation and lead
to a greater sense of self-worth.
- The emphasis will be on trust-building and collaboration between artists
and participants. A close working partnership will be established with
organisations and council officers who work directly with refugees and
asylum seekers and the small groups of refugee led organisations in
the planning and development and review of this residency. Hence the
long lead in time; there will also be an introductory session to explain
the residency, and source needs.
- From discussing initial plans with the local Refugee Forums, the
CRE and the Brent and Harrow Community Involvement Team, and some of
the refugee groups, this residency is being welcomed with enthusiasm
and support as a first for peoples who are not only on the margins of
basic support but are completely isolated from being able to participate
in activities which would enable them to engage with the society they
find themselves in. It is envisaged that there will be financial, administrative
and in kind support available; this will be actively sought.
- Most materials produced by both the voluntary and statutory sectors
are print based with the needs of those refugees with reading difficulties
or disabilities seldom addressed, particularly by the statutory structure.
Therefore this is a particularly important project for widening access;
we will ensure that interpreters will be available if necessary and
people will be encouraged to use their own languages if they choose
to do so. It will also be ensured that the venues used for the residency
and the production will have access and particular needs will be addressed.
- Currently it is envisaged that the residency will be placed in venues
where people feel safe and are known such as a community centre or health
centre where small groups meet or where individuals come to use a service.
However if this application is successful, this will be part of the
preliminary discussions with people.
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Residency Structure - ideas
and issues
This will be an artist led residency in its planning and development,
with Poulomi acting as a lead on liaison and co-ordination. We have been
assured of liaison support re : contacts/ mailings/publicity etc through
the refugee forums and the local authorities; discussions will take place
to confirm the level of support, and we will pursue other areas of specialist
support during the pre and post residency such as a press officer.
structure - this may be subject to change:
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Outcomes
- We believe that this residency will act as a springboard to other
projects whether that be further residencies, particular educational
partnerships, especially in the realm of digital technology and be a
model for future artswork.
- One of the major concerns for this residency is to present visionary,
reflective and emotive work to the widest audience possible, and not
just for the benefit of local communities. This is an opportunity to
present first hand real stories providing a context for mass media coverage
and in part challenge and directly confront popular racist assumptions
and will be targeted to audiences on a national level.
- The dissemination of the work will be in a manner that is accessible
to a range of people through translations and interpretative materials,
through the siting of the performances, live and prerecorded, in a range
of public spaces eg. libraries to shopping centres, shop fronts, through
participating in a larger event which will generate publicity for the
work, promoting the video as a standalone entity for broadcast, a portable
touring exhibition that can be sited in particular locations, an ongoing
international format ie. the web linked to sites such as Oneworld and
Amnesty.
- We believe that this residency will not only attract potential funders
and sponsors for this project but also enable a long term strategy to
be developed. It is also hoped that the final work produced will be
included and connected to the British Refugee Council's special events
in June 2001 and may also be a potential partner in this residency;
discussions of a similar nature with other organisations, such as Autograph,
will take place if this application is successful.
- We have secured a sponsorship commitment from a web design company
which will create an innovative site specific to its medium expanding
the potential for communication. If this residency takes place, we believe
that it will have a lasting impact upon the artists, participants and
audiences perspectives and direction.
Poulomi Desai Feb 2000.
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