New project puts city on the map
SWANSEA is getting its own place on the map for a groundbreaking UK art education project which will see trails of more than 100 large globe structures in seven cities across the UK.
Internationally-recognised artists will take part to transform how we understand the transatlantic slave trade and its impact on us all.
Swansea, as a host city, will launch its own virtual community programme next week.
The project is called The World Reimagined. For decades, people, organisations and communities have been doing tireless, often unheralded work of making racial justice a reality and bringing this history into the light.
The World Reimagined will work with as many people within Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool City Region, London and Swansea to honour, celebrate and collaborate with their communities and create a platform that supports individuals and communities working towards racial justice.
Swansea will have a dedicated community co-ordinator, Cleo Lake, who will work with people – communities and those with lived experiences – as well as those who may not have engaged in these conversations before.
Senior community manager Carolyn Baguma said: “This is such a great moment for us to deeply connect with people and organisations who have tirelessly been doing such meaningful work on racial justice. We also want to ensure we’re connecting with communities who might not have taken part in these conversations before. Effective interventions involve many stages, and that’s what we hope to achieve through our activities.
“Everything we do is meant to have an empowering aspect to it and I am so pleased our host cities have dedicated community coordinators who can really help elevate and enable the communities we serve.”
Supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the community programme will include a series of “Inspired By” events and activities, all of which are connected to the project’s Journey of Discovery themes. The themes range from Mother Africa: The Reality of Being Enslaved to Still We Rise and Expanding Soul.
Events and activities will take place during the Globe Trail period from August 13 to October 16.
To launch the community programme, and to meet the city community co-ordinators, there will be a Swansea launch on April 5, from 6pm to 7pm, a moment to bring people together to find out more about the “Inspired By” events and how communities can get involved.
Sign up for the Swansea launch at https://www.theworldreimagined. org/swanseainspirelaunch/
Tracey Mcnulty, Swansea Council’s head of cultural services, said: “Swansea Council is delighted to be partnering with The World Reimagined.
“We’ll help to create opportunities for artists, local organisations, colleges, schools and communities to get involved – as beneficiaries, audiences, practitioners, participants, facilitators and leaders.
“Our Swansea activity will not only involve collaboration to create a unique arts trail across the city and its communities, but will stimulate conversations about who we are, how we got here and what racial justice means to Swansea. More details will follow soon!”
The World Reimagined will offer a number of different means of support and engagement for community organisations who want to take part in the Inspire programme, with partnership and micro-grants being available, as well as events listings.
In addition, there will be an array of workshops, both virtual and in person, which will be held by community co-ordinators within the host cities. These workshops, which will be held monthly, will include skills-based topics and provide a moment for people to come together to explore themes such as how to create welcoming spaces – or how to facilitate conversations about history – how to grow your network and encourage allyship. There will be moments where sessions will look at lived experiences and how communities can put together content and make sure resources are relevant, sensitively written and empowering.
Furthermore, there will be in person-workshops which will include networking opportunities and how participants can bring The World Reimagined to life in their own city, while connecting with other local artists, organisations and peers, with the universal aim of accelerating change towards racial equity.
The community programme is at the heart of the mission and concept of The World Reimagined. By encouraging, supporting and building meaningful connections within the host cities, coupled with art, history and dialogue, the project reinforces the message that this is not “black History” but rather all our history.
Find out more at https://www. theworldreimagined.org/