Background
The Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade Act was a major national commemorative campaign, strongly endorsed by DCMS and a feature of the 2007 arts calendar throughout the UK. As part of this "Remembering Slavery 2007" remit, Brighton & Hove City Council’s Arts & Creative Industries Unit commissioned a programme of themed activities under the umbrella title of ‘Redemption Song’. The project featured an eclectic series of high-quality and accessible events, which combined educational and culturally appropriate material with mainstream arts activities and family events. The programme also included a mix of young talent, emergent and established artist as well as international professionals.
The year-long Redemption Song campaign commenced in March 2007, funded by Arts Council England and Brighton & Hove City Council. The programme was designed and delivered by Jenni Lewin-Turner of urbanflo, tailored specifically to promote wider engagement in the arts by offering unique opportunities for under-represented groups to participate. Partners for the project included a diverse range of artists, cultural organisations, practitioners and commercial agencies.
Project Management
Creative consultant Jenni Lewin-Turner, directed the Redemption Song campaign from inception through to implementation and evaluation. Key areas of responsibility included;
- strategic planning
- researching project partners & supporters
- fundraising and levering ‘in kind’ support
- financial planning and budget management
- brokering of cross-sector partnerships and new collaborative networks
- researching creative practitioners in a range of disciplines
- commissioning productions, exhibitions, performances and workshops
- artist liaison and contractual arrangements
- community consultation
- event and production management (including Health & Safety policies)
- communications, marketing and PR
- researching, developing and producing arts and arts education outreach activities
- monitoring and evaluating all aspects of the project
The initial proposal featured 7 main strands, but it quickly became apparent that there was a particularly high demand for the unique cultural opportunities and the participatory aspects on offer. In order to accommodate the exceptionally large volume of enquiries generated, the project grew substantially over the year, responding organically to the needs and aspirations of the target groups; ultimately leading to a total of 55 different elements to the programme. For futher details of these individual events, please click on each of the links and logos below.
