ART SPARKING RESISTANCE 21^st JANUARY

Art Sparking Resistance was a one day event, fuelling art as a medium for social change and celebration  in real situations. It was a place where art work, films, sculptures, banners, puppets, effigies, used in resistance and celebration, were brought together.

The event aimed to  provide a space for people who are involved in providing a space for those actually involved in housing campaigns which are resisting demolition of people’s homes, standing up to exploitation at work, and detrimental changes to education.

There was a fairground theme within the day and evening with “Ghost train rides through capitalism”, a new take on punch and Judy shows, and a reclining cinema with films evoking the “subconscious”

We are interested in how art functions within the challenges people face rather than descriptive pieces about them and aim to create a place where we will facilitate learning from each other through the various workshops and presentations to increase this power.

The event including expression in music we wanted to bring all the arts together and merge what is considered to be art and what is political.

The event draws on the experience of previous events with these groups and individuals

Day Schedule included

2.00pm What is imperialism?

2.50pm IIn Their Own Voice Asylum Clinic

3.50pm Black Marxists; Excluded Stories

4.45pm Opposing Local regenerations (+making banners and stuff from simple materials)

5.45pm Rebel Anthems

6.00pm In Spite of Everything Cuba (Film) Defying the Blockade (Revolutionary Communist Group)

Evening Schedule included

7pm – 7.23pm. Icykal and Laayie

7.23-8.00pm 8 DJ break Alessandro

8-8.45 Leroy Bad feathers

8.45 – 9.45 DJ Geoff/ AKA Zinc Fence

9.45 Powers Band with UK Principle and DJ Billski

10.45 – 1130 DJ Zinc Fence

11.30 – 1200 Puppets- The buttock implant factory

1200 Finish

All day-Displays of banners and graphic effigies, were used in one way or another to talk about whats going on at this time and used to speak out against the dispossessions people face, on the street.

There was ongoing banner painting and badge making. There were activities particularly suited to children including a ghost train to ride on and a 10 ft wooden man to lie down inside and watch a purpose made film. There was a HORROR element in the form of a council of monsters joined to international property vultures .

Contributors included-Ann Plant, Andy Plant, Ih-Tisam ul Haq, Nefertari,

Eric Ogbogbo, Icykal, Laayle, Chanelle Ogbogbo,

U.K Principle, DJ Billski, Samia Malik, James Waters

James Waters, Leah Jaipersad, Jamil Mohideen,

Phill Wilson-perkin, Jane S, Chris Bird, Bad Feathers

Judy W,Karen Bennett, Laurie Kwame Richardson, Nefertari,

Peter Marshall, Rebel Anthems, Andrew Cooper,

DJ Zinc Fence, Power Band

Face book link

Link to event Page 

‘In these stormy times we cannot leave our enemies of yesterday and today with an exclusive monopoly over thought, imagination, and creativity’ -Thomas Sankara