Community Arts North West Annual Report 2009-10

Community Arts North West 1Annual Report 2009-2010

Annual Report

www.can.uk.com

Community Arts North West2 Annual Report 2009-2010

Community Arts North West (CAN)

Between April 2009 And MArch 2010 coMMunity Arts north west;

Community Arts North West (CAN) is a Manchesterbased, arts development organisation who since 1978,have worked in partnership with communities, artistsand agencies to encourage, create, and produce culturalprogrammes of work. CAN’s main priority is to createaccess to cultural production for people that are excludedor on the fringes of mainstream cultural resources.

The Exodus project, produced by CAN, is a dynamic

programme of participatory cultural production working

with refugees and asylum seekers and local host communities.

With a strong focus on cross cultural collaborative production,

the Exodus programme brings together a great mix of

people, artists and communities – working creatively together

in shared arenas and drawing upon the rich heritage and

experiences of Greater Manchester’s diverse communities.

EngagEd with audiEncEs in ExcEss of

Manchester

£452,725 Generated over

for arts and culture in Greater

18023 training events

people through

trained


A speciAl thAnks to All our funders

vam

AGMA

from host and rEfugEEs communitiEs in participatoryprogrammEs of work

DELIVERED

27PARTICIPATORY ARTS PROGRAMMESAS PART OF EXODUSWORKING WITH

NEW REFUGEESASYLUM SEEKERS &

NEW PEOPLE FROMHOST COMMUNITIES

122

359

Undertook

35& promoted projects

62eventsin which a total of

4627attended221sessions ofartistic activity

DELIVERED

25PARTICIPATORY ARTS PROGRAMMESAS PART OF EXODUSWORKING WITH

NEW REFUGEESASYLUM SEEKERS &

NEW PEOPLE FROMHOST COMMUNITIES

Undertook




Undertook




volunteerOffered

opportunitiesover volunteerOffered

opportunitiesover Providedemployment for

98freelance artists/creatives and

10 core staff

workEd with ovEr

enterprises

Raised over £100,000for new creative 17 refugee groups have been

supported to develop their own projects and events


Greater Manchester hosts more asylum-seekersthan any other conurbation outside of London. Inaddition there are many more people with refugeestatus and many failed asylum-seekers who areunable to return to their country of origin andremain here in destitution.

According to the Home Office, 50% of Greater

Manchester’s refugees and asylum-seekers have fled

Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Zimbabwe and

the Democratic Republic of Congo, all countries with

a well-documented history of human rights abuses.

People arrive in Greater Manchester disorientated and

apprehensive. Many have experienced persecution,

torture and terror. Many have lost loved ones, or have

left their families behind. Refugees and asylum-seekers

experience barriers to interacting with mainstream

society, including isolation, prejudice, poverty and fear.

EXODUS ‘Movement of The People’

the GreAter MAnchester refuGee Arts pArtnership

Ada House Arlaadi Centre AWAD Band On The Wall Beating Wing Orchestra Bolton Red Cross Bolton Refugee Action Brewery Arts Centre Bury Groundwork Trust Bury MBC Candella Films Central Arts Manchester

Cheshire Dance Common Word Contact Theatre Cornerhouse CPAL (Consortium

for Participatory Arts

Learning) Eagles Wings, Bury East Manchester Cultural

Regeneration Ensemble French

Supplementary School

Evangelical Church

Bethesda GAP Unit Gay in the UK Greenroom Groundwork in Bury Kurdish Creative Film Kurdistan Art and Culture Lesbian Asylum and

Immigration Support

Group

other pArtners


Lesbian Community

Project Let’s Go Global Manchester Academy Manchester City Council Manchester International

Festival Manchester

Supplementary Schools Manchester University Migr@tions Online Film

festival Canada

Nestac (New Steps for

African Communities) New East Manchester North West Playwrights Peacemakers Oldham Picture House @ FACT Promofest: Madrid Queer up North Radio Regen Rafiki (Wigan MBC

Youth Service)

Rainbow Haven: Salford

and Gorton RAPAR Rochdale Federation of

Tenants and Residents

Associations Salford City Council Salford Rainbow Haven Salix Homes Somali Bravanese Sisters St Cuthbert’s Church Sure Start

TAFWA (Tameside African

Families Welfare Ass) Urbis Wai Yin WAST Whitewood and Fleming Wigan MBC Women From The

Far West Yard Theatre Zion Arts Centre

Since 2005 CAN has worked with people seeking sanctuary

and with the Greater Manchester Refugee Arts Partnership

to create Exodus – an artistic programme that promotes

both artistic endeavour and social engagement amongst

refugees and asylum-seekers. Exodus challenges negative

representations, supports the arts and culture of people in

exile, promotes cultural cohesion through cultural exchange,

but above all creates a voice for refugees and asylum-seekers.

Exodus continues to encourage integration and dialogue,

providing a platform and visibility for refugee arts in Greater

Manchester. The programme of activity between 2009-2010

is supported principally by an award from the Big Lottery

Reaching Communities fund.

exodus GreAter MAnchester refuGee Arts pArtnership


over 10,000 people were entertAined By 142 perforMers on two stAGes.

Exodus EvEnts:

Exodus Festival 2009urBis And cAthedrAl GArdens


On Sunday 2 August, 12-6pm, Urbis and Cathedral Gardens inManchester was for the second year running transformed by liveworld music and culture as local communities united for the 2009Exodus Festival.

Now in its eighth year, the one day extravaganza celebrates Greater

Manchester’s diverse refugee communities – a cultural feast with live

music, dance, workshops, craft activities and an array of colourful stalls.

International food from Eritrea, Sudan, DR Congo, Cameroon and

Pakistan, always popular with the public was provided by refugee groups.

From Congolese rumba, to Beat Box and driving Bhangra rhythms – there

was certainly something for everyone to enjoy at the 2009 Exodus Festival.

The two main stages were filled to capacity with a diverse and exciting

range of global music and dance, and despite rain earlier on in the day,

the sun decided to shine on what was the best last hot day of summer.

The Exodus festival (now in its 8th year) has come to represent the very

best of Manchester’s Community festivals. A regular calendar event and

one of the best family friendly days out.

‘the exodus festivAl is where it BelonGs, BAnG in the city centre, visiBle, viBrAnt, out And loud’. Festival attendee

One particular highlight of the Exodus Festival was the beautiful site

decorations produced by groups from Greater Manchester in the lead up

to the festival. CAN worked with Students from Manchester Academy,

Bury Eagles Wings, Rainbow Haven drop in Salford and Bolton Red Cross

ESOL class. They created predominantly textile based work including

processional banners, flags, bunting and other artefacts which brought

the festival site together and helped attract passers-by.

Volunteers: The Festival was greatly enhanced by

the enthusiastic support of the CAN volunteering

team including young people from Manchester Youth

Volunteering Project (MYVP). A big thank you.

‘it All MAkes for one of the Most viBrAnt dAys in MAnchester's suMMer And offers A chAnce to reAlly celeBrAte the culturAl Mix thAt MAkes the city so speciAl.’ Guardian Guide

exodus festivAl site décor proGrAMMe


Beating Wing Orchestra at Manchester

International Festival

‘this wAs joyful Music MAde with love And exciteMent – A reAl MAli-MAnchester soul stew’

Manchester Evening News

Exodus EvEntsExodus LivE

Pho

tog

raph

y: Shaw

& Sh

aw


Formed in Manchester from musicians of refugee, asylumseeker and diverse host communities backgrounds, the Beating Wing Orchestra is a unique group of musicians who speak a global music vocabulary.

Members of the orchestra come from countries as diverse as

Kurdistan and Cameroon, Bangladesh and Brazil and each

bring their own individual musical style and talents. As an

international music group, Beating Wing Orchestra (BWO)

helps to forge new connections between

the city’s rich mix of musicians. Bringing

communities together through music to

share experiences, ideas and understanding.

BWO was originally brought together by

CAN to undertake a commission for the

2007 Manchester International Festival (MIF)

working with Palestinian singer and composer,

Reem Kelani. The resulting performance was

one of the highlights of the 2007 Festival,

earning a 5* review in the Metro newspaper.

To help the orchestra to build on this success,

MIF and CAN proposed to work with the

group on a second commission for the 2009

Manchester International Festival, this time

inviting the orchestra to develop a full-length

concert with Malian musicians, Amadou and

Mariam. The artistic approach for this project

was quite different to the 2007 commission.

Rather than having new work composed for

them, it supported the orchestra to bring their

own musical ideas and expertise to the table, to re-imagine

Amadou and Mariam’s music with different sounds, styles

and cultural influences. The weekly workshops were led by

Music Director Arun Ghosh.

This development spanned two years of the Exodus Programme

and included collaborative workshops with Amadou and

Mariam in December 2008 and April and June 2009. The

2009/10 phase of this project saw the culmination of what

was to become a huge journey for the BWO.

The performances took place on 7-8 July 2009 at the Pavilion

Theatre in Albert Square. Capacity was 450 each night and

both nights were performed to a full capacity audience. Tickets

were sold out for both nights, months before

the performances.

The collaboration captured the imagination of

journalists and commentators and, ahead of

the performances, the work was covered in a

range of print and broadcast media including

the Metro, the Guardian, the Manchester

Evening News, Society Guardian, New York

Time Out, Guardian Weekend Guide, Guardian

Online and City Life.

A seven minute film entitled Speaking Through

Music and featuring the BWO rehearsals with

Amadou and Mariam was aired on CNN. In

addition, a six minute film on The Guardian

Online featured the stories of the refugee and

asylum seeker musicians of the orchestra, as

well as footage of their rehearsals.

In 2009/10 CAN also undertook a successful

programme of capacity development, to build

a sustainable future for the orchestra, raising

over £45,000 for its continued development. The BWO is now

an independent organisation with a solid organisational basis

to support their future activity and creativity.

‘inspired By the BeAtinG winG orchestrA’s ceAseless enerGy And visiBle enthusiAsM, trAcks such As ce n’est pAs Bon, djuru And i follow you elicit BroAd sMiles throuGhout the venue, As their infectious rhythMs tAke hold.’

MusicOMH

‘the Music unites the crowd in A sweAty Mess of

clAppinG And dAncinG’****

The Guardian

‘heArt wArMinG And upliftinG they plAy

A colourful set thAt Moves the crowd And

hAs theM sMilinG froM the inside out’Click Lancashire

‘it wAs like it wAsn’t A new collABorAtion; it wAs like they hAd Been plAyinG

toGether for yeArs.’BBC Manchester Online

‘there is A truly MeMorABle MoMent durinG this collABorAtion Between MAliAn duo AMAdou & MAriAM And refuGee/MiGrAnt collective the BeAtinG winG orchestrA. AMAdou is plAyinG A deliGhtfully evocAtive AfricAn GuitAr lick. MeAnwhile, A chinese Bel cAnto operA sinGer is sinGinG, there’s A kurdistAni sAz plAyer in the BAckGround, And A BAnGlAdeshi rApper is ABout to MAke her entrAnce… Music cAn trAnscend Borders,

nAtionAlities, rAces And colours... fAntAstic.’ The sheer joy of Amadou & Mariam and The Beating Wing Orchestra. Metro Wednesday, July 8, 2009


Exodus Live took place on 10 December 2009 at the newlyreopened Band on the Wall. Over 300 people attended to watchsome of the best Exodus music bands. Featuring African Gospelfrom Testimony Congolese women’s vocals through to the crosscultural sounds of Beating Wing Orchestra – this event rocked.

Many of the bands were troupes that have had support from the Exodus

programme to develop their repertoire, performing experience and music

making networks. This was also the debut performance of the Exodus

Beat Jam, a spoken word and music collaboration.

Exodus Live at Band on the Wall

Following the inspirational performances of the Beating Wing

Orchestra, it was clear that there were many other musicians

keen to benefit from similar collaborative opportunities

between host and refugee communities. CAN in partnership

with BWO created Exodus Beat Jam for music artists to

experiment and collaborate on new material with a view to

performing at Exodus Live and other events.

Led by music director Kevin Davey, 12 MCs, spoken word

performers, vocalists and musicians attended four workshop

/ Jam events held at Band on the Wall which led to an eclectic

performance as part of Exodus Live. They have since gone

on to create new work and perform at other events.

i teAch world Music At the university. toniGht hAs Been AMAzinG. i hAd no ideA we hAd such quAlity world Music BAnds riGht here in our reGion’Audience member

exodus BeAt jAM deBut

Exodus EvEntsExodus LivE

‘


Exodus Shorts is a festival of film shorts addressingissues of migration and sanctuary, which has been held as a part of Refugee Week celebrations since 2005.

A total of 30 shorts were programmed; including work

from local and national filmmakers, as well as contributions

from internationals filmmakers in collaboration with the

Canadian based Migr@tions Online film Festival and Madrid

based Promofest.

Alongside the screenings Exodus Shorts also offered a series

of workshops in scriptwriting, stop-motion animation, and

talks and seminars with refugee filmmakers.

The Shorts programme consisted of: Experimental films screened exhibition style at Urbis as a

week long event. Drama films screened at Cornerhouse during one evening. Films from the Migr@tions Online Film Festival at

Cornerhouse. Compilations of the ‘Best of Exodus Shorts 09’ and films

made by Liverpool based Sola Arts at Picturehouse@

FACT in Liverpool. Film making workshop in collaboration with LiveWire at

Cornerhouse with young people from both refugee and

host community backgrounds. Alan Amin (Kurdish Film Festival) Talk at Urbis. Selected Exodus Shorts 08 films were also screened as part

of Bolton’s Refugee Week celebrations.

Exodus EvEnts

Exodus Shorts

lAter in the yeAr selected exodus shorts were screened on the BBc BiG screen AlonGside the exodus outdoor festivAl.


In 2009/10 CAN produced in total 25 participatory arts

programmes of work. 13 in Manchester, 9 in the other

Greater Manchester Boroughs, and 4 major programmes

that spanned a number of boroughs. Many of the programmes

were either linked to the Exodus events which brought

people together/and or culminated in their own events.

Recurring themes identified by groups are opportunities to

create and expand social circles; connecting with diasporas;

practice of traditional art forms; contributing to life in Britain

through sharing culture with host communities; the need to

bear witness; and to also help British people understand why

people seek asylum.

In addition, many artists with refugee backgrounds see

themselves as ambassadors for their countries of origin

and have strong artistic aspirations to create innovative

contemporary work in collaboration with artists from host

communities. They want to create work that will resonate

with British audiences and will impact on their own

communities and how they are perceived in this country.

We are delighted to see some of the artists that started out

with the Exodus programme achieve their Indefinite Leave

to Remain status, enabling them to start their own

professional careers in this country and be employed on the

Exodus programme.

MAnchester And GreAter MAnchester exodus pArticipAtory Arts proGrAMMes

The Heart and Soul of It The Exodus participatory arts projects represent the very heart and soul of the Exodus programme.

It is from this work that all things flow. The content of and engagement with the Exodus events can onlyhappen through our relationship and knowledge of the groups and individuals with whom we work.

It is also through the participatory arts programmes that the real development takes place, where peopleare able to tell us about their lives, concerns and creative aspirations.

cAn produced in totAl 25 pArticipAtory Arts proGrAMMes of work


CommunitiesThe programme has been able to support a number of refugee

led groups based in their own geographical locations such

as NESTAC in Rochdale, Rafiki in Wigan, Eagles Wings in Bury

and Ensemble from Collyhurst, Manchester. For Ensemble and

NESTAC the work has also been about extending opportunities

to children and young people from local host communities

thereby creating better social cohesion and connections with

their neighbourhoods.

We have also supported groups that work with their diasporas

across Greater Manchester such as Stockport based Kurdistan

Art and Culture through their new production of ‘One

Night There’.

A good number of the programmes also bring people

together from many refugee backgrounds such as the

Refugee Digital-Media Inclusion programme, Beating Wing

Orchestra and the projects with refugee service providers

such as Rainbow Haven, and Red Cross.

The majority of projects bring people together from immediate

neighbouring boroughs/and or districts to form communities

of interest.

New MediaWith help from the Lloyds TSB Foundation we have also

been able to respond to popular interest in new media by

increasing our digital arts offer through training, specific

cultural programmes and digital support for individual groups.

in 2009-10 we worked with people froM All these countries

Women’s VoicesThis was the second year of our women’s positive action

programmes and CAN was really pleased to support nine

very diverse women’s led projects.

Some programmes centred on well being and social

interaction such as Somali Bravanese Sisters where mothers

and daughters worked together through poetry, music and

traditional crafts.

This year we have also started to see refugee and asylum

seeker women develop the confidence to speak out, and be

given full expression through the cultural production processes.

There is now a strong female presence in the majority of

music making programmes including BWO, Exodus Jam

Band and Testimony.

‘How I Become an Asylum Seeker’ by WAST (Women Asylum

Seekers Together) demonstrated how the arts can galvanise

and change public opinion through the specific narratives of

asylum. When their playwright, Cameroonian Lydia Besong

was taken into detention, their story not only made the BBC

North West News but also helped in the campaign to secure

her release. They have since gone on to inspire the London

branch of WAST and recently received a standing ovation

for their play at the Riverside Studios in London.


Beating Wing Orchestra: Green Fish Resource Centre, Manchester

University and Albert Square, City Centre.

Ensemble French Supplementary School: Cameroonian music and

dance. St George’s Community Centre, Collyhurst.

Somali Bravanese Sisters, Kofi Brava Hat Making Exhibition: Arlaadi Community Centre, Moss side and Contact Theatre.

Somali Bravanese Sisters Poetry and Music Workshops: Arlaadi

Community Centre, Moss Side.

Rainbow Haven Film Training Project: St Paul & St John’s Church,

Abbey Hey Lane, Gorton.

WAST (Women Asylum Seekers Together) ‘How I Became An Asylum Seeker’: Women’s Electronic Village Hall, City Centre. Zion

Arts Centre, Hulme. Contemporary Urban Centre, Liverpool.

‘Small Rocks’ publication launch: Greenroom, City Centre. A project

developed to document the stories of destitute Asylum Seekers in

partnership with RAPAR (Refugee and Asylum Seekers Participatory

Action Research) and Commonword.

‘Testimony’ vocal training and CD Recording Project: Green Fish

Resource Centre, Northern Quarter.

Exodus Jam Band: Band on the Wall, City Centre.

‘Gay in the UK’ Digital Animation: Refugee action, City Centre.

‘Once Upon A Time’ Women’s Theatre Outreach Project: Red

Cross WISP, Wind Rush Millennium Centre, Moss Side. Gorton Rainbow

Haven. Wai Yin and Contact Theatre, City Centre.

‘We Need More Than This To Live’: Lesbian Asylum Immigration

Support Group, Lesbian Community Project and Queer Up North, at

Green Fish Resource Centre, Manchester City Centre.

Exodus Manchester programme

Exodus Cross Borough Programme Exodus Festival Site Decoration:

Manchester Academy, Moss Side. Eagles

Wings, Bury. Rainbow Haven Drop In, Salford.

Bolton Red Cross.

Tower of Babel: music and spoken word

event in many tongues. Groups and individuals

from many boroughs performing at Contact

Theatre in Manchester.

‘NU X-Pression’ Theatre Company: young

people from Manchester, Rochdale, Bolton

and Salford. Green Fish Resource Centre and

Nexus Art café, Manchester City Centre.

Grange Arts Centre, Oldham. Brewery Arts

Centre, Kendall. Grizedale Resource Centre,

Lake District.

Digital Media Training Programme: Green

Fish Resource Centre, Manchester.

Exodus Greater Manchester Programme Eagles Wings: Film, Dance and Textiles.

Mosses Centre, Bury.

NESTAC (New Step for African Communities): African and Street Dance.

Falinge community base, Rochdale.

Iraqi Refugee Resettlement Programme Film: Bolton Refugee Action, Bolton Community

College and CAN.

Rainbow Haven Digital Arts Programme: Emmanuel Church, Salford.

Rafiki Youth Arts Film Programme: Penson

St Youth Centre, Wigan.

Peacemakers Digital Arts Programme: Peacemaker Centre, Oldham.

Trafford Film Jam: ‘Lets Go Global’, Trafford

and Contact Theatre, Manchester.

TAFWA Film Course: Ashton under Lyne.

‘One Night There’ KAC ( Kurdistan Art and Culture): Theatre production. St John’s Church

Hall, Stockport and Contact Theatre, Manchester.

i hAd no ideA whAt AsyluM seekers Go throuGh until toniGht. this story reAlly Moved Me And helped Me to understAnd whAt people hAve to fAce in this country’ Audience member

exodus pArticipAtory Arts projects

‘


In August 2009 CAN were approached by WAST to deliver a performance project that incorporated a diverse range of art forms including dance/ movement, drama, singing and performance skills. The group were extremely keen to produce a live performance that would raise awareness of their organisation and their experiences as women asylum seekers. WAST member Lydia Besong had already written a play ‘How I Became an Asylum Seeker’ with contributions from other women that the group were keen to develop.

From September to November 2009 CAN worked with WAST developing and shaping ‘How I Became an Asylum Seeker’. The play shared the powerful and emotional journey of Monique, as she seeks asylum in the UK following the murder of her husband. Monique finds herself isolated within the UK’s unsympathetic immigration system as she eventually finds support through a women’s asylum self help group. On 3 December 2009 at the Zion Arts Centre, 20 women from the group gave a dynamic and an emotional performance to a packed auditorium of 230 audience members, followed up by a powerful Q&A. This was intended to be a sharing of a work in progress only and everyone was taken a back by the level of support from audience members.

Lydia Besong was taken into custody a week after the performance under the threat of deportation to Cameroon. The campaign that followed, was greatly enhanced by the play itself and we are sure that this was a factor in Lydia’s final release from detention.

In January 2010 the GAP Unit a not-for-profit organisation based in Manchester, received funding to continue the devel-opment of the play as a tool for advocacy, awareness-raising and policy change.

With the Gap Unit’s Support, two performances took place at Zion Centre on the 24 March and at CUC in Liverpool on 30 March, plus a Film shoot at Yard Theatre on 8 April

A further 290 people attended performances in Manchester and Liverpool, with 90 people participating in the workshops. The project was extremely effective at engaging with a wide range of stakeholders including council employees, journalists, solicitors, a barrister, local councillors, people from different NHS trusts, six housing trusts, Sure Start, Greater Manchester Police, Partners of Prisoners, Connexions, ESOL co-ordinators, three higher education establishments, Government Office North West, Her Majesty’s Courts Service, a range of arts organisations and asylum seekers from 8 refugee projects from both Greater Manchester and Liverpool. The reach of the project spanned 10 local authorities.

WAST have continued to perform their play, to speak out for the rights of asylum seekers. Lydia Besong is still fighting for her right to stay in the UK.

Women Asylum Seekers Together wAst woMen’s electronic villAGe hAll MAnchester.

WAST is a constituted, non-governmental organisation formed in 2005, founded under the following statement of aims: “Sharing our experiences, empowering and supporting each other, fighting for our rights, raising

awareness about the issues that force women to seek international protection and the effects of the injustices of the UK immigration system.” Members of WAST are women asylum seekers of different nationalities living in Greater Manchester, who have been through the asylum process and in many cases are under threat of deportation.


Somali Bravanese Sisters: based at the Arlaadi Centre, Moss Side in the 2008/9 Exodus programme reconnected with their traditional culture through the making of their elaborate embroidered Kofi hats. The workshop process was documented by digital artist, ShahedaChoudhury for an exhibition which took place in 2009. Percussionist Aisha Lourenco also encouraged the sisters in their traditional music making.

The Kofi Brava hat-making event was

successfully launched on the 14 July

with an evening of arts, traditional food,

music and great hilarity and enjoyment

at Contact Theatre. The event was well

attended by mainly Somali women and

host community members.

The women were particularly interested in developing a

future poetry/music programme and with help from the

Learning Revolution Council, a new group of young Somali

women were able to join existing members, in a series of

Somali Bravanese Sisterspoetry, music and drama workshops 33

women aged between 12 and 52 years

took part. For the older Somali women,

the opportunity to meet once a week,

make music and have a good time in a

space away from domestic duties was a

big success.

This environment allowed the women to

express themselves freely, and what emerged

were interesting stories, ideas, sketches,

poems, thought and debate. For the

younger women, the drama and poetry

proved to be a powerful tool for the

expression of their identity as British born

or residing Somalis. They were also able to

learn about their own Somali culture and

rich heritage. In particular the focus on

mother-daughter relationships enabled

the young women to investigate more freely the conflicts of

their Somali identity within the context of the dominant

wider culture. The final sharing of their thought provoking

poems and sketches were both revealing and humorous.


‘One Night There’Stockport based Kurdistan Art and Culture (KAC) is a talented collective of Kurdish artists (filmmakers, visual artists, musicians, dancers, theatre directors, actors, poets and writers) living in exile in and around Greater Manchester. The group exists to promote Kurdish culture in the UK across all art forms and to share Kurdish culture with other communities in the UK.

For the Kurdish people, the arts play an important role as a cultural and political expression of identity. They represent one of the world’s largest stateless nations, with a long history of displacement.

‘One Night There’, a Kurdish language theatre piece was developed and premiered at CAN’s Exodus Tower of Babel event at Contact Theatre on 25 March. It explored the specific pressures and issues faced by Kurdish women both in Kurdistan and as refugees in other countries. Written and directed by a member of the group, Bhean Ali, it explored the experience of being both in a new culture and caught between two cultures. It was subsequently performed at several venues in the Kurdish Autonomous Zone in Iraq in the late summer.

A powerful performance was attended by an audience of 75 mainly Kurdish people, followed by a dynamic post show discussion. KAC will work with CAN and North West Playwrights to continue to develop the piece for an English language performance as part of the Exodus Onstage Refugee Theatre Festival scheduled for November 2010.


In 2009/10 CAN supported the continued creative development ofa core group of 18 young people from Manchester, Salford, Boltonand Rochdale, who had participated in CAN’s 3 year UMT programme(Urban Music Theatre Project: 2006 – 2008).

This was a young people led creative and leadership development

programme facilitated and mentored by Chris Sudworth (artistic director

of the UMT programme).

NU X-Pression aims to: Produce imaginative and innovative cross-art form productions

developed through collaborative creative processes, drawing on the

company’s personal experiences; Develop the artistic, facilitation and project management skills of

company members to enable them to take the step from being

participants to being artists in their own right.

Working with Young Peoplenu x-pression woven cultures

(next unlimited expression)

With funding from the Celebr8/Woven Cultures

(North West programme for the UK Wide

Cultural Olympiad) the groups were supported

to take the lead in designing, developing and

managing their own creative programme.

The Celebr8/Woven Cultures project also aimed

to introduce a group of diverse urban young

people to a different aspect of the culture

and environment of England’s North West in

rural Cumbria.

There were five strands to the programme: Leadership Group Master Classes Workshop Facilitation Training Development of an online presence Collaborative Creation (peer-led workshops,

a residential and a performance event).

Master classes were held in physical theatre,

music, dance and creative writing. Two days were

also dedicated to learning workshop facilitation

skills. Four skill sharing and development

sessions also took place in the build up to their

residential weekend.

For all the young people who attended the

residential based at the Yan Centre in Grizedale

Forest, Cumbria, UK born or otherwise, the

opportunity to create in response to a rural

environment was a new experience. Here, the

young people were able to develop material

for a new performance greatly inspired by the

new found emotional links they experienced

between the English countryside and memories

of the countryside in their countries of origin.

This became one of the core concepts of

the performance they developed.

The group were also able to successfully facilitate

workshops with members of the Brewery Arts

Youth Theatre in Kendal, who appreciated the

opportunity to work with an Urban Music

theatre inspired team of young artists. This

project was an empowering experience for the

young people involved, helping to accelerate their

learning and confidence and which culminated

in the sharing of their new work in progress.


Salford Rainbow Haven 24 people from the Salford

Rainbow Haven project learnt about the basic principals

involved in filmmaking and photography. Participants

worked collaboratively on a range of practical exercises

culminating in the production of two film shorts.

Digital media training programme twelve training

sessions were facilitated by specialists from diverse media

training industries and included: A musicians guide to basic home audio-recording/mixing and net media for promotion. Internet site production and distribution. Recording and mixing sound for stories, radio, podcasts, theatre. Campaigning use of digital and net media. Simple and basic methods for creating great photographs and logos and video. A master class for directing actors and local people for film and video. Promotion, dissemination, distribution. Networking, social & project development drop-in. Graphic design. Basic video training.

In Year One of the Digital-Inclusion programme, CAN

created learning, development and cultural production

opportunities for 151 Refugees and Asylum Seekers, from

26 different countries of origin, who live across the 10

boroughs of Greater Manchester. This included 46 women

and 32 young people. This programme was particularly

successful in reaching the dispersed and in many cases

isolated refugee communities in Greater Manchester with

78% attending from the 9 Greater Manchester boroughs (118), the remaining from Manchester.

Funded via The Lloyds TSB Foundation, CAN’s RefugeeDigital Media Inclusion programme (2009 - 2011) aimsto engage refugees and asylum seekers in digitaldevelopment initiatives; creating access to technology,resources, support and advice from specialists fromwithin the media sector. Particular attention was paidto developing people’s digital skills, increasing interaction, creating links with networks and mainstream digital resources.

The 2009/10 programme included: Two creative media production programmes. A digital media training course. Practical one to one support offered through a technician

and other project staff and through access to CAN’s media

lab and equipment.

Classifique FM was created by young people from The

Rafiki Youth project in Wigan with Filmmaker Kooj Chuhan.

It told the story of a fictional local music radio station that

also broadcasts stories of human rights abuses. Classifique

FM is a thought provoking film about censorship and the

need to speak out.

refuGee diGitAl-MediA inclusion proGrAMMe

Digital Arts Programmes


In 2009/10 Support was given to the following groups:

tEstimonymanchEstEr

somaLi BravanEsE sistErs manchEstEr

rainBow havEnsaLford and manchEstEr

afro intEgrasaLford

congo intEndrEsaLford

congo fELLowship communitymanchEstEr

kurdish crEativE fiLmmanchEstEr

rEp africa 54manchEstEr

EducatEdthugzmanchEstEr

EnsEmBLEmanchEstEr

nu x-prEssionmanchEstEr

CAN continued to support groups and individuals in the development of their own cultural organisations and activities which resulted in a wide range of creative outcomes. This work represents an often unseen, but none the less important aspect of the company’s work, that the CAN staff team are passionate about.

Where do we go from here? The unseen work

incuBAtion And cApAcity BuildinG


BEating wing orchEstragrEatEr manchEstEr

rafikiwigan

cEntraL arts(poLish migrant artist coLLEctivE)

manchEstEr

nEstacrochdaLE

Britannia rhumBamanchEstEr

The Toolkit provides bespoke practical information, training and one-to-onesupport sessions to people working across a range of art forms. It is a freeinformation service that has a demonstrable impact in helping artists andcommunities to navigate and accessing opportunities for future culturaldevelopment.

Ten Toolkit Training sessions were delivered in 2009/10. The Toolkit website

continues to be a useful source of information for people planning & running arts

projects, with 248 new registrations and 2,628 visits to the website in 2009/10.

Over 60 delegates attended a Toolkit music networking event which was held in

March 2010 at Band on the Wall. People were given the opportunity to network

informally with a number of local and regional resources including the Musicians’

Union, Manchester Music Service, Greater Manchester Music Action Zone (GMMAZ),

MusicLeader and The Drake Music Project.

Artsnet is a service hosted by CAN for people employed in, or interestedin arts and culture. It helps them to engage with the wider strategic issueswhich affect their work, play and quality of life in the City of Manchesterthrough the Manchester Cultural Partnership.

Artsnet distributed a quarterly Artsnet hard-copy and e-newsletter with a total

distribution of 7008, reporting on creative arts information and opportunities within

Manchester. Interactive versions of the back catalogue of Artsnet newsletters are now

accessible to anyone online.

The subscriber lists of the Artsnet Google and Facebook groups continue to grow

and are used on a daily basis by members for sharing information about events, job

opportunities, training etc with 520 Artsnet Google group members and 1186

Artsnet Facebook group members: Artsnet received 384 followers on Twitter: www.twitter.com/artsnetmcr. It’s a great last-minute tool for broadcasting information.

CAN also maintains an online presence on other social networking sites such as Flickr,

Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. The Exodus Facebook ‘fan’ page now

has 928 fans: www.facebook.com/ExodusManchester A number of CAN event video clips are available to view on www.youtube.com/user/CommunityArtsNW

and the CAN MySpace page at www.myspace.com/communityarts

information and training

www.thetoolkit.net

Raising Standardsthe toolkit

Artsnet

[email protected]


core grants

£202,324

other income

£510project grants

£249,891

income

Financial MattersAllocAtion of incoMe And expenditure


Expenditure

Building costs

& admin £34,893

governance

£11,180

core staff& contractservices£148,157project costs

£265,357

A full copy of the Community Arts North

West 2009/10 annual accounts is available

at www.can.uk.com or from the General

Manager, Community Arts North West,

Green Fish Resource Centre, 46-50

Oldham Street, Manchester. M4 1LE

Acknowledgements

CAN were saddened to hear about the death of Bryan Harvey

in 2009. Bryan was a much loved and respected member of

Naked Sub Culture, the theatre company created by CAN and

The Big Issue in the North. Bryan was a role model to many,

known for his kind and generous spirit. He will be sadly missed

by all who knew him.

Teresa Adesanya

Marla Cunningham

Sara Domville

Rhonda Finlayson

Yvonne Hepburn-Foster

Leanne Manfredi

Trupti Patel

Gurdeep Thiara

John Wallace

Janine Waters

SecretaryDr. A. D. Martin (until 31 Jan 2010)

Angela Bezer (from 1 Feb 2010)

Board ObserversJanet Leach – Association of Greater Manchester Authorities

Louise Sutton – Manchester City Council

Julie McCarthy – Arts Council England (until Dec 09)

Staff TeamCilla Baynes MBE – Creative Director

Amy Cham – Digital Arts Manager (until 14 Aug 2009)

Natasha Evans – Administrative Assistant (until 25 Sep 2009)

Sabbi Kaur – Administrative Assistant (21 Sep 2009)

Segun Lee-French – Exodus Artistic Manager – Manchester

Dot Lomax – Cleaner

Ian Marsh – Exodus Artistic Manager – Greater Manchester

David Martin – General Manager (until 31 Jan 2010)

Angela Bezer – General Manager (from 27 Jan 2010)

Erin McNeaney – Exodus Coordinator (until 15 Feb 2010)

Katherine Rogers – Exodus Coordinator (from 8 Mar 2010)

Dave Morris – Finance Worker

Adelle Robinson – CAN Information Worker

Faye Salisbury – Arts Development Manager

Yasmin Yaqub – Lead Artistic Manager

Trustees and DirectorsSue Fletcher – Chair (retired Jan 2010)

Martin Hazlehurst – Acting Chair (until 4 Mar 2010)

Julie McCarthy – Chair (elected 4 Mar 2010)

Angela Harris – Treasurer


Community Arts North West LtdCompany limited by guarantee 1400213

Charity registration 277135

Greenfish Resource Centre

46-50 Oldham Street, Manchester. M4 1LE

Photography by: Shaheda Choudhury, Shirlaine Forrest. Jason lock.

Segun Lee French. Oona Mae. Lee Kirby Roy. Marizu Okerike.

Designed by Reform Creativewww.reformcreative.co.uk

1AM Events Support Akinyemi Oludele Alan Amin Alan Budd Alison Kershaw Alison Vaas Amadou Bagayoko and

Mariam Doumbia Anastasios Sotiriou Andrea Kirby Anisa Saleh Anita Whitehead Arun Ghosh B Zamba Chocolat

Beating Wing Orchestra Billal Mahmood Bjorn Norrgard Blackpool Promoting Music CIC Blanchard Jean Azip Blanchard

Kabusu Bloco Novo Ltd Borhan Mohammadi Cedrick Mbuyamba Chris Sudworth Christopher Gardiner Clive Hunte

Dawn Crandell Donkey Stone Films E M Murphy Emmanouil Sarantidis Ensemble French Supplementary School F E Dance UK

Filsan Ismail Gabriela Gwiazdowski Heidi Schaefer Ian Marsh Ismaeel Sabir Jaheda Choudhury James Walmsley Janine

Bull Jason Lock Jaydev Mistry Jean Azip Blanchard Jeff Thompson Jennifer Vickers Joan Oldham Joseph J Harrison

Juan Zhou Robinson Kashif Ali Kawele Mutimanwa Kendilonda Ndombasi Kerry Tuhill Kevin Davy Kim Harrison Kuljit

Chuhan Lawrence Reekie Lee Kirby Liz Murphy Louise Shelly Luke Marsh Magdalen Bartlett Marizu Okereke Mat Johns

Michelle Udogu Nathaly Tientcheu Nicki Dupuy Ooma Mae Photography Raphael Sherriff Richard Mujeri Richard

Ramchurn Sabbi Kaur Samuel Maitland Sarah Lovell Sarah Sayeed Sashwati Meera Sengupta Segun Lee French Serge Tebu

Shaheda Choudhury Sharon Raymond Sheila Katzman Shirlaine Forrest Sidiki Dembele Siobhan McGuirk Sonia Hughes

Susan Guest Tameside African Families Welfare Association Testimony Tochino Cornwell Tracey Zengen Tshepe Tshepela

Tyndale Thomas Upasana Wendy Meadley West African Development Word Play Intellect Yusra Warsama

www.can.uk.com

artists and creatives who have contributed to the 2009/10 artistic programme

A big thank you to all our volunteers

Co

ver Pho

tog

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y: Shaw

& Sh

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Documents

Community Arts North West Annual Report 2009-10