Black Lives Matter
June 2020
We stand in solidarity with the Black community and our fellow artists: Black Lives Matter. The brutal killing of George Floyd has mobilised millions of people around the world to demonstrate, acknowledge, to voice and commit to ending centuries old systemic racism in our societies. This movement, galvanised by Black Lives Matter, embodies the principals upon which most aspire to, yet, as individuals and institutions have failed to deliver.
Mandinga Arts, as a small outdoor community arts company specialising in carnival arts, has been involved at a grass roots level with minority ethnic and diverse socio-economic communities throughout its 18 years. We are inspired and informed by those cultures that celebrate carnival on a national scale, in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe.
We recognise, however, at this pivotal moment, our practices need to be readdressed, extended and redirected to give practical and relevant meaning to the immediate urgent changes needed not only in our own creative field but also in facets of our lives. The UK needs to face its own history, and this is overdue: as a nation, we need to grapple with colonization and its detrimental legacy. We recognise that we have benefitted from a deeply unjust social system where white people benefit at the expense of Black and Brown people. Over the past weeks we have been working to expand our knowledge of racism and systemic oppression both in the UK and beyond.
Here are actions we are committing to as an organisation:
Hearts and minds have been awoken on a scale never seen before. We have an opportunity to make fundamental and positive changes. Black Lives Matter reminds us this is a movement, not a moment. We desire to be part of this movement. Through the medium of our art, we’ll come together through collaboration, awareness and resolve to make small but creative mark on this momentous, life enhancing journey.
Mandinga Arts
June 2020
We stand in solidarity with the Black community and our fellow artists: Black Lives Matter. The brutal killing of George Floyd has mobilised millions of people around the world to demonstrate, acknowledge, to voice and commit to ending centuries old systemic racism in our societies. This movement, galvanised by Black Lives Matter, embodies the principals upon which most aspire to, yet, as individuals and institutions have failed to deliver.
Mandinga Arts, as a small outdoor community arts company specialising in carnival arts, has been involved at a grass roots level with minority ethnic and diverse socio-economic communities throughout its 18 years. We are inspired and informed by those cultures that celebrate carnival on a national scale, in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe.
We recognise, however, at this pivotal moment, our practices need to be readdressed, extended and redirected to give practical and relevant meaning to the immediate urgent changes needed not only in our own creative field but also in facets of our lives. The UK needs to face its own history, and this is overdue: as a nation, we need to grapple with colonization and its detrimental legacy. We recognise that we have benefitted from a deeply unjust social system where white people benefit at the expense of Black and Brown people. Over the past weeks we have been working to expand our knowledge of racism and systemic oppression both in the UK and beyond.
Here are actions we are committing to as an organisation:
- We will prioritise equity in all spheres of our work: our staff, our board and our artists.
- We commit to being open to criticism and we welcome conversations and dialogue. We commit to being held accountable and to continue improving.
- From white team members:
- We recognise that we have benefitted from racism and this has eased our experiences in innumerable ways
- We are committed to educating ourselves in an ongoing and introspective way. This work is urgent and essential and will be uncomfortable.
- We will share our educational resources (articles, books, documentaries and podcasts that address white supremacy and anti-racism) with our wider community of freelance artists.
Hearts and minds have been awoken on a scale never seen before. We have an opportunity to make fundamental and positive changes. Black Lives Matter reminds us this is a movement, not a moment. We desire to be part of this movement. Through the medium of our art, we’ll come together through collaboration, awareness and resolve to make small but creative mark on this momentous, life enhancing journey.
Mandinga Arts
