On Friday 23 October we took to the streets with our GIANT MEGAPHONE blasting poetry on the theme of borders to the Home Office and Parliament.
In January as we Brexit the borders of the UK will shift, practices will change, how we cross them will be different, what they mean to and for people will change again. We create borders in so many different ways, some literally, some socially, some politically. What are the lines we draw and who are we keeping out? In recent weeks there have been conversations about wave machines pushing people seeking asylum away from the safety of our shores. How have we come to this point?
If these are the conversations then somewhere we have lost our empathy. The megaphone held a poetry installation exploring some of the borders we create in a multitude of ways and we brought those powerful stories and voices direct to government. It is our literal way of speaking truth to power and bringing human stories to the centre.
This collaboration behind this particular project is as mega as the megaphone itself.
Designed by Amy West and built by Pablo Cattermole, Amy West, Cristina Ottonello and Jess Dickenson supported by Emergency Exit Arts.
Holding audio poetry from Inua Ellams, Anthony Anaxagorou, Hannah Silva, Rebecca Tamás and Raymond Antrobus brought together by Penned In The Margins. Poetry recorded by Inua Ellams, Raymond Antrobus, Anna Koval and Youssef Kerkour and edited by the mighty Ben Raine (who also wrote our jingle which you'll hear on everything).
With help to get it into the public realm from Deb Mullins and Cristina Ottonello.
That's 13 artists behind one project all doing it to support ARTCRY! Thank you all.
