Presented by Counterpoints Arts and Dartington Trust, and curated by artist and producer AWATE, the About Us! Artists’ Scratch Showcase: South West Edition is a sharing and networking event for creatives based across the South West. 

The About Us! Artists’ Scratch Showcase is curated and initiated by AWATE, inspired by a similar platform developed by TekstLab (Oslo), and developed by Counterpoints Arts in partnership with Southbank Centre. It was created as a safe space to uplift and connect artistic experimenters that identify as Black, POC, and/or with lived experience of migration or displacement. The South West Edition is a public event held as part of Counterpoints Arts’ Pop Culture & Social Change Retreat at Dartington Hall (12-14 October), bringing together a group of 50 change-making entertainment producers, artists, cultural innovators, activists and philanthropists committing to building long-term narrative power for Black, POC, migrant and refugee communities.

Each commissioned artist performs or presents one piece of work to a public audience, including creative peers. After each performance, the artists and audience will discuss any shared or contrasting themes, talk about craft, as well as networking and industry advice. 

Artists may include writers, musicians, dancers, filmmakers, designers, architects (or anything between!). Previous showcases have included comedians, screenwriters, folk singers and performance art. 

Whether or not you are an artist, everyone is invited to join us for an inspiring and interactive evening!

If you are an artist or creative interested in showcasing your work, you can apply here by Wed, 5th October 10am. All selected artists receive a fee plus travel expenses. 

Details

• Thursday, 13th October, 8-10pm
• Dartington’s’ Great Hall, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6EL
• Pay what you can (suggested £5-10)
• Ages 16+, wheelchair accessible (for further accessibility requirements, email boxoffice@dartington.org)

BOOK ONLINE VIA DARTINGTON TRUST

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AWATE is a visionary rapper and producer from Eritrea. Raised in Camden, his mix of vintage sounds provided by collaborator, Turkish Dcypha, and intricate lyrics with triumphantly psychedelic melodies have had acclaim from Complex, Noisey and Spotify.

Counterpoints Arts is a leading UK organisation in the field of arts, migration and cultural change. It’s mission is to support and produce the arts by and about migrants and refugees, seeking to ensure that their contributions are recognized and welcomed within British arts, history and culture. The Pop Culture and Social Change Retreat 2022 is produced through it’s PopChange Initiative, exploring how to harness entertainment to shift narratives about migration and displacement.

Dartington Trust, founded in 1925, is a thriving visitor destination and charity supporting learning in arts, ecology and social justice, set on a beautiful 1,200 acre estate in the South Devon countryside. Throughout its history it has drawn leading artists and thinkers including Bernard Leach, composer Igor Stravinsky, cellist Jacqueline du Pre, musician Ravi Shankar, playwright Bernard Shaw and environmental activist Vandana Shiva.