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SUMMARY:Migration\, Climate Justice & The Power of Stories
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the next in the series of Counterpoints’ PopChange Salons presented with Climate Spring\, in collaboration with the Southbank Centre. \nFull details and booking \nThis salon explores the intersection of migration and climate justice through the lens of artistic practice and the works of artists and guests who harness the power of storytelling. \nBy bringing into a conversation visionary guests and artists\, it explores approaches that shine a light on new narratives uncovering the intricate connections between migration and environmental justice. \nThroughout\, participants engage in thought-provoking discussions centred on the following critical questions: \nRegenerative language: How can we champion and bring forward a language of inclusivity and hope that recognises the tireless efforts of artists\, activists and policymakers dedicated to equity\, justice\, and decolonization? How do we ensure our language and storytelling reflects the world we are trying to move into\, not just the world we want to move away from? \nWeaving cooperation: What innovative strategies can we foster to bring diverse voices together to nurture cooperation\, collaboration and solidarity? \nClimate displacement: How do we acknowledge and respond to the unique and disproportionate impact of climate change on women\, and on people on the move? \nThis Pop Change Salon is hosted by Lucy Stone\, Founder and Director of Climate Spring\, and Dijana Rakovic\, Senior Producer at Counterpoints Arts. \nAbout Climate Spring \nClimate Spring is a global organisation at the forefront of using the power of the screen to transform how people see and respond to climate change. Launched in 2022 by a collective of leading screen industry and climate experts\, Climate Spring works closely with gatekeepers\, creatives and producers to create content that shifts climate narratives and reaches mainstream audiences. It offers early-stage development funding; advice and guidance from climate experts for writers\, commissioners and producers; and support in moving a project from idea to distribution. By informing\, inspiring and incentivising mainstream content makers to explore climate stories in a more impactful way\, Climate Spring helps transform society’s response to the climate crisis. \nPhoto: House of Weaving Songs by Dhaqan Collective\, at Playable Cities\, Trinity Hall\, Bristol\, July 2023 \n  \nOur Salon panellists are: \n  \nALINAH AZADEH \n  \n\n		\n		\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Alinah Azadeh\, by Adiam Yemane\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				What You See Now; Crow Link; South Downs\n				\n		\n\n  \nAlinah Azadeh is a writer\, artist\, performer and cultural activist of British Iranian heritage. Alongside a 30-year arts career\, Azadeh has been published\, most recently in Best British Short Stories 2023 (Salt). As inaugural writer-in-residence at Seven Sisters Country Park and Sussex Heritage Coast 2020-23\, for South Downs National Park\, she led We See You Now\, a decolonial landscape and literature programme for writers of global majority heritage\, exploring the coast through the lens of climate change and justice\, personal migration and belonging. This led to her podcast The Colour of Chalk and We Hear You Now\, an audio series of poetry\, speculative fiction and myth by 9 writers\, installed on Listening Posts across the coast and online\, co-funded by Arts Council England. Alinah is working on writing projects\, including a book proposal on ecological and human loss\, recovery – and letting go. She is also Changing Chalk Associate Artist for The National Trust/Writing Our Legacy. \n@alinahazadeh \n  \nDHAQAN COLLECTIVE \n  \n\n		\n		\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Dhaqan Collective\, Illustration by Maya Mihindou \n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Camel Meat and Cassette Tapes\, Launch at Arnolfini\, image by Paul Samuel White\n				\n		\n\n  \nDhaqan Collective is led by Fozia Ismail and Ayan Cilmi. Their practice asks and seeks to find ways of building imaginative futures that support Somali people here and in East Africa to resist the threats over their cultural heritage.  \nDhaqan Collective is a feminist art collective of Somali women\, centering the voices of womxn and elders in our community\, and privileging co-creation and collaboration.  The Collective uses everyday materials\, cassette tapes\, food\, textiles\, to create spaces of communion\, joy and healing that centre the full range of Somali diasporic experiences.  Their creative ecology is rooted in the collective thinking of Somali nomadic life and the creativity at its heart. In the last few decades\, Somali nomadic life has become endangered due to environmental collapse.    \nThe Collective’s previous projects include:  Camel Meat & Tapes part 1 funded by Paul Hamlyn via Arnolfini’s City Fellows programme and part 2 funded by Arts Council England. These projects explored orality\, ancestors\, archives & identity and were co-created with Somali elders and young people in Bristol using cassette tapes to unearth the embodied archives of the Somali community.  Audible Tapestries\, focused on finding new ways to combine sound with physical ‘woven’ artefacts. The project explores the links between Somali nomadic weaving patterns and the songs that are an inherent part of the weaving process.  Dhaqan were responsible for curating the International Festival Day of Co-Creating Change in the Arts at Battersea Arts Centre in November 2021.  They have designed and delivered a range of talks and workshops on their practice for a range of organisations and universities including:    Watershed\, British Library\, the Welcome Collection\, Battersea Arts Centre\, Visual Arts South West\, Bricks Bristol\, Numbi Arts\, London School of Economics\, University of East Anglia and Bermin University.  \nDhaqan Collective’s House of Weaving Song is currently co-commissioned by Counterpoints Arts and Art Reach. \n@dhaqancollective \n  \nGAIA VINCE \n  \n\n		\n		\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Gaia Vince\, by Phil Fisk\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Nomad Century book cover\n				\n		\n\n  \nGaia Vince is an honorary senior research fellow at UCL and a science writer and broadcaster interested in the interplay between humans and the planetary environments. Gaia has held senior editorial posts at Nature and New Scientist\, and her writing has appeared in The Guardian\, The Times and Scientific American. Her research takes her across the world: she has visited more than sixty countries\, has lived in three and is currently based in London. In 2015\, she became the first woman to win the Royal Society Science Book of the Year Prize solo\, for her debut\, Adventures in the Anthropocene. \n@wanderinggaia \n  \nLENA DOBROWOLSKA & TEO ORMOND-SKEAPING \n  \n\n		\n		\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Lena Bobrowolska\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Teo Ormond-Skeaping\n				\n		\n\n  \nLena Dobrowolska & Teo Ormond-Skeaping are a Polish-British artist collaboration working with photography\, documentary and narrative film\, immersive technologies\, and artist research.  \nTheir collaborative practice sees them work on extensive\, interdisciplinary projects exploring the political ecology of the climate crisis\, climate-induced migration\, slow violence\, climate-changed future scenarios\, the governmentality of Loss and Damage under the UNFCCC\, and the cultural critique of the Anthropocene\, which they prefer to call the Capitalocene. \nThe duo are recipients of numerous awards\, including the Art and Citizenship Residency at the Embassy of Foreign Artists (2021)\, the Prix COAL 2019 on Disaster Displacement (2019) and the Culture and Climate Change: Future Scenarios Networked Residency (2016).  \nTheir work has been screened and exhibited internationally at climate change conferences\, galleries\, museums and film festivals\, including Fotodoks\, Munich (2023)\, Futures/Melkweg Expo Amsterdam (2022)\, The Noorderlicht Festival of Photography (2019)\, Kunst Haus Wien: Museum Hundertwasser (2019)\, Krakow Photomonth (2019)\, and UNFCCC COP25 (2019).  \nIn addition to their artistic practice\, Lena is a PhD Researcher at the Digital Cultures Research Centre\, UWE Bristol\, a Research Associate with Culture and Climate Change at the School of Architecture\, University of Sheffield and lectures in MA Digital Direction at the Royal College of Art.  \nTeo works to coordinate the Loss and Damage Collaboration’s (L&DC) Advocacy and Outreach and Communications programs as well as co-coordinating their Human Mobility and Displacement and non-economic loss and damage working groups.  \nTogether\, they run the L&DC’s Art and Culture program “Ways of Repair: Loss and Damage” which is aimed at facilitating a transdisciplinary exchange around the issue of loss and damage caused by the climate crisis. \n@lena_dobrowolska \n@teoormondskeaping
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/migration-climate-justice-the-power-of-stories/
LOCATION:Southbank Centre\, Belvedere Road\, London\, SE1 8XX
CATEGORIES:Pop Culture,Sustainability & Climate Justice
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20220527T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20220527T200000
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20211206T123442Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145006Z
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SUMMARY:The Power to Create: Pop Culture and Narrative Change
DESCRIPTION:Friday 27 May\, 6-8pm BST\nLevel 5 Function Room\, Southbank Centre\nFree but ticketed via Southbank Centre website. If tickets are sold out\, join the waitlist. \nCounterpoints Arts\, the UK’s leading organisation in the field of arts\, migration and cultural change\, in collaboration with Southbank Centre\, presents ‘The Power to Create: Pop Culture & Narrative Change’\, an in-person networking event as part of our PopChange Salon Series. The evening will feature speakers who are at the forefront of driving social change\, building movements and disrupting existing power structures through vibrant\, game-changing cultural content in the US and UK.  \nSpeakers: \n\nNana Bempah\, an award-winning Executive Producer in film and advertising\, and founder and CEO of Pocc – a creative network driving cultural impact.\nRashad Robinson (via live link)\, a US civil rights leader and President of Color Of Change\, which builds power for Black communities through innovative cultural strategies.\nand Samir Patel\, innovation leader and CEO of Comic Relief\, which has recently launched The Power of Pop Fund with Unbound Philanthropy.\n\nGuest hosted by Naima Khan\, Director of Inclusive Mosque Initiative\, Co-Chair of Counterpoints Arts and one of Nesta and The Observer’s 50 New Radicals for their work on intersectional feminism. \nThis Salon is for TV/film creators and producers\, storytellers\, funders and narrative change makers\, and we invite you to join us for this interactive discussion and networking event. \n \nThe fusion of social change‑makers\, movement builders\, narrative experts\, creatives and funders has the potential to be one of the biggest\, driving forces of social and environmental change in our world over the years to come. We need to work together to harness the power\, opportunities and potential of pop culture for social change. (Sachrajda and Zukowska\, New Brave World Report\, 2021 \nThe PopChange Salon Series — presented by Counterpoints Arts’ Popchange initiative — are curated exchanges with change makers\, storytellers and the entertainment industry to explore opportunities for harnessing pop culture for real social change. Hosted by K Biswas (The Race Beat)\, and building from the recent New Brave World report (Sachrajda & Zukowska\, 2021)\, the Salon Series focuses on areas with momentum for narrative change in the UK — TV/film\, gaming and comedy — with particular reference to themes of racial justice\, migration and displacement. \nFriday 27 May\, 6-8pm\nLevel 5 Function Room\, Southbank Centre\nFree but ticketed via Southbank Centre website. If tickets are sold out\, join the waitlist.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/the-power-to-create-pop-culture-and-narrative-change/
CATEGORIES:Pop Culture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20220504T150000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20220504T150000
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20220422T113931Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145006Z
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SUMMARY:Binge Watching Hate: Strategies for Fighting the Rise of Digital Extremism
DESCRIPTION:Join advocates\, scholars\, and strategic thought leaders in conversation about cutting-edge communications strategies for combating the rise of far-right extremist ideology in digital spaces. \nDATE/TIME: Wed. May 4th\, 3pm UK/10AM EST. \nLive on Facebook @CounterpointsArts @DefineAmerican \nPanel: \nSarah E. Lowe\, Moderator\, (Director of Research + Impact\, Define American\, US) \nSarah is a health equities researcher\, a Ph.D. candidate in Community Health Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst\, and the Director of Research + Impact at the immigrant rights advocacy organization Define American. Her work focuses on narrative and participatory approaches\, particularly storytelling as critical narrative intervention in and around immigrant communities. \nZahed Amanullah (Resident Senior Fellow\, Institute for Strategic Dialogue\, UK) \nZahed leads ISD’s civil society engagement\, communications and partnerships. He coordinates between activists\, frontline workers\, and relevant civil society networks. \nDr. Francesca Bolla Tripodi\, (Senior Faculty Researcher\, CITAP: University of North Carolina\, Chapel Hill\, US) \nFrancesca is a sociologist who studies how participatory media perpetuates systems of inequality. She is an assistant professor at the School of Information and Library Science at UNC Chapel Hill\, and is an affiliated researcher with Data & Society. \nShauna Siggelkow (Director of Digital Storytelling\, Define American\, US) \nShauna is a television and digital video producer who specializes in creating content-based advocacy campaigns. She leads an innovative strategy at the non-profit Define American\, where she combines social media influencer networks and digital humanities research to combat the spread of misinformation online. \nTony McAleer\, (Founder\, Life After Hate\, US) \nAuthor\, activist\, and founder of “Life After Hate\,” Tony knows firsthand how to combat white supracists online\, because he used to be one. Since reforming his ideology\, he has founded “Life After Hate\,” where he leads narrative and content strategy efforts to combat the rise of white nationalism in the U.S.\, and rehabilitate extremists who have bought into the rhetoric. \nPresented by Define American in partnership with Counterpoints Arts as part of our PopChange Salon Series. \nThe PopChange Salon Series — presented by Counterpoints Arts’ Popchange initiative — are curated exchanges with change makers\, storytellers and the entertainment industry to explore opportunities for harnessing pop culture for real social change. Building from the recent New Brave World report (Sachrajda & Zukowska\, 2021)\, the Salon Series focuses on areas with momentum for narrative change in the UK — TV/film\, gaming and comedy — with particular reference to themes of racial justice\, migration and displacement.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/binge-watching-hate-strategies-for-fighting-the-rise-of-digital-extremism/
CATEGORIES:Learning,Pop Culture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20220410T000000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20220410T000000
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20220406T134414Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145006Z
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SUMMARY:PopChange Salon Series X Now Play This Festival: Stories of Displacement in Video Games
DESCRIPTION:Can video games change our understanding of what it means to be a refugee? \nWith displacement as a guiding theme\, this will be an exploratory conversation looking at different ways in which video games can diversify our understanding of refugee experiences. The discussants will each be talking about some of their own projects — including the popular text-based game Bury Me\, My Love — while exploring the values and challenges of bringing lived experience into game development\, platforms for experimentation and cross-sector collaboration\, and opportunities with interactive forms such as AR/VR. This will be an inspiring conversation for game designers\, storytellers\, art-ivists and narrative change-makers. \nThe discussion will be facilitated by Jennifer Estaris\, Game Director of ustwo games (known for Monument Valley and Alba: A Wildlife Adventure) in conversation with:  \n\nSindi Breshani – Co-founder of Episod Studio which is currently developing ‘Race for the Arctic’\, a documentary game built with indigenous communities.\nFlorent Maurin (via live feed) – Founder of The Pixel Hunt – a games design studio focused on reality-inspired games\, including Bury Me\, My Love\, produced in collaboration with a Syrian refugee. \nMalath Abbas (via lived feed) – Founder of Biome Collective\, and currently producing ‘Hope’\, a playful experience that documents his own journey as a refugee to the UK.\n\nThis event is presented by Counterpoints Arts as part of its PopChange Salon Series in collaboration with Now Play This (8-10 April 2022) — a festival of experimental game design held at Somerset House. This year’s theme explores the relationship between game design and democracy. \nThe PopChange Salon Series — presented by Counterpoints Arts’ Popchange initiative — are curated exchanges with change makers\, storytellers and the entertainment industry to explore opportunities for harnessing pop culture for real social change. The Salon Series focuses on areas with momentum for narrative change in the UK — TV/film\, gaming and comedy — with particular reference to themes of racial justice\, migration and displacement. \n********* \nLinks & More Info: \nGet tickets to the Festival (£6.50-9) via Somerset House website: https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/now-play-2022  \nIf you are interested in joining\, we have a limited number of free tickets available. Get in touch with marcia@counterpoints.org.uk. \nWatch online: https://twitch.tv/nowplaythis \nImage credit: Bury Me\, My Love © The Pixel Hunt
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/popchange-salon-series-x-now-play-this-festival-stories-of-displacement-in-video-games/
CATEGORIES:Community & Participation,Digital,Gaming,Pop Culture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20210928T163000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20210928T183000
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20210914T151142Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145008Z
UID:10000156-1632846600-1632853800@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Stand-Up Comedy and the Critical Conversation
DESCRIPTION:Join Counterpoints Arts for the next event in our PopChange Salon Series featuring a live recording of our new podcast “But Is It Funny?” which puts comedy criticism in the spotlight. \nPanellists Suchandrika Chakrabarti (comic and writer)\, Jamal Khadar (writer and researcher) and Brian Logan (comedy critic for The Guardian) will be discussing current issues in stand-up and highlighting upcoming gigs and events. \nFollowing the recording\, PopChange Salon Series host\, K Biswas\, will lead a reflective discussion where you can have your say on what topics you think future episodes should be covering. The aim  is to extend and diversify comedy criticism\, bringing a wider range of insights into mainstream and emerging work. \nFree booking via Eventbrite \nAbout the “But Is It Funny?” Podcast: \nLaunching in September 2021\, this weekly podcast features Suchandrika Chakrabarti (comic and writer)\, Jamal Khadar (writer and researcher) and Brian Logan (comedy critic for The Guardian) discussing issues and highlights of the stand-up comedy scene in the UK. \nBuilding on Counterpoints Arts’ No Direction Home comedy project — which trains a new generation of stand-up comedians with migrant and refugee backgrounds — and its recent PopChange Retreat\, “But Is It Funny?” recognises that more diverse critical conversations can have a significant role in opening access and broadening audiences. For example\, is improv discriminatory? Do Middle Eastern performers only make jokes about terrorists? Can refugees ever be funny? \nWhile comedy has soared in popularity across the UK and internationally\, critical conversations have continued to be less prominent than for other artforms. “But Is It Funny?”\, the first regular podcast to focus on comedy criticism\, will help address that shortcoming. \nHosted by Counterpoints Arts‘ PopChange Initiative\, this is the second of five PopChange Salons in 2021 exploring the opportunities for real change presented within the New Brave world Report (2021)\, hosted by K Biswas. The Salon Series will explore racial justice\, comedy\, TV\, gaming and narrative change.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/stand-up-comedy-and-the-critical-conversation/
CATEGORIES:Comedy,Learning,Pop Culture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20210714T173000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20210714T193000
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20210709T125536Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145008Z
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SUMMARY:POPCHANGE SALON SERIES: RACIAL JUSTICE\, POP CULTURE AND SOCIAL STRUGGLE
DESCRIPTION:K Biswas\, Leah Cowan\, and Selina Nwulu discuss popular culture in Britain and its potential role in accelerating social change and highlighting structural inequality. \nYouth led movements – against racism and sexism\, for LGBTQ+ and disability rights or environmental sustainability ‐ feel locked out of elite political and economic circles\, and see culture as their site of expression. A new wave of radical pop-cultural expression\, dormant for much of the 21st century\, may have emerged in film & television\, music & fashion\, gaming and social media campaigns. Under discussion will be Britain’s belated public reckoning with racism in the wake of George Floyd’s murder\, and the emerging counter-reaction crystallised in a new Culture War. \n//  \nHosted by Counterpoints Arts‘ PopChange Initiative\, this is the first of five PopChange Salons in 2021 exploring the opportunities for real change presented within the New Brave world Report (2021). The Salon Series will explore racial justice\, comedy\, TV\, gaming and narrative change. \n// \nRecommended background reading\n— New Brave World a new report by Alice Sachrajda and Marzena Zukowska that explores the power\, opportunities and potential of pop culture for social change in the UK. The report is supported by Unbound Philanthropy and builds on Riding the Waves\, a scoping study on the same theme published in 2017. \n— \, a journal for research and best practice in how to make UK media more representative of all sections of society\, edited by K Biswas. The recently published issue features articles by Lenny Henry and director Amma Asante talking about sharing power on-screen & being allowed to fail; Gary Younge on working as a Black journalist at The Guardian and Afua Hirsch’s experiences starting out at The Voice newspaper\, amongst others.\nJOINING US ON AIRMEET\nWe’re thrilled to be welcoming such an exciting range of participants and speakers\, and invite you to join us in using the Airmeet platform to make new connections during the networking\, sessions. Airmeet is best experienced on a Chrome browser (version 79 or higher)\, on a laptop or a desktop. You can download the latest version here. \nIf you’d like to familiarise yourself with Airmeet before the session\, you can do so via this link. \nFILMING\nSome sections of the programme will be live streamed\, but only participants who choose to go ‘on stage’ will be visible. Presentations by speakers (but not the Q&A sections) will also be filmed and shared online. \nSOCIAL MEDIA\nWe’d love you to join the conversation online using the hashtag #popxchange or via our social media channels: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/popchange-salon-series-racial-justice-pop-culture-and-social-struggle/
CATEGORIES:Learning,Pop Culture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20210319T170000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20210319T180000
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20210315T093156Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145415Z
UID:10000199-1616173200-1616176800@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Game Time Happy Hour with Black Girl Gamers
DESCRIPTION:Join gamers\, comedians and artists over on Twitch as they compete in our livestreamed ‘Game Time Happy Hour’ hosted by Black Girl Gamers.  \nThey’ll be competing for the crown of “Tastiest Cake” in the bonkers game of Cake Bash\, while chatting about the games they’ve grown up with and are excited by now; together with the value of gaming communities\, and reflections on what’s happening around diverse representation in the gaming world. Guest players will be announced next week.  \nHosted by InDeeDee (Black Girl Gamers) and featuring contestants Evan Narcisse (Narrative Designer\, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales)\, Stephanie Ijoma (Founder\, NNESAGA) and Mo Omar (Comedian). \nThis is Counterpoints Arts’ first public gaming event commissioned through its Pop Culture and Social Change (PopChange) initiative on shifting narratives of migration and displacement. We invite you all to come watch the livestream\, cheer them on and join in the discussion (note: anyone can watch the livestream and chat box but to participate in the discussion you need to create an account on Twitch).  \nTips:  \n— Joining: Note that this is a livestreamed event on the Twitch platform. Anyone can watch the livestream but to participate in the chatbox discussion\, you will need a Twitch account (see details here for how to join).  \n— Registering: Get reminded about the event by selecting the event reminder on Twitch or registering on Eventbrite to be emailed a direct link to the livestream on the day. We’ll be sharing links to the livestream on social media.  \n— Chatbox Rules: The chat box will be moderated by Black Girl Gamers. Please note their rules for participating:   \n\nNo Racism\, anti-LGBTQA or ableism\, hate speech or sexism is permitted here. Our ban hand is strong. You have been warned. \nNo backseat gaming. \nBe respectful. \nOnly Mods are allowed to post links. \nNo self-promotion. \n\n— Rating: This game is rated ‘E’ for Everyone: Generally suitable for all ages. May contain minimal cartoon violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.  \nBlack Girl Gamers is an online safe space and platform that heightens the visibility of Black Women in Gaming and advocates for Diversity & Inclusion. Created by Jay-Ann Lopez in 2015\, they currently have over 7000 members from all over the world\, run amazing IRL events and create online content to support diversity and inclusion in the industry.  \nPopChange (Pop Culture & Social Change) is a pioneering initiative led by Counterpoints Arts exploring how the power of pop culture can be harnessed for social change in order to shift the way we talk\, think and feel about migration and displacement in the UK.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/game-time-happy-hour-with-black-girl-gamers/
CATEGORIES:Gaming,Pop Culture
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210317
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210320
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20210315T092919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145415Z
UID:10000201-1615939200-1616198399@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Pop Culture meets Social Change Retreat
DESCRIPTION:Counterpoints Arts and OKRE are delighted to be organising our first online ‘Pop Culture meets Social Change Retreat.’ \nTaking place over three days\, the retreat will bring together a range of selected individuals from the worlds of comedy\, video gaming\, broadcast\, visual and performing arts\, digital and news media\, the charity sector together with the fields of policy\, activism and philanthropy. \nThe primary aim of bringing different people and sectors to this retreat is to lay the ground for new cross-sector exchanges\, ideas and collaborations\, with a view to finding better ways to represent the lived experiences of diverse communities and audiences within pop culture. We hope to create a space to nurture and connect a growing body of artists and change-makers operating in the dynamic intersection of popular culture and social change. The timing of this retreat is shaped by a series of significant intersecting social and cultural events\, including COVID-19\, Black Lives Matter and the MeToo movement alongside escalating environmental crises. These have further exposed deep inequalities in our society\, further amplified by perceived ‘culture wars’ over history\, culture and identity. \nRead more about the retreat \nThe retreat is by invite only\, but we will be live streaming a number of sessions to Facebook and Youtube. Full schedule: \nOur conversations on Day One will kick off with a keynote provocation by Marcus Ryder\, a leading diversity champion and co-author (alongside Sir Lenny Henry) of the hugely influential book: Access All Areas: The Diversity Manifesto for TV and Beyond.  The day will also feature the launch of a new report: New Brave World: The power\, opportunities and potential of pop culture for social change in the UK by Alice Sachrajda\, Marzena Zukowska and K Biswas. This report sketches a map of an emerging pop culture for social change ecosystem in the UK\, drawing from the insights of many commissioned practitioners and pointing to the opportunities to both influence and invest in what is still a nascent nonetheless immensely vibrant creative space. \nDay Two will explore questions surrounding pop culture and social change through the lens of comedy. It will feature conversations and workshops with top comedians including Britain’s Got Talent superstar Nabil Abdulrashid about how comedy engages\, provokes and activates public conversations about migration. Writers\, including Brian Logan and Momtaza Mehri\, will reflect on how we might expand and embed a critical discussion about comedy across both analogue and social media. The day ends with a ticketed comedy gig hosted by the brilliant Mo Omar and headlined by Fatiha El-Ghorri and Nabil Abdulrashid. \nThe discussions and workshops continue on Day Three with a focus on the immersive world of video games. Ubisoft’s Kurston Timothy\, Code Coven’s Tara Mustapha and actor August Aiden Black from hit game Tell Me Why are among the speakers exploring representation and the opportunities and impact of bringing diverse perspectives into game design. Get involved in the lunchtime Let’s Play session and join workshops on writing\, real world impact and more with hosts including narrative designer Corey Brotherson\, UN Live’s Nikolaj Møller and award-winning studio ustwo’s Maria Sayans. Then join us over on Twitch with Black Girl Gamers as they livestream a ‘play and chat’ on the games that most inspire. \nThe popular culture for social change ecosystem in the UK is ripe with potential\, but there is much to be done in the context of building new relationships and brokering trust and connections across and between practitioners and industries. We hope that this retreat will bring us together as artists\, creative producers\, policymakers\, activists and funders for what promises to be a lively three days of talk\, collaboration and the imagining of future action.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/pop-culture-meets-social-change-retreat/
CATEGORIES:Pop Culture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20200621T200000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20200621T211500
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20200513T094156Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145416Z
UID:10000254-1592769600-1592774100@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:No Direction (at) Home - featuring Nish Kumar
DESCRIPTION:Live\, online laughter from the brilliant No Direction Home comedy collective\, \nJoin us for a Refugee Week special event\, in partnership with Southbank Centre : live online comedy via Zoom with the unique No Direction Home comedy collective\, hosted by Tom Parry\, with special guest headliner Nish Kumar. \nAlso featuring Délia Remy\, Edin Suljic\, Nour-ani Sisserian\, Yasmeen Gharwi & Selam Mengistu. \nAge 16+ \nTickets are pay what you can afford (suggested £5-10) \nBooking via Eventbrite \nSome guest list places available for low/zero income – email hello@counterpoints.org.uk \nNish Kumar says: “The No Direction Home comedians are a very exciting\, interesting and creative bunch of people to be around. And they are very funny! The material is really good.” \nNo Direction Home\, created by Counterpoints Arts\, Camden People’s Theatre and Tom Parry was founded in 2018. We run free workshops and have staged gigs across the country\, and since March this year have been working entirely online. \nFor Refugee Week we have teamed up with our friends at the Southbank Centre for our biggest Zoom gig ever. \nRead an article about No Direction Home in The Guardian \nWatch Nish Kumar and Tom Parry talk about lockdown\, online gigging and No Direction Home on Facebook \n \nIn 2019 No Direction Home played at the Southbank Centre for Refugee Week\, with guest headliner Romesh Ranganthan \nNish Kumar photo: Jose Farinha \nPost-event notes \nAttendance: 300 \nFeedback and evaluation via Auidence Finder \nPlus\, from Yasmeen (performer)
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/no-direction-home-standup-comedy/
CATEGORIES:Comedy,Pop Culture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CA_NoDirectionHome_NishKumar_20Jan19-122.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20200619T173000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20200619T193000
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20200612T064823Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145416Z
UID:10000240-1592587800-1592595000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:The Positive Power of Football Chants: New Fan Song with Lady Leshurr
DESCRIPTION:Lady Leshurr — the multi-talented rapper\, songwriter and co-host of ITV2’s ‘Don’t Hate the Playaz’ —  launches a specially commissioned football song and music video celebrating the diversity of football at Refugee Week 2020. \nThe song was commissioned by PopChange — an initiative led by Counterpoints Arts — and produced together with football fans to celebrate the contributions that migration has made to this popular sport. \nThe launch will be followed by a discussion bringing together former players\, fans and artists. Topics will include: \n\nWhat are the positive impacts of migration on football in Britain?\nHow have supporters’ groups\, players and clubs challenged the negative portrayal of migrants in the media and wider society in general?\nWhy is football often negatively represented in cultural spaces?\nHow can musicians\, artists\, filmmakers\, poets and influencers address these stereotypes?\n\nSPEAKERS \nChaired by Michael Eboda – CEO of Powerful Media/sports journalist \n\nLady Leshurr – Rapper / Songwriter\nMathew Barrett – CEO\, Goal Click\nMark Doidge – Senior Research Fellow\, University of Brighton\nNilesh J. Chauhan – Aston Villa FC “Villains Together” initiative\nSalma Mahamoud – Brentford WFC footballer / Kick It Out “Game Changer”\nHannah McCabe – Musician / Fellow of Creative and Professional Practice\nTim Samuels – Podcaster / Co-host\, Non-Stop Content\nTasneem Tamil – Women’s Football Officer / Amnesty International UK\nPhil Vasili –  Author / Rearcher / Activist / Walter Tull Project\n\nFollow the conversation on Twitter #popXchange \nFor more information about PopChange and this special commission visit our website: popchange.co.uk \n\nHOW TO PARTICIPATE \n1. To be part of the live audience on Zoom\, you must register via Eventbrite.  All the info to join the Zoom discussion will be emailed to you the evening before.  \n2. You can also watch the live streams on Facebook without registering. To receive a reminder just before the event starts\, you can register and select “Receive a reminder” or RSVP on the Facebook event page. \nPopChange (Pop Culture & Social Change) is a pioneering initiative led by Counterpoints Arts exploring how the power of pop culture can be harnessed for social change in order to shift the way we talk\, think and feel about migration and displacement in the UK. www.popchange.co.uk \nFacebook Live link
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/new-fan-song-lady-leshurr/
CATEGORIES:Music,Pop Culture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ladyleshurr-hires-3830-1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20200616T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20200616T153000
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20200612T065834Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145418Z
UID:10000239-1592316000-1592321400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Tag It Right: Challenge the Online Narrative
DESCRIPTION:If you type ‘United Kingdom’ into google images what do you get? A map\, the flag and a picture of Westminster. How about ‘Australia’? A map\, flag and tourist icon. Now try ‘Yemen’. The images are of war\, cities in rubble and young men with rifles.\nWe rely on large tech organisations like Google and Facebook for a huge portion of our information. However\, these companies do not equally or fairly represent migrants or the countries they come from. This exposes a structural racism that homogenised and dilutes the narrative of particular regions and cultures. \n‘Tag It Right’ is a youth-led campaign from PopChange challenging how Internet content such as images and news are tagged\, filtered and presented in social media platforms and search engines\, reproducing biases and stereotypes in how we see migrants and refugees.\nThis event will launch the project at Refugee Week 2020 with a discussion about the biases within our media\, from how we tag our own photos online to the Western-centric algorithms within major companies like Google. It will aim to bring together varied perspectives through a diverse panel to talk about the impact online content has on our view of the world. \nHOW TO PARTICIPATE\n1. To be part of the live audience on Zoom\, you must register via Eventbrite. The link to Zoom will be emailed to you two hours before the event.\n2. You can also watch the live streams on Facebook without registering. To receive a reminder just before the event starts\, you can register and select “Receive a reminder” or RSVP on the Facebook event page. \nPopChange (Pop Culture & Social Change) is a pioneering initiative led by Counterpoints Arts exploring how the power of pop culture can be harnessed for social change in order to shift the way we talk\, think and feel about migration and displacement in the UK. www.popchange.co.uk
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/tag-it-right-challenge-the-online-narrative/
CATEGORIES:Pop Culture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/tagitright.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191021T000000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191022T000000
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20190923T063040Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145419Z
UID:10000269-1571616000-1571702400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Pop Culture – Young People – Migration & Social Change
DESCRIPTION:#platforma5 \n21-22 October 2019\, Gulbenkian\, University of Kent\, Canterbury \nA 2-day ‘retreat’ as part of Platforma 5 \nIntroduction \nPop Culture and Social Change is a pioneering project from Counterpoints Arts exploring how the power of pop culture can be harnessed to shift the way we talk\, think and feel about migration and displacement. \nAs part of Platforma 5\, the fifth arts & refugees festival run by Counterpoints Arts\, we are holding an event in partnership with Gulbenkian exploring how youth-focused pop culture formats can create positive social change relating to migration and displacement. \nThe main part of this event is for invited participants only\, following an open call in July. If you would like more information about the outcomes\, or the project overall\, contact hello@counterpoints.org.uk \nOutline \nWe will focus on three pop culture strands: \n– Music\n– Videogames\n– Online TV \nAcross the 2-days there will be a chance to engage with all three areas in relation to social change / migration & displacement\, and the opportunity to focus on areas of particular interest. \nExamples \nDuring the retreat all participants will have the opportunity to engage with content from all three main strands. For example\, we will look at Bury Me\, My Love the recent videogame from The Pixel Hunt. And we will be considering: \n– Examples from mainstream and ‘alternative’ games \n– The impact of videogames on understanding of migration \n– Diversity within the games industry \n– How new games can be developed and distributed \n– Building a network of people with an interest in videogames & migration \n \nOn the evening of 21st October\, there will be a screening of the documentary MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. \nWith regards to music\, migration and displacement we will consider issues such as: \n– How artists are changing the distribution models for new music so as to be in more control of their output and create new opportunities \n– Approaches to bringing issues such as migration into artists’ creative output \n– How to make effective links between arts & activism \n– Learning from the musical archives \n \nAnd we will look at how online TV from BBC 3\, Netflix and others can engage wide audiences through drama and comedy. Questions to be considered might include: \n– What opportunities already exist for young creatives from refugee & migrant background? \n– What more can broadcasters do to increase opportunity? \n– Where are the potential crossovers between self-made content and  ‘broadcast’ content and where are the differences? \n– What might the industry look like five years from now?
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/pop-culture-young-people-migration-social-change/
CATEGORIES:Pop Culture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20190619T000000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20190619T000000
DTSTAMP:20260429T053757
CREATED:20190610T130921Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240709T145421Z
UID:10000277-1560902400-1560902400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Integration of Refugees within the Creative Industry
DESCRIPTION:We are delighted to be working with Strange Beast on a special event for Refugee Week exploring Integration of Refugees within the Creative Industry. We’ll be premiering a new film by Anna Ginsburg and Melissa Kitty Jarram and screening 3 more inspired by refugee stories. Following this will be a panel discussion. \nBooking via Eventbrite \nAll proceeds from ticket sales* will be donated to Counterpoints Arts \nPremiere \n‘Ugly’ by Anna Ginsburg and Melissa Kitty Jarram – an animated narration of the Poem by Warsan Shire \nScreening \n‘Al Hurriya’ by Loup Blaster \n‘Dear Habib’ by Majid Adin \n‘Then I Came By Boat’ by Marleena Forward \nExhibition \nOriginal hand-painted frames from ‘Ugly’ by Melissa Kitty Jarram \nPanel Hosted by Lucy Bourton – Deputy Editor of It’s Nice That: \nTom Green – Counterpoints Arts \nMajid Adin – Artist and Animation Director \nArteh Odjidja – Photographer \nEvent Supported by: \nStrange Beast \nFriendship Adventure Brewery \nThe Trampery \n*Donation total is subject to Eventbrite fees
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/integration-of-refugees-within-the-creative-industry/
CATEGORIES:Pop Culture
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