PopChange
PopChange is our pioneering project exploring how the power of pop culture can be harnessed to shift the way we talk, think and feel about migration and displacement.
Started in 2019 it draws the experience of the Pop Culture Collaborative in the US and research including New Brave Worlds by Alice Sachrajda and Marzena Zukowska.
PopChange is the first UK initiative in the migration sector to develop a strategy for leveraging popular culture to advance public understanding and appreciation of migrants and refugees in the UK. We have initiated new connections and partnerships between creative producers working in the fields of popular culture and mainstream entertainment and social justice sectors.
We have run a number of networking events including two strategic retreats bringing together leaders and creatives from across sectors, and “salons” focusing on areas including gaming, intersections with racial justice, and TV production.
Our current focus is on TV, film and comedy.
Our No Direction Home comedy collective supports new comedians from refugee and migrant backgrounds to take their first steps into stand-up and offers opportunities to perform alongside established performers inclduing Nish Kumar, Sindhu Vee and Romesh Ranganathan. We’ve produced gigs around the country and now have an ongoing residency at Soho Theatre in partnership with Show & Tell.
In 2023 we launched our PopChange consultancy, aiming to build collaborative storytelling through TV and film. Working with our network of creatives Together, we collaborate on Films, TV and Comedy projects to bring lived-experience expertise in order to inspire, ensure authentic and compassionate storytelling in the mainstream, and build narrative power and to extend opportunities for career development.
