This one-year Fleet Arts project with Belper Youth Council culminated in a series of pop-up exhibitions in Black History Month. It was delivered by Hip Hop HEALS, with guests from Mixed Rage Collective and Making Change Studios.
Belper Youth Council, in Belper, Derbyshire explored their town’s links to the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The young people interviewed three experts in matters surrounding their local cotton mill, a World Heritage Site and protest/activism in the present day. We wanted to interpret the town’s Black History through youth voice for future young people to be empowered by. Black History is everyones, everyday history!
We created protest zines, placards and poetry; with a rap and soundscape that concludes each podcast episode (edited by Peter Murtagh).
EPISODE 1. ‘Belper’s cotton mill heritage’ with Adrian Farmer: Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Coordinator
EPISODE 2. ‘Links from Derbyshire Mills to the global slave trade’ with Dr Susanne Seymour: Associate Professor in Geography at University of Nottingham & Deputy Director of the Institute for the Study of Slavery (ISOS)
EPISODE 3. ‘Present day protests and Black Lives Matter Derby’ with Cecile Wright: Professor in School of Sociology and Social Policy at University of Nottingham & Chair of Black Lives Matter Derby
Hip Hop HEALS is the first Hip Hop Therapy organisation of the UK who recently launched the world’s first Trauma-Informed Hip Hop Training Academy. Check out their internationally acclaimed Glowitheflow podcast.
