I’m delighted that Get A Word In Edgeways has asked me to manage and lead their Jubilee Project, ‘Tales of a Commonwealth’

Throughout June, we will be commemorating the Jubilee and exploring what it means to be part of the Commonwealth through conversation, poetry, storytelling, writing and dance.

I’m going to be part of an amazing team of female artists from India, Trinidad, South Africa, Scotland and England coming together to create a new blended performance; hold international conversations, workshops and performances with Shropshire children and take poetry to the streets of Much Wenlock.

Our artists are: Arupa Lahiry, Shivanee N. Ramlochan, Philippa Namutebi Kabali-Kagwa, Ailsa Dixon, Simone Gilliatt, Kate Innes and Jean Atkin

Tales of a Commonwealth Schools Project

Three primary schools will take part in zoom sessions with artists live from Trinidad, India and South Africa.  The children will find out about cultures in different parts of the Commonwealth, hearing and seeing stories, songs, poetry and dance.  They will literally  open windows to the world as the artists share their views out of the window with the children and answer their questions.

Each class will have a day working in person with a local wordsmith to create their responses to meeting the Commonwealth artists – we look forward to sharing their poems, stories and performances with you here!

Tales of a Commonwealth new blended performance

Six women artists from the Commonwealth come together from India, Trinidad, South Africa, Uganda, Scotland and England – to create one blended performance.

The piece will explore the cultures of our homelands; what the Commonwealth means to us and how the Queen has influenced us.

The Queen’s Jubilee is a wonderful opportunity to explore the idea and experience of a female figurehead.  All our artists are women and we will talk about female perspectives over the past 70 years and our own experiences as daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, grandmothers and working women

Throughout June we will be meeting to share our experiences, artforms and the importance of the Queen’s Jubilee and the Commonwealth.  In these current times of reflection on our shared history, the Commonwealth is a complex and often difficult topic. Together we will examine the aims and reality of the Commonwealth and look to a future where we examine ways of redistributing money and power – making it a genuine commonwealth, where we share our wealth, knowledge and advantage in common. 

What will the final performance be?  We don’t know yet!  But six women and six artforms will unite in a unique blended event – conversations about our lives and realities weaving in and out with more traditional performance.  

Have a look at http://www.getawordinedgeways.co.uk and subscribe to the newsletter on the website, to make sure you stay up to date with all the individual events