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Show of Hands

Show of Hands

POLITICÆL PÆRTY, a spoken word night curated by the A & the E held in SLG’s main gallery space, May 2015. Photo: Manuela Barczewski.

A weekend of free talks, performances, screenings and workshops for young people to come together and voice their opinions about politics today.

In May 2015 the Art Assassins and REcreative Editorial Board programmed a weekend of free talks, performances, screenings and workshops which took place across south London for young people to come together and voice their opinions about politics today.

SHOW OF HANDS brought together artists, politicians, musicians, poets and writers to provide a space for young people to engage with the General Election 2015, whilst exploring alternatives to current political systems.

SLG events included a spoken word event POLITICÆL PÆRTY, organised in collaboration with The A & The E, during which poets Jemima Foxtrot, Adam Kammerling, James Massiah, Slam The Poet and Allan Struthers performed new work that responded to the political issues affecting young people in the lead up to the General Election.

On the final day of SHOW OF HANDS the SLG hosted Vote of Confidence, a discussion chaired by the South London Gallery and Black Cultural Archives’ Youth Boards to explore young people’s relationship to politics. Speakers included Seyi Akiwowo, Newham Labour Councillor; Essma Bechkoum, Community Engagement Officer at Bite the Ballot, a party-neutral movement to empower young voters; artists DashNDem; Katie Ghose, Chief Executive, Electoral Reform Society; and Morgan Quaintance, writer, musician, broadcaster and curator. Listen to audio of the discussion here.

In the lead up to the project the SLG’s Youth Forum, the Art Assassins, collaborated with artists DashNDem and a David Cameron look-alike to create their own independent political broadcast.

SHOW OF HANDS was initiated by the South London Gallery in collaboration with Arcadia Missa, Black Cultural Archives, CGP London, Camberwell College of Arts, Hannah Barry Gallery and Peckham Platform.

Art Assassins are a group of young beings aged between 14-21 years old who meet every Tuesday at the South London Gallery. To find out more about the Art Assassins click here.

REcreative: In 2011 the contemporary art resource REcreativeUK.com was launched as an online community devised by young people to inspire their peers to get involved in contemporary art. The REcreative Editorial Board, aged between 16-25 meet monthly to help shape the website’s content and direction.

 

The South London Gallery’s young people’s programme is supported by the SLG Council and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

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