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Co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union, Slate World is transnational partnership promoting the visibility and mobility of Black artists, and fellow artists also marginalised for their race, across Europe. Led by Eclipse Theatre with partners Theater De Meervaart, ICK Amsterdam and Teatro Griot, the two year programme will open-up new potentials in programming, audience development, digitisation and cultural exchange. We are now in our final year.

The programme features intra-European training and opportunities for Black artists, public events, and the commissioning of new Black work that explores Black European Identity.

In committing to two years of research, development and delivery, Slate will enable the European performing arts sector to begin to build a truly diverse and inclusive network to urgently address the barriers that currently exclude Black audiences and artists from participating in arts and culture and identifying with the European image.

To read an article about the Creative Europe 'Cooperations Projects' funding that supports this programme, click here.

Our partners…

Theater De Meervaart
Based in Amsterdam, Theater De Meervaart is driven by the continuous ambition to make all residents of Amsterdam New-West shareholders in its activities. In addition to paying attention to the actual reality, space is also given to dreams, fears, desires and imagination.

By focusing on cultural participation, cultural education and presentation of the performing arts, we facilitate cultural acquaintance, discussion and reflection. We want to be the home of New-West where mutual respect, curiosity and the breaking down of cultural thresholds are central.

ICK Amsterdam has an essential part in the above ambitions as one of the 4 resident companies of Theater De Meervaart focusing on dance and dance development.

Follow Theater De Meervaart on Facebook >

Teatro GRIOT
Based in Lisbon, Teatro GRIOT is a company of actors that explore themes around building and questioning the multiplicities of emerging contemporary European identity, and how it reflects on speech and theatrical aesthetics. The company investigates and deepens concepts related with the existing tension between collective and individual memory, collective and individual imaginary. It operates in those memory cracks that allows forgotten perspectives of history to gain visibility.

The company has taken to the stage texts by Wole Soyinka, Pepetela, Breyten Breytenbach, William Shakespeare, Lynn Nottage, Aeschylus, Al Berto and Jean Genet, directed by Rogério de Carvalho, Nuno M. Cardoso, Guilherme Mendonça, Bruno Bravo, António Pires, João Fiadeiro and Zia Soares. 

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Year one…

Our first year of activity is dedicated to the training and development of six Artists and Enablers, who will attend a roaming residency course in each of the partner countries. These three weeks will be spent with the project partners and facilitators, taking on key themes and addressing subject matters of sustainability, audience development, building local networks and developing exceptional new work that utilises the untapped source of the Black European experience.

Artists and Enablers:

Ella Mesma, Artist (UK)
Melanie Abrahams, Enabler (UK)
Priscilla Macintosh, Enabler (Amsterdam)
Perry Gits, Artist (Amsterdam)
Alesa Herero, Enabler (Lisbon)
Lolo Aishatu Arziki, Artist (Lisbon)

Nuno Santos, Associate Enabler (Lisbon)
Herlander, Associate Artist (Lisbon)
Inês Barros, Associate Artist (Lisbon)

Residency key dates:

The first Slate World Residency happened in the North of England, 8 - 12 Jun. Here are some of the events that took place as part of it:

Social - Manchester, Sat 8 Jun
Social - Liverpool, Sun 9 Jun
Collaboration - with David Bryan MBA FRSA - Leeds, Mon 10 Jun
Technology and Resources Session - Leeds, Tues 11 Jun
Collaboration, Wellbeing and Legacy - Leeds, Tues 11 Jun
The Masks We Wear - Leeds, Wed 12 Jun

The second Slate World Residency took place in Amsterdam, 9 - 14 Sept. Here's an overview of the programme of events:

Mon 9 Sept
Meet director Ernestine Comvalius
Walking tour in Southeast with Creative Producer Sharon Amritpersad

Tues 10 Sept
Meet director Yassine Boussaid
Body dance workshop at ICK (DSDM method ICK dans Amsterdam)
Art Talk at ICK: philosophy from a non western perspective

Wed 11 Sept
Networking at “Tolhuistuin”, creative hub and performance centre: creatives meet the organisations.

Thur 12 Sept
Talk at Compagnie Theater with director Clayde Menso
Powerclass workshop at Compagnie Theater with Astrid Elburg

Fri 13 Sept
Producing masterclass at ICK on curatorial decision making and our responsibilities as cultural producers by Saundra Williams.

Sat 14 Sept
Slate World artists performance at Fringe at ICK.

The final residency of Year One will took place in Lisbon, Tues 19 - 23 Nov.

Tues 19 Nov
Sound Design workshop with Chullage Hangar, Artistic Research Centre
Meeting with local artists and music from Dj DiDi Hangar, Artistic Research Centre

Wed 20 Nov
Dramatic Expression workshop with Zia Soares, Auditorio da Casada Cultura

Thur 21 Nov
‘lnsights: Emotions and Memories in a Black Body’ workshop with Psychologist Shenia Karlsson, Espaco Santa Catarina 
Freestyle, body control and house dance workshop with Maurice CEA, Centro de Experimentacao Artistica

Fri 22 Nov
Poetry, Race & Gender workshop with Espaco Tabanka Sul 
‘What it is to be Black’ talk with Yussef from Consciência Negra and Cristina Roldão of Espaco Tabanka Sul 
Concert with local artists and Dj DiDi, Casa Mocamb

Year Two…

In the second year, and in response to the global pandemic caused by Covid 19, Slate World went online, offering a robust programme of creative conversations and Socials, mental health and wellbeing sessions, check-in sessions, panel talks, and development and mentoring opportunities.

More info and event listings can be found here.

Photo credits: Ean Flanders (0 - 9), Angela Tellier (10 - 17)