Gasworks Residency with O.P.A.L – 2019

Participation

Gasworks Participation Artist Residency Programme

Between November 2018 and July 2019 artist Jacob V Joyce and OPAL (Out and Proud African LGBTI), an African Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,Transgender and Intersex, human rights activist charity, developed a number of creative activities exploring issues of isolation, racism, black history, and LGBTI+ struggles and liberation.   

These themes were tackled through t-shirts and collage-making workshops as well as poetry writing sessions with poets Keith Jarrett and PJ Samuels, which went on to form the content of We Exist, a beautifully printed and online publication. In addition Jacob travelled to Trinidad where they extended the same creative process by hosting a series of Black Queer World Building workshops to create a safe space for local LGBTI+ artists.

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Throughout the residency Jacob worked closely with project evaluators FOTL (Future of the Left) who were keen to develop a more engaged and supportive way to evaluate socially engaged art projects. You can find out more about their work by signing up to their monthly newsletter.