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Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act

Arts Council England has invited eleven leading poets from the UK to commemorate the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act by writing a poem on the theme of enslavement.

The twelfth poem was chosen from a competition open to the public. The winner will be announced at a special poetry event at Foyles Bookshop on 8 April 2008.

If you would like to attend the poetry event, please RSVP by Friday 4 April 2008 to: julie.yau@artscouncil.org.uk.

Click on the links in the left hand sidebar to read all twelve commissioned poems and listen to the podcasts.

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Peter Hewitt, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said:

“There is a rich tradition of narrative and verse linked to slavery.

“Enslavement means many things to many people. The Arts Council hopes this competition will inspire both known and new poets to add to a powerful tradition.”

Peter Hewitt concluded:

"The commissioning of this poetry is one of many ways in which we will seek to explore the legacy of slavery - how it affects who we are, how we view others, and how we live our daily lives. The Arts Council will be working with a wide range of individuals and organisations throughout this bicentenary year to consider these vital questions."

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The transatlantic trade in peoples from Africa was widespread lasting over several hundred years with conservative estimates placing the number of people enslaved as being five million.

Alongside our poetry competition, through our Grants for the Arts programme Arts Council England is supporting a wide range of artists and arts organisations whose work is connected to the themes and issues raised by this important historical occasion. Across the country, artists from the visual arts, dance, theatre, music and literature will be commemorating the bicentenary, telling the many hidden historical stories of those individuals affected directly and indirectly by the transatlantic slave trade, whilst also exploring the stories and experiences of those who continue to be affected by its legacy and those who are among the many still enslaved across the world today.

A list of arts events and activity connected to the bicentenary are available on a new specially commissioned website www.abolition200.org.uk.

Below are just a few of the exciting and imaginative projects we are proud to be supporting.

Bridgetower – a fable of London in 1807
The City of London Festival is producing a new jazz based opera Bridgetower – a fable of London in 1807. It tells the story of George Bridgetower, a Polish born violin prodigy and the son of an Abyssinian ex-slave. He came to London from Europe in 1789 to escape the French Revolution and went on to perform for George III and the Prince Regent, later receiving royal patronage from the Prince in 1791. Although based on historical events and attitudes of 200 years ago, the opera’s subtext is a reflection of black people’s place in today’s cultural and social establishment.

Written by Mike Phillips, composed by Julian Joseph and directed by Helen Eastman in collaboration with English Touring Opera, Bridgetower will be the centerpiece of the 2007 festival, and will receive its London premier in July.

African Snow
Continuing with stories of the past, African Snow is a play which tells of a meeting between two men cast from opposite sides of the slave trade. The two characters, drawn from the history books, are John Newton, the English sailor, well-known as the converted slave-trader who gave the world its most famous hymn Amazing Grace, and Olaudah Equiano, an individual sidelined by history, who as a former slave went on to become a leading figure in the British movement to abolish the transatlantic slave trade. Both men survived to write remarkable accounts of their experiences and were urged by Yorkshire MP William Wilberforce to testify before parliament in the eighteenth century campaign for abolition. The play deals with a meeting between the two men and poses the question can victim and abuser ever be reconciled.
Produced by Riding Lights Theatre Company and York Theatre Royal, African Snow will be at York Theatre Royal from March before embarking on a nationwide tour.

'Greetings! Wilberforce Women'
A number of projects we are supporting will also explore the issue of slavery from a contemporary viewpoint. One such project is Greetings! Wilberforce Women, run by the photographer Lee Karen Stow. As part of the project Lee travelled to Hull’s twin city of Freetown in Sierra Leone, West Africa, where she delivered a number of basic photography skills workshops to local women. The women were encouraged to capture their personal interpretations of freedom, pride, belief and change, and these images will now be exchanged with women in Hull with the aim of strengthening cultural ties between the twin cities.

Freedom and Culture
Freedom and Culture is a large scale international programme of arts commissions, events and activities across England, which will take a contemporary perspective exploring dimensions of oppression and freedom in the 21st century. Running from March 2007 – April 2008, the year long programme will include an International Creative Forum (ICF) at the South Bank Centre, London, alongside a programme of events and commissions in Yorkshire (Bradford, Leeds, Rotherham), the North West (Salford, Liverpool, Cumbria), the East Midlands (Leicester), the South West (Bristol) and London.