Five questions with… Michele Curtis from Iconic Black Britons CIC

1. Can you tell us a bit about you and your work?

I was born and raised in Bristol to a family of Caribbean descent. Throughout my childhood, I was drawn to all things creative and dreamt of becoming an artist. Unfortunately for me, I grew up in a time when being an artist wasn’t considered a career option, especially for women of colour. 

Throughout my own and my children’s lives, I experienced racism on a daily basis. I realised that most of these experiences were due to the ongoing stigmatisation of the African Caribbean community and a lack of positive representation. 

I decided to use art as a platform to share the experiences of the African Caribbean community in Bristol.

My aspirations were to fill the gap of multicultural representation within British society by creating projects that provide resources for cultural socialisation.

In 2014, I held my debut exhibition called Iconic Black Bristolians. 

2. What made you apply for National Lottery Project Grants funding?

In 2014 and 2015, I managed to secure sponsorship for my exhibitions from local organisations. However, my exhibitions were predominantly self-funded. My aspirations were extremely ambitious, especially for an emerging artist.

Through networking and the ongoing support from my partners, I was asked to come and discuss my vision at the Arts Council’s Bristol office. I received a lot of invaluable advice and was encouraged to apply. The Bristol team the national customer service operators were extremely supportive.

3. Can you talk us through your idea for ARTival 2018, the second stage of Seven Saints of St Pauls? 

The concept was to have an exhibition in 2018 marking the 50th anniversary of the St. Pauls Carnival. There would be four main exhibitions:

• Seven Saints of St. Pauls ® - a celebration of the seven founders of the 1968 St. Pauls Festival, in collaboration with Bristol based muralists, Paintsmiths
• Bristol Beats & Bass © - A week long exhibition exploring the way carnival and the Jamaican -inspired sound system culture influenced the Bristol music scene
• St. Pauls Carnival Collective © - a celebration of other significant community members that contributed to the carnival over the past fifty years
• Art work created by primary school students during the mural design workshops with four local primary schools, in partnership with the RWA

After becoming interested in the project, the BBC commissioned former Bristol Poet Laureate, Miles Chambers to write seven poems for each of the ‘Saints’. We worked together to produce seven award-winning mini films inspired by Seven Saints of St. Pauls, which were shown at an event, followed by a panel discussion.

My idea for Seven Saints of St. Pauls included an outdoor art and heritage trail of the seven large-scale murals with an accompanying mobile app. The app is now live and can be downloaded via Cactus Apps.

4. Did you find audiences engaged with your work? If so, how do you think you achieved this?

From media coverage and school presentations, to portrait suggestions and onsite cups of tea, people from all walks of life engaged with our work and felt a genuine connection to the lives of those featured in the hidden history of our city.

Initially, the public and investors alike perceived the project as ‘BAME specific’ and would therefore only be appealing to that community. However, I refused to be pigeon-holed. I was adamant that my projects were for the benefit of all. 

Partnering with the University of Bristol raised a few eyebrows amongst cynics, because of its location in a predominantly non-BAME and affluent neighbourhood.

There was concern that neither the BAME or non-BAME community would engage with it. However, the project’s success demonstrates the need to approach projects in an inclusive way, because everyone benefits from the positive representation of BAME communities.

5.    What have you learnt from the process?

As a black, female and disabled artist, it is easy for me to feel like an outsider or to be made a target for stigmatisation. I remember being invited to the Arts Council office, feeling completely out of place, and thinking why am I here?

It was a textbook case of imposter syndrome, but I have learnt that I have an equitable place in the creative sector.

What was great about talking to Arts Council, was that they validated my thoughts, plans and aspirations. They were extremely knowledgeable, encouraging and supportive. 

I have learnt how important it is for marginalised communities and minority groups to see reflections of themselves represented in the arts. People are more likely to engage in arts and culture if they can identify with the subject matter. I am now able to clearly validate a creative case for diversity in the arts. As a result, I have transformed a series of art-based projects into a viable business in Iconic Black Britons CIC.

Top tip

At the beginning of my journey, someone told me ‘fortune favours the brave’… So, go for it! If I can do it, anyone can.

Further reading on Michele’s work:

BBC Blog: How we’re celebrating 50 years of Bristol’s St Pauls Carnival, and the seven city elders who helped create it

BBC One Points West: The Seven Saints of St Pauls videos: Bristol Poet Laureate, Miles Chambers celebrates the seven founders of the St Pauls Carnival, inspired by the idea and art of Michele Curtis

The Guardian: Bristol’s walls of fame celebrate seven ‘saints’ who fought for race equality