Current Shows / Our Story of Hope
JUSTICE IS THE PUBLIC FACE OF LOVE
‘Our Story of Hope’ commemorates Grenfell’s upcoming sixth anniversary. It tells the tale of local residents and young people uniting to champion social housing. The experience
comprises a dramatised talk, film, music, poetry and mediation. It is delivered by SPID in collaboration with Kamitan Arts C.I.C and their ‘Poetry 4 Grenfell’ project, whom specialise in multi-lingual Spoken Word fusing it with other art forms. The events raise funds for Kamitan Arts’ Creative Healing projects post-Grenfell and SPID charity’s youth and community programs in North Kensington and happen:
1.30pm June 23 at the Saatchi Gallery, £6
7pm June 23 at Bush Theatre, £10
Tickets can be bought here:
Saatchi Tickets Bush Theatre Tickets
SPID’s performance includes extracts from The Burning Tower by Helena Thompson, The Dream by Nnenna Abosi Samson Abosi, The Wallpaper at Kensal House by Jack Felipe Nolasco, Smile! by Helena Thompson, Poem of Kensal House by Kristian Lalaj, The Sun Shines On Kensal by Siena Forde, Where Is The Love? by Dhalia Ross.
ABOUT
Housing justice
After 18 years of neglect, SPID’s arts and heritage programs have united those who live and work in Kensal House in class action against the landlord they share with Grenfell, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The council are paying compensation and have begun a capital works program to bring the whole estate up to standard, protect and restore heritage, and make social housing homes safe and habitable. The decline and restoration of Kensal House offers hope to estate’s nationwide.
About SPID
The award winning charity’s work builds on Mayhew’s determination to tackle poverty and inequality, using techniques he honed by creating a permanent record of degradation and sharing it with the public, educational institutions, organisations and politicians to bring change. By sharing the history of their base in Grade II* listed Kensal House, SPID tells the story of wider injustices and decline in the context of housing crises including Grenfell- showing how Kensal began as a self sufficient urban village striving for better living conditions, suffered negligence and lack of investment over the decades, and is now a symbol of progress.
About Poetry 4 Grenfell/Kamitan Arts
Kamitan Arts C.I.C is a small performing arts and heritage non-profit based in North Kensington, who have been running creative arts, heritage and healing projects in the RBKC
community and beyond since the early 2000's, to raise awareness of humanitarian issues through the arts. They are currently celebrating their 5-Year Anniversary as a CIC! One of the most transformative and supportive projects since the Grenfell fire in our immediate community where many of their artists and directors reside and were raised in, is the 'Poetry 4 Grenfell'; multi-lingual book, award-winning short film and project. The ‘P4G’ book has been a creative means to amplify the traumatised inter-generational local voices of residents, the bereaved, and activists from the heart of Ladbroke Grove and Latimer as well as the wider empathetic communities; immortalising our memories through the written and oral testimonies, a living legacy forevermore.
@Poetry4Grenfell @KamitanArts
www.KamitanArts.com Please donate here.
PRESS
Press for SPID
'The moral is clear – we can win this! Four and a half stars!'
The Big issue review'We're fighting to restore Kensal and to give residents a decent home'
ITV news'The rotting building is a metaphor for systemic neglect'
The Big Issue news‘A love letter to estates’
★★★★ The Guardian‘Next stop must be the Commons’
★★★★ The Morning Star‘A passionate defence of social housing’
★★★★ The Stage Review‘After being displaced by Grenfell, SPID has done wonders for my son and I’
Metro
Press for Kamitan Arts
“A heartfelt, vital and necessary collection of poetry. The community’s soul speaks volumes.”Courttia Newland, Author, The Scholar: A Westside Story, Society Within, Snakeskin
“It is my pleasure to welcome this publication by Kamitan Arts/ Poetry for Grenfell who have been both inspirational and therapeutic following the dreadful fire at Grenfell
Tower. They have provided a positive artistic presence in North Kensington. My daughter has gained a renewed confidence and has thrived on their activities and
performances she has taken part in this year. I wish them every success in the future.” Yvette Williams, MBE, Co-Founder of Justice 4 Grenfell
“The immediate, tangible benefits of these workshops, as well as memorialising the voices of our young people are unquestionable and a vital part of this healing process” Neleswa McLean-Thorne, Community Relief Project Coordinator.
“Lovely to see the smiles returning to local people’s faces after the Grenfell disaster. Many thanks to Princess Emmanuelle and Poetry4Grenfell” Jonathan Barnett, Director
of Portobello Film Festival.
“It was truly an honour for me as a woman, mother and community member living in the shadow of the Grenfell tower. This Poetry project is such a cathartic process and I know
when my children are older they too will be grateful for their involvement. The souls of the departed are grateful to you / that we keep fighting for their justice.” N. Kensington,
Local Resident
“A very important, rare and open-hearted artistic platform for us all. The initiative is typical of Kamitan Arts and Princess Emmanuelle / EmpresS *1’s approach – creativity and pragmatism responding on the front line – as with Poetry 4 Grenfell sensitively and effectively.” Debbie Golt, International DJ - Outerglobe show on Resonance FM, Co-founder of WOMATT and previous Head of Arts and Culture at RBKC Council