Audiences

As part of our commitment to breaking down barriers to encourage greater inclusion and engagement of black audiences within the arts, Uprise Rebel supports the development of partner organisations.

Black Art & Design (B.A.A.D.) X Uprise Rebel Interview & Article Series

Launched in 2018 by Christopher Okereke Cox, Black Art & Design is a space to explore the work of emerging and established black creatives in the arts. Focused on covering topics you don’t find elsewhere, B.A.A.D. delivers a diverse range of online content, including news, traditional reviews, interviews, personal essays and podcasts.

Black Art & Design and Uprise Rebel launched a new series of interviews and articles from seven brilliant individuals in the creative space. The guest editorials offer an engaging and thoughtful insight in to the stories and achievements of black cultural leaders. As the global pandemic threw the arts sector as we knew it in to turmoil, our contributors reflect on the creative challenges that have faced them, and look ahead to the future of their work and the industry. The series was curated by digital producer Fatema Zehra, and was made possible with funding from the Arts Council England National Lottery Projects Grant.  

Contributions for the project have come from across the creative sector, and include: 

• Writer, sound artist & educator Belinda Zhawi on creativity and rest - Read Here

• Q&A with interdisciplinary artist Jerron Herman - Read Here

• Q&A with director, artist and storyteller Leian John-Baptiste - Read Here

• Theatre and film director and co-founder of Uproot Abigail Sewell on intentionality & connectedness of creativity - Read Here

• Q&A with poet, writer and artist Victoria Adukwei Bulley - Read Here

• Singer, songwriter and cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson on intention & purpose as an artist - Read Here

• Musician, artist and creative, Sarina Leah on being more yourself - Read Here

Grace Okereke at Therme Forum, Sibu International Theatre Festival, Romania

Through Uprise Rebel’s continued relationship with multinational architectural company, ARUP, who are contributors to Sibu International Theatre Festival in Romania, Grace was invited in 2022 and 2023 to contribute to Therme Forum on Theatre and Architecture. The event series gathers leading designers, managers and artists to discuss the way architectural design, programming, technology and the evolution of our communities will shape theatres and the participatory experience of the future.

2023: a special segment celebrating the festival's 30th Anniversary. The programme explored personal relationships with Arts and Culture through the lens of the year’s Festival theme of ‘wonder’.

2022: People, Places and Resilience: the Role of Identity

Grace Okereke in South East Dance’s Podcast Series, ‘The Culture Chain’

Uprise Rebel Founder, Grace Okereke, appeared on an episode of South East Dance’s podcast series The Culture Chain. Recorded prior to the pandemic, In these podcasts dramaturg Lou Cope hosts a series of conversations with four of the key groups that make up the dance sector’s cultural food chain - namely artists, producers, programmers and funders.

These discussions are focused around the question ‘What do we need to do in order to thrive?’ and explore what works and what doesn’t in the traditional model of making and touring new dance work.

In episode 2, Grace joins fellow producers Phil Hargreaves and Maddy Morgan to discuss an array of subjects, including tour booking, when to delegate to other industry professionals, and factoring in everything that the producer role entails when applying for funding.

Image top: Uchenna Dance, Our Mighty Groove © Foteini Christofilopoulou