First Waves artist workshops held in Leeds

Artist Scarlett Crawford has been appointed by the UK Parliament for a new project entitled First Waves: Exploring the impact of race relations legislation in the UK. Over the course of her residency, Scarlett will hold workshops with six partner organisations across the country – including the University of Leeds – to create artworks which explore and celebrate the 1965, 1968 and 1976 Race Relations Acts. The project is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Race Relations Act.

The Race Relations Acts were a series of Acts that for the first time formally sought to outlaw discrimination on racial grounds including in public spaces, in employment and in the provision of services. During the First Waves project, Scarlett Crawford has travelled around the country meeting with communities and together producing artworks that reflect on the impact of these Acts, and on the broader theme of equality.

The University of Leeds is a partner in the First Waves project, and workshops are due to take place at the Student Union on the 10th to the 13th October. Members of the public can sign up here.

The resulting artworks will be exhibited at the university later this year and then displayed in Parliament for an exhibition in 2019 which will look at the impact of race relations legislation and the stories of the people who fought for change. The University of Leeds artworks will then be returned permanently to the community that inspired them.

During the workshops, Scarlett will encourage participants to think about their life stories, and creatively capture through photography and sound what the impact of race relations legislation is today.

Professor Iyiola Solanke, Chair in EU Law and Social Justice, Centre for Law and Social Justice, School of Law, University of Leeds, said:

“The Race Relations Act was a bold step towards the creation of a just society in which women, children and men are judged – as so eloquently put by Martin Luther King - not by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character, and this residency will play an important role in the ongoing effectiveness of the Act. The Workshops are an opportunity to link the generations who created it with those who should benefit from it. The particular focus on the experience of those in the UK at the time of its passing in 1965 will generate a valuable record of a seminal epoch in British social and legal life. Art generates conversation and from that conversation the understanding needed to combat the virus of racial discrimination.”

Scarlett Crawford, First Waves artist, said:

“I'm really excited to have been chosen to creatively explore the impact of race relations legislation across the country. I'm looking forward to working with the community in Leeds, who I know will have a unique perspective on these issues. I hope to discover the unheard stories of those who were affected by the changes, to honour the contributions of those who led the way, and to inspire future generations of people from all backgrounds to engage with art and politics.”

Hilary Benn MP said:

“The passing of the Race Relations Acts was a significant moment in our country's history. Society, through Parliament, finally affirmed that all human beings are equal and should be treated as such by the law. This important project will help people in Leeds to tell their own stories about what this change in the law, and the change in attitudes it fostered, has meant for their lives. I wish Scarlett Crawford and the University of Leeds every success.”