The Black Joy Sessions

“Celebrating and cultivating Black Joy is inherent to surviving in this world as a Black person”.  – Tobi Adebajo (TBJS future attendee)

Event Details

From Wed 23 – Fri 25 October 2019, we will be holding the culmination of The Black Joy Project, called The Black Joy Sessions (TBJS) at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, situated on the University of Sussex campus. This co-created, Black-led, three-day series of conversations, performances, workshops and social activities, will be attended exclusively by People of Colour (POC).

The Black Joy Sessions is produced and hosted by Tarik Elmoutawakil with US performance artist Jaamil Olawale Kosoko. Participating artists include Jacob V Joyce, Lasana Shabazz, Season Butler, Mela Wella, I Am Fya, Toni Lewis, Adam Patterson and more.

You can see the full programme here >

The Black Joy Sessions will be presented as an “Un-conference”, which is essentially a participant-driven meeting. Amongst other topics, we will reflect on Black Joy in culture, opening up a stimulating and fluid space for creativity and discussion which will be crafted, shaped and guided by its participants.

Attendance to TBJS is free, though all participants need to register in advance.

What do we mean by ‘Black Joy’? 

“Black Joy” is a term we are using to describe the experience and pleasure experienced by Black people in environments when we feel free to express and enjoy ourselves and our cultures when unbound from the prominent gaze of whiteness.

“Black Joy is something I wanted to indulge in, celebrate and share. It is an essential part of the struggle and how we survive to bring white supremacy to an end. I welcome all opportunities to spend time in Black spaces. This event looks completely irresistible, to be honest.”  Season Butler (TBJS contributing artist)

Background

The Black Joy Project has its roots in a year-long artist development project based in Brighton at the Marlborough Theatre,  developing and commissioning works by  Queer/Trans/Intersex People of Colour  (QTIPoC) working in performance at various stages of their careers. The artists had the opportunity to develop new work with U.S. based choreographer Jaamil Olawale Kosoko, whose work urgently reflects this vital moment for Black civil rights in the U.S. and beyond.

Over the past ten-months, The Black Joy project has facilitated and created space for new works, audience development and critical reflections that unpick structural barriers, issues of tokenism and unsustainable practices in both academic and performance sectors, exclusively for LGBTQ+ people of colour, in the UK and internationally, promoting transatlantic conversations amongst these artists.

The Black Joy Sessions aims to bridge the gaps between academia and community, initiating empowering artist-led conversations that promote ambitious thinking and critical engagement, creating an exciting and nurturing space for everyone involved.

If you would like to attend, please register here

The Black Joy Sessions is an event created by and exclusively for people who identify as Black/Brown/PoC. It is a collaboration between The Marlborough Pub & Theatre and the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts.