Phoenix Dance Theatre secures National Lottery Heritage Funding
22 Oct 2019
We are pleased to have been awarded funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver our Black Waters Heritage Project which kicks off next month.
Black Waters is Phoenix Dance Theatre’s latest contemporary dance production inspired by two stories of historic colonialism, the Zong Massacre and Indian freedom fighters who spoke out against the British regime and were imprisoned in cellular jail Kala Pani. The Heritage Project will use multicultural art forms and storytelling sessions to engage young people with these two important stories from British history and lead further research into the significance of these two moments.
The project sees Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Access & Education department work with eight groups of young people from across Leeds, using movement and music to learn about the impact of British Colonial rule and gain a greater understanding of the two narratives. At the end of the project the groups will come together to present a live performance that communicates their interpretation of these histories at an exhibition day. Once the exhibition day has been delivered, we will bring together various stakeholders to present and discuss the findings from engaging with the project and its importance to British heritage to create a digital resource.
Sharon Watson, Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director said, “we are delighted to have been awarded funding by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver the Black Waters Heritage Project. It means that we can shine a spotlight on two examples of displacement and enslavement that are often overlooked in mainstream education, informing young people of the impact of British Colonial rule and the diaspora born from the forced transportation of people.”
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk.
