Diverse-led artists' project
Activate's Role: Producer
- Location: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Date: Started in 2025
- Participants: Primary and Secondary school age children. Plus, ethnically diverse local artists.
- Funders and partners: Funded by Talbot Village Trust, including bursary places for participants. Supported by Lighthouse, Poole.
About the project
Activate was approached by a diverse-led group of artists in 2023 following the Your Shout report from the BCP Cultural Compact (funded by BCP Council) and the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Diversity Consultation. The Your Shout report was set up to look at ethnically diverse views about art and cultural provision in the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole area and to collect feedback on how ethnically diverse communities’ access cultural provision.
From this, the idea of developing a diverse-led youth performance group for young people of colour in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) came from the group of artists. The aim was to work with these artists to increase opportunities for ethnically diverse young people to be able to see themselves on stage, relate to and feel an increased sense of belonging whilst taking part in performing arts activities. The programme would focus on working with communities, meeting people, listening to their needs in order to respond and shape the development of the project.
The aims of the project are:
- Increase opportunities for people of colour to have more access to culture, both as participants and as artists and creatives.
- Increase opportunities for ethnically diverse young people to be able to see themselves on stage.
- For young people from the global majority to feel a sense of belonging whilst taking part in performing arts activities.
- Increase employment opportunities and representation of diverse-led professional practitioners working and living across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
- Raised aspiration for young people of colour in the performing arts industry, providing a safe platform for them to explore the creative industry as a potential career.
- A greater sense of inclusion, empowerment and community building.
What's happened so far
Artists from the global majority were recruited to form a steering group for the project. With Activate’s producing support, the first pilot event was held in October 2025.
Young people had the opportunity to work with ethnically-diverse artists that led 2 days of workshops at Lighthouse in Poole.
Vrushali Harihar delivered Indian dance workshops.
Dorset-based Isaiah Dreads helped the participants create and perform their own rap.
Mahtab Grimshaw led workshops on designing and building a paper theatre and puppets.
Young people had the opportunity to develop their own poems with nature writer Louisa Adjoa Parker.
