The idea
The Go Africa community Hub is a project, part of an African Arts and craft Festival initiative by a local Islington resident launched 2019 in collaboration with Ringcross community centre and The Pilion Trust. The project intends to be a community-led cultural hub which features African themed visual arts in all disciplines, program fun Edutainment days for all ages and genres of African Diaspora communities in North and surrounding boroughs of London.
Go Africa’s main purpose is to improve the Islington African Diaspora communities and neighbours understanding of each other’s cultures and is a movement to mobilise the Islington African Diaspora creative communities, in particular, the Islington South area to collaborate and showcase positive skills, talent, art, cuisine, literature and African World music. We inspire pride and community visibility for the Islington African Diasporas to integrate with the wider borough, to prevent isolation, loneliness and low-esteem.
What we'll deliver
- Hire a premise to showcase an African Art Gallery, deliver African Dance classes and Arts & Crafts workshops
- Decorate and hire stalls along with fixtures to trade finished production for our African Textiles & Batik workshops
- Hire furnishings easals, plinths as for workshops, galleries and customer showcase
- Big banners and posters advertising the activities across Islington
- Visual artists drummers, Kora players, dancers, painters, poetry, spoken word
Why it's a great idea
The primary beneficial purpose is to provide a safe space where African Youths, parents and families within the Islington South area can feel valued and productive, despite language barriers, disabilities, race and age. Some of the residents have never worked in the country of their origin however have creative and practical skills such as sewing, pottery, weaving, batik making, cooking, playing instruments and so forth however have not seen, recognized or had the opportunity to use these skills to help themselves and their families to accrue an income. This is where our platform has helped to materialize this even to the point of employability and setting up their own petty trade through our local arts and craft market and beyond. The market a fundraising tool to subsidies the youth workshops and also pay for the venue hire, marketing, annual festival, exhibitions and trading the African arts and crafts. We benefit all those that wish to learn about the African cultures & Traditions
Steps to get it done
- Pay deposit hiring Premises
- Confirming dates for Renting stalls, easels, plinth & tables
- Gaining Public Liability Insurance
- Producing promotional material
- Weekly advertising in Islington Tribune, social media and flyers to create community awareness
- Confirming community and public participation
- Hosting workshops and showcasing
- Closing down event
- Hosting partnership meeting to write post events evaluation
