Change through the Arts
“We must find new ways to excite, delight, inspire and give hope”.
Micheline Mason
These were the words of members from Leicester Left Unity, speaking from the platform at our Founding Conference. They were referring to the use of the Arts as a vital element of bringing about social change. Their Branch has decided to start each meeting with a poem, one of which, ‘There’s a War On’ about the effects of the Bedroom Tax, was read to a very appreciative audience.
I too believe that it is through the arts that we reach people’s hearts and help to give silenced people a voice. This belief led me to agree at the last NCG meeting to draw together a list of LU Members who are artists, musicians, poets, story tellers, singers, songwriters, film makers etc who would be willing to contribute to meetings, conferences and fund-raising events. I also agreed to compile a separate list of those who are willing to be public speakers at LU events.
These lists will be an ever growing resource for local and national organizers available via the website.
If you want to be part of either of these lists, please Email me, Micheline at mich@michathome.wanadoo.co.uk with:
- Your name, address and contact details including telephone.
- A short description of what you can offer.
- Availability
- If you have a website or a You Tube film which shows us more, please also give us the links.
- If you have achieved fame already, reviews of recent performances would be great for publicity purposes.
- Any Access requirements
It is expected that any travel/access expenses incurred will be covered by the person/group making the request, so please notice where the person concerned lives!
I would also encourage local group organizers to ask all their members if they would like to be a part of this resource, especially those not on the internet. Those who are on the internet could then relay the information to me, including postal addresses and/or phone numbers. Think about diversity, accessibility and representation so we do not rely entirely on our old faithful ‘Male and Pale’ Lefty Speakers. We do not want to leave anyone out.
I look forward to hearing from you in vast numbers,
Micheline
Wandsworth Left Unity
3 comments
3 responses to “Change through the Arts”
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Being, male, pale, middle-aged and, more importantly, not very artistic, I’ll count myself out, but it’s a splendid initiative.
Well put.
Scientist discover the world’s secrets
Engineer’s create the next generation of technologies
Social activists drive political agenda’s….
.. but it is the artists who bring all of these to the people
You will not be able to stay home, brother. You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out. You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip, Skip out for beer during commercials, because the revolution will not be televised. The revolution will not be televised. The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox In 4 parts without commercial interruptions. The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John Mitchell, General Abrams and Spiro Agnew to eat hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary. The revolution will not be televised. The revolution will not be brought to you by the Schaefer Award Theatre and will not star Natalie Woods and Steve McQueen or Bullwinkle and Julia. The revolution will not give your mouth sex appeal. The revolution will not get rid of the nubs. The revolution will not make you look five pounds thinner, because the revolution will not be televised, Brother. There will be no pictures of you and Willie May pushing that shopping cart down the block on the dead run, or trying to slide that colour television into a stolen ambulance. NBC will not be able predict the winner at 8:32 or report from 29 districts. The revolution will not be televised. There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down brothers in the instant replay. There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down brothers in the instant replay. There will be no pictures of Whitney Young being run out of Harlem on a rail with a brand new process. There will be no slow motion or still life of Roy Wilkens strolling through Watts in a Red, Black and Green liberation jumpsuit that he had been saving for just the proper occasion. Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Hooterville Junction will no longer be so damned relevant, and women will not care if Dick finally gets down with Jane on Search for Tomorrow because Black people will be in the street looking for a brighter day. The revolution will not be televised. There will be no highlights on the eleven o’clock news and no pictures of hairy-armed women liberationists and Jackie Onassis blowing her nose. The theme song will not be written by Jim Webb, Francis Scott Key, nor sung by Glen Campbell, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, Englebert Humperdink, or the Rare Earth. The revolution will not be televised. The revolution will not be right back after a message about a white tornado, white lightning, or white people. You will not have to worry about a dove in your bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl. The revolution will not go better with Coke. The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath. The revolution will put you in the driver’s seat. The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised, will not be televised, will not be televised. The revolution will be no re-run brothers; the revolution will be live.
Gil Scott Heron