What can the Arts do in Society?

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What can the arts do in society? Discussion event Date: Tuesday 24 November 2009, 6—8 pm Venue: Savile Room, Leeds Media Centre, Savile Mount, Leeds LS7 FREE ADMISSION — FULLY ACCESSIBLE Starting with a presentation about [re]locate and the artist's motivation for developing the work from a re-examination of events associated with the Stephen Lawrence case, this interdisciplinary event will open up a dialogue about the capacity of the arts in shaping our thinking and actions around wider cultural and socio-political issues. The event is connected to the opening programme at Union 105, ESAs new project space in Chapeltown, Leeds and will be chaired by cultural sociologist and campaigner, Dr Max Farrar, whose work centres on the cultural, political and economic revival of the British multi-ethnic inner cities (with a lifelong focus on Chapeltown and Harehills in Leeds). Panelists include: Tahera Aziz Tahera Aziz is and artist and educator based in London with a longstanding creative and political interest in identity, migration and racism. Her works explore how wider socio-political issues or events can impact on the individual to shape their experiences, and their sense of self and belonging. Her audio-visual installation [re]locate can be viewed at Union 105 until 4 December 2009. Joe Williams Joe Williams is an actor and writer trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Performing Arts and worked with several Theatre-In-Education companies nationally. He is a founding member of Kuffdem Theatre Company in the 80's and RJC Dance Theatre in the 90's, as well as several other heritage/community projects, including Leeds Bicentenary Transformation Project and Leeds Diasporian Stories Research Group. Marcia Brown Marcia Brown M.A. is a Multi-Disciplined Community Artist and Qualified Arts Tutor (P.G.C.E.).She graduated with a Masters Degree in Contemporary Fine Art Practice at Leeds Metropolitan University. Recently she was awarded the African Achievers Award for her services in Community Arts. She continues to facilitate workshops in the wider community, schools, museums, and teaches in Adult and Youth Art Education. She exhibits and has artwork in both public and private collections. Benedict Phillips Benedict Phillips has worked extensively as an artist, writer and curator in public locations since 1993. His practice revolves around developing new ideas in fresh locations to engage people in his art and its processes through public art, installation, performance, photography, media art and creative writing. Benedict has lectured and exhibited in Europe and America, and his more ephemeral work can be found in collections such as Tate and V&A in London. Khadijah Ibrahiim Khadijah Ibrahiim is of Jamaican parentage, born in the city of Leeds, England. She is the Artistic Director of Leeds Young Authors, executive producer of ‘Voices of a New Generation' Lit & Slam festival. Peepal Tree press published her poems ‘Rootz Runnin' in 2008 that same year she toured the USA with the ‘Fwords Creative Freedom' writers.