SKFEST Comes to the Bernie Grant Arts Centre This August

SKFEST is an annual multidisciplinary festival that celebrates the richness of London’s contemporary culture. 2018’s edition spans three days in the heart of Tottenham at Bernie Grant Arts Centre between 23-25 August. Now in its third successful year, the festival will be embracing the notion of London being a home for all by showcasing an artistically and culturally diverse range of talent from the local community and beyond – giving a platform to emerging talent working in a range of fields within the creative arts sector.

SKFEST is curated and produced by The S+K Project (S+K), a young theatre and performing arts organisation based in Tottenham with the sole aim of making the arts for everyone. S+K’s work strives to amplify the voices that society often marginalises, while professionally developing early to mid-career artists – with a particular focus on POC creators and makers who identify as working class and/or LGBTQ+.

Their flagship cross-arts festival boasts theatre, film, live music, performance poetry, live art, talks, drop-in and intensive workshops, outdoor performances, and a feature theatre production directed by S+K’s Associate Director, Steven Kavuma. See you there?

Blackout Poetry with The S+K Project

This workshop led by S+K Project Marketing Manager Danni Ebanks-Ingram looks at how we can create and rework narratives using the world around us as inspiration. Through the medium of blackout poetry, you’ll get a chance to explore how we can utlise the doom and gloom in print media and turn it into our own narrative. Come and make friends with Danni over some tea and cake – it’s open to everyone!

Thursday 23rd August @ 1pm in the Mezzanine

Introduction to Photography with The S+K Project
The second in our series of relaxed drop-in workshops is led by our Resident Photographer, Oriste-Etemi Olugbo. If you’ve got an interest in photography and a keen eye for capturing images, join Oriste as he takes you around the BGAC space and learn what makes a striking photo. We are only able to provide two DSLR cameras for this workshop, so if you have your own please do bring it along.

Thursday 23rd August @ 3:30 pm in the Mezzanine

(In)Space Takeover: (In)Space Offline Live
Director of (In)Space Kwame Lowe curates an evening of live performance and screenings from members of the collective. Featuring work from Iggy LDN, Adjani Salmon, Arnold Chukwu, James Johnson and Christian Bravo, as well as readings from some of the writers and poets of the collective, the night is a celebration of the work they have produced individually and collaboratively since its first digital exhibition in early 2018.

Thursday 23rd August @ 6 pm in the Rehearsal Studio

LIFT Artist Hangout with The S+K Project
After the mammoth 2018 festival that saw an eclectic mix of international work and work created and performed in Tottenham, LIFT is back with another Tottenham Artist Hangout. In collaboration with The S+K Project, this is your chance to connect with local artists, musicians, theatre-makers, dancers and more for an evening of sharing, exchange, provocation and connection.

Thursday 23rd August @ 6 pm in the Mezzanine

Storyboarding with The S+K Project
The third workshop of our drop-in series is led by S+K’s Participation Coordinator, Amber Evans. Amber’s workshop will explore the question: what makes us who we are? Using social and digital media as a stimuli, this conversation-led workshop will enable you to think critically about how you develop characters in your own work, and creating storyboards to delve into the interplay between characters and setting. Join her on the Mezzanine from 1pm.

Friday 24th August @ 1 pm in the Mezzanine

Sistren LIVE
Get to know African-Brit sister friends Sistren a lil’ deeper as they bring their queer, hilarious no-nonsense realness to SKFEST 2018. Sistren are laser-focused on telling stories relevant to queer black women like them. They have a resident show on Transmission Roundhouse radio which led to their first live podcast at Little Simz’s Wonderland, and we’re gassed for the trio to bring another live edition full of refreshing frankness and infectious humour to the heart of Tottenham. Come and vibe with them – and some special guests – on the Mezzanine from 6pm.

Friday 24th August @ 6 pm in the Mezzanine

Born::Free
Born::Free is a small community-based literary movement & press for established, young & emerging writers of all narratives with special interest in poetry, experimental & diasporic writing.The movement has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2014, having partnered with international writers and leading arts organisations including the British Council and the Institute of Contemporary Arts to run events, discussions and workshops. Join Belinda and an undeniably talented roster of feature poets for a lit evening of live literature, with the chance to share your work on the open mic.

Friday 24th August @ 7 pm in the Cinema Lounge

(In)Space Exhibition

The second (In)Space event will be a pop-up interactive exhibition. It will involve a blacked out room with projections of visual art, poems and short films on themes of home and identity, with the artists on hand to talk about their work.

Saturday 25th of August @ 12 pm in the Rehearsal Studio

Likkle Workshop with Words
Two members of the creative team behind Likkle Rum with Grandma, writer and performer Jeremiah ‘SugarJ’ Brown and the show’s director Laurie Ogden, lead a workshop that allows you to creatively explore the relationship between writing and performance.

Saturday 25th August @ 12 pm in the EU Dance Studio

Shorts Lounge

S+K Project’s Olivia Douglass curates an afternoon of short film screenings, with a focus on diverse storytelling.

Saturday 25th of August @ 2 pm in the Cinema Lounge

Pumpkin Jigsaw Live
Pumpkin Jigsaw use Brazilian drumming to explore collaborative and interdisciplinary methods by merging samba bloco drumming with other performance disciplines. Using music to create positive social environments, and sound to create immersive performance environments, Pumpkin Jigsaw will be bringing the spirit of carnival to Tottenham on the last day of SKFEST.

Saturday 25th August @ 2 pm and 7 pm in the Courtyard

Our Tottenham by Arts Bridge Charity
Our Tottenham is an intergenerational community project by Arts Bridge Charity involving children and seniors living in Tottenham. Over 4 weeks, several Tottenham landmarks were visited and explored, stories of growing up in Tottenham were shared. Supported by the Arts Bridge team, children and seniors created a theatre piece inspired by the stories and historical knowledge they have gathered.

Saturday 25th August @ 3 pm and 5 pm in the Courtyard

Likkle Rum With Grandma
When I came here I cried for nearly two years… every day.

Likkle Rum with Grandma is a journey over a generational bridge. This emotive piece of new writing by Croydon-based writer Jeremiah ‘SugarJ’ Brown mixes poetry, storytelling and a Jamaican grandmother’s voice to bring to the fore issues of loneliness, immigration, community, what distance does to family love and the waviness of Port.

Saturday 25th August @ 5:30 pm in the Cinema

Art in the Theatre – Cancelled
S+K loves a cheeky turn up. Come and celebrate the end of our most ambitious programme of work yet with an equally as entertaining night of live art, poetry, music and bare lit people in one place – the Bernie Grant Arts Centre theatre. Art in the Theatre will be an eclectic night fusing together various art forms and is open to absolutely everyone. Join us in the Theatre from 7:30pm as we fully do the most and end SKFEST 2018 with a bang.

Saturday 25th August @ 7:30 pm in the Theatre

Due to unforeseen circumstances Art in the Theatre has been cancelled. All ticket holders will be contacted and refunds will be made.