Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade and Music For Change
2007 is the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Transatlantic slave trade in the United Kingdom. Music for Change can help schools and other venues work within the anniversary in several ways.
Firstly, Music for Change workshops promote respect for people of all cultures and backgrounds. This is something that the slave trade dismissed. Music for Change workshops highlight that there were and are characteristics which are shared across cultures, regions, countries and continents. Instead of recognising difference, we use music and the arts to look at similarities and commonalities as well.
Secondly. Music for Change artists can demonstrate the movement of music and dance styles from Africa, through the Caribbean to Europe. The workshops will look at how African and Caribbean rhythms, songs and stories have been taken on board and modernised to produce very contemporary sounds and movements today. Did you know that The Beatles music was influenced by traditional African music?
Music for Change has been working with the aims of highlighting issues such as slavery and racism for 10 years. Topics and issues highlighted in 2007 are integrated within our core work, and once the anniversary year has passed, we will continue to use the arts as a tool for learning and understanding about the issues of slavery and how they are still very much alive today. We refuse to make a tokenistic gesture to the anniversary year itself, and guarantee that we are constantly researching and developing these issues through Music for Change.
Currently, Music for Change can help you work towards a Transatlantic Slavery themed music or dance workshop with the following artists:
Please call us on 01227 459 243 or email Nadine or Katy for advice or with suggestions