Chris Chalkley talks about art and activism as a tactic and the People’s Republic of Stokescroft, which provides spaces for artists in Bristol to create public artworks and share their work, engaging with community around a range of social and political issues.
Helen Barnard explains how the causes of poverty interlink with employment, housing and social security, and the need for a redesigned economy.
Sandra Hulme, Mark Palmer and Peter Wyman tell the story of the founding of Greenbank College by Gerry Kinsella MBE, elite athlete, GB medal-winner in the World championships for wheelchair basketball. The College offers education, training, employment, sport and recreational activities for disabled and other disadvantaged local people in Liverpool as a form of economic justice.
Luke Aaron tells his story, coming from a rural working class area in the Forest of Dean, experiencing a lack of access to jobs, housing support and opportunities. Now, as a drama student in London, Luke’s experiences inform his work – he uses theatre as a means to give voice to those facing economic injustice.
Jane Wheeler tells the story of founding Living Song CIC, rooted in Newham, East London, and centred around singing. By providing opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds to develop a sense of self and connections with each other, Living Song builds community through the belief that singing is for all and helps people unite, with their differences.
Kiren Shafiq describes being part of Islamic Help in the summer of 2020. The group helped to deliver food and other basic supplies to people of all communities in Birmingham and other cities in the West Midlands in response to panic-buying at the start of the pandemic.
Rosemary and Brian tell the story of a group campaigning to save the 65 Bus route in Monmouthshire. They lobbied councillors and MPs, started a petition and encouraged support by talking to the community about rural isolation and climate change. Today, the bus remains vital for those who are isolated or vulnerable, and is now popular with other residents and visitors.
Jess Prendergrast, along with others in 2013, set up Onion Collective CIC. She tells the story of creating a Visitor Centre and Boat Museum and, in partnership with Biohm (a London firm), bringing a biomanufacturing project to a closed-down mill in order to create local jobs.
John Cotton, a Labour councillor in Birmingham, tells the story of in-work poverty and his campaign to make the local council introduce the Real Living Wage (RLW). All council staff and 17,000 employees are now paid the RLW and Birmingham has set up a Poverty Truth Commission to listen to those with lived experience of poverty.
Costa Christou is a young man from South London, who, with the organisation Advocacy Academy, took part in creative direct action to tackle the local housing crisis. By lobbying local councillors, and taking advice from a range of community members and organisations, the group obtained a site on which to build affordable housing.
