Key Collections – Serendipity

Perception: The Countees of Leicester

admin — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 11:21:03 +0000

Migration, diversity and Leicester heritage are a recipe for a rich explosion of culture all of which is showcased in this enlightened exhibition that highlights difference, belonging and place.

Perception: The Countees of Leicester explores the fascinating history of a local family against the backdrop of Victorian, Edwardian and post-war Leicester, using photographs, ephemera and documents to create a more complete picture of life in the Midlands. This exhibition reveals a performing arts dynasty that can be traced back to Methodist preacher Reverend Francis Nelson Countee and his son and daughter-in-law, Charles and Eliza Countee, music hall stars known as “The Two Countees”.

A legacy that was continued by their daughter Frances “Mabel” Elkington, neé Countee and her own children and grandchildren. The exhibition unpacks representation, identity and belonging, transcending beyond the Eurocentric gaze of privilege, class and expectation and provides an insight in to historical Black presence that is in plain sight, yet has remained hidden.

Thanks to Diane Clafton, Richard Elkington, Allan Countee and their families for sharing their story and Alex Darby for her support. Perception: The Countees of Leicester is curated by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage. In partnership with Leicester Museums and Galleries.

Supported with funding from Leicester City Council, Arts Council England and National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Manifest: Black Dance 1940-2019

admin — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 11:19:18 +0000

The Manifest: Black Dance 1940-2019 exhibition showcased the hidden history and impact of Black Dance in Britain using Serendipity’s growing Black Dance Collections. The exhibition provided a unique opportunity for visitors to engage with the history of Black dance in Britain through a variety of objects that reveal the stories of Black dancers and companies.

Items from the exhibition now form one of the key collections in the Living Archive. Flick through the pages of history with original dance programmes, brochures, photographs and costumes relating to Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, Les Ballets Negres, Adzido Pan African Dance Ensemble and Phoenix Dance Theatre.

Lost Legends: 30 Years of Black History Month

admin — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 11:13:36 +0000

2017 marked 30 years of Black History Month in the UK. In response, Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage curated an exciting project, Lost Legends: 30 Years of Black History Month in Leicester. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project celebrated and recorded the contributions of Leicester’s African and African Caribbean community to the cultural heritage of the UK over three decades.

Through an exhibition, documentary film and publication, Lost Legends gathered memories and stories, ephemera and memorabilia to better document Black British history, with specific reference to Leicester.

The film is accessible for all to view on YouTube and the publication is available to purchase via the Serendipity’s shop. Oral histories and archival materials will be accessible via the Living Archive in the forthcoming months.

Lost Legends: 30 Years 30 Voices, is an exciting publication recording the contributions and perspectives of Leicester trailblazers from an African and African-Caribbean perspective as part 30 anniversary celebration of Black History Month in 2017. 30 Years 30 Voices celebrates the impact they have made on the cultural landscape of the city.

Artrage

admin — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 10:56:00 +0000

Artrage was an intercultural arts magazine that was published in Britain from 1985 to 1991. The magazine was dedicated to promoting and showcasing the work of Black and Asian artists in the UK. It featured listings for exhibitions, performances, and other cultural events, as well as articles, interviews, and reviews of art and culture.

Artrage was founded by a group of artists and writers who felt that there was a lack of representation and recognition for Black and Asian artists in the mainstream art world. The magazine aimed to provide a platform for these artists to showcase their work and to connect with audiences and other artists.

The magazine covered a wide range of art forms, including visual art, music, dance, theatre, and literature. It also featured articles on cultural and social issues affecting Black and Asian communities in Britain, such as racism, identity, and representation.

Artrage was an important publication in the development of Black and Asian arts in Britain. It helped to raise awareness of the work of these artists and to create a sense of community and solidarity among them. The magazine also played a role in challenging the dominant narratives and stereotypes about Black and Asian culture in Britain.

Although Artrage ceased publication in 1991, its legacy lives on in the many artists and cultural organisations that it inspired and supported.

The Living Archive hosts all but two issues produced during the six years of the magazine’s production. Currently being catalogued and digitised, it will be available to access from October 2023.

Archiving the Past, Reflecting the Future

Heather Saunders — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 08:03:09 +0000

Leicester Carnival (1980s)
Image Credit: Leicester Mercury

Evelyn Dove
Image Credit: Stepehen Bourne / Mary Evans

Eric Irons
Image Credit: National Portrait Gallery

Anti-Apartheid Protest, Leicester
Image Credit: Leicester Mercury

Archiving the Past, Reflecting the Future is a journey through over a century of Black presence in the East Midlands that is often unrecognised, forgotten or ignored. The contribution of people from across the African and African Caribbean Diaspora has been integral to the vibrancy of the region, paving the way artistically, athletically and academically. Activism has remained an undercurrent to an ever-changing socio-political climate, galvanising a voice in the fight for equality that still exists to the present day.

LOG IN TO LIVING ARCHIVE to find out more about key people and events over the last eleven decades, whose strength, spirit and tenacity has helped shape the East Midlands.