GLOBAL COMMUNITY

GLOBAL COMMUNITY was an international conversation curated by Tangle in collaboration with Yinka Shonibare CBE (RA)'s Guest Projects and at his invitation. GLOBAL COMMUNITY encouraged people from all walks of life to share and celebrate the amazing contribution world cultures have made to Great Britain today.

At it's centre was a living exhibition made up of contributions from 50 people: professionals, politicians, organisations, artists, writers and young people who brought to life the brilliance of ‘the many cultures and ethnicities that blow precious wind into the sails of the United Kingdom’.

Each contributor responded to a global landscape that was unfamiliar to them, and their work was displayed on an installation during two week residency at Guest Projects, London. It is the  start of a positive conversation about the important and exciting cultural mix that makes up the UK today, and what this means to society.

Open View days of the GLOBAL COMMUNITY exhibition took place on Saturday 24 November and Wednesday 28 November 2011 at Guest Projects. GLOBAL COMMUNITY also included 5 days of developmental theatre led by the twenty INTERFACE artists that were under commission with us, our popular TANGLE CAFÉ night, and a masterclass day for professional artists. There was also 'drop in' events and surgeries for creative professionals.

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Yinka Shonibare, CBE said: ‘We are delighted to be collaborating for the third time with Tangle, a theatre company that sees their job not just to make shows, but to open up points of enquiry whereby the widest possible range of people can work together without prejudice. Since our first collaboration in 2010 Tangle has enabled over 500 creative artists of all ethnicities to take part in activities at Guest Projects. Tangle creates work that enables positive, free exploration of a truly 'global' community, engaging with all kinds of artists and thinkers to explore the benefits that many cultures bring to the UK.’ 

Artistic Director Anna Coombs said: ‘The project was an enquiry into how individuals relate to our new multi cultural society. It looked at what happens when a mixed group of people come together to respond to new people and new places. It opened up a conversation about how creative work can be universally attractive without losing its cultural specificity – a hot topic in 2012. It asked if we need ‘creative permission’ to respond to unknown cultures. It pre-empted an online debate encouraging open communication between people of all ages and stages, without fear of saying the wrong thing. GLOBAL COMMUNITY aimed to break down institutional definitions, and challenge the careless generalisations that can lead to passive apartheid. Projects like this ensure that multi-cultural appreciation works both ways, not just one way. We believe the way forward for society in the UK is a two way street. We hoped this project stopped it feeling like a dead end.’