Creative Estuary | ‘HOMEWARD Artist Academy & Soul Food’

CREATIVE ESTUARY CO-COMMISSIONS EVALUATION: HOMEWARD ARTIST ACADEMY & SOUL FOOD

Lyrici Arts held an academy in the summer of 2022 for four local Black heritage lyrical artists. Focused on themes of HOMEWARD & Soul Food the academy supports four artists to develop and create a 20-minute performance piece linked intrinsically with their lyrical talents. Artists accessed industry mentorship, training, and profiling. They received directing and producing support and delivered an 80-minute show live-streamed and platformed in the autumn at theatres and community venues in Medway and Kent.

“I'm excited to have joined a space where Black artists can openly connect, celebrate who we are, and creatively represent our heritage and culture.”

– HOMEWARD Academy Artist

“The opportunity to create with Homeward 2022 is life-changing for me as a poet, performer, and a recent immigrant in the Medway. I look forward to the magic!”

– HOMEWARD Academy Artist

ORGANISATIONAL SUCESSES

Tested new ways of working with artists and development models
Enhanced reputation and funding streams
Informed future engagement and audience development approaches
Facilitated team members to develop creative skills
Reached new diverse audiences
Developed new partnerships and touring networks

AUDIENCE

Directly engaged with local people and created lasting connections
Reached new audiences
Created new opportunities for audiences to experience Black heritage cultural content
37% of the audience were not White
25% of the audience identify as having a disability
52% of the audience aged 16-25

CREATIVE PRACTITIONERS

Funded four creative practitioners
Supported participants to explore themes relating to personal identity, lived experience and culture and furthered their artistic careers
Artists accessed industry mentorship, training, and profiling
Platformed four creative practitioners through four touring performances