Project Flourish thrilled to sponsor Black History Month ballet performance
In celebration of Black History Month, we were thrilled to attend a very special ballet performance by Classically British & Co, and to sponsor all the costs to produce the event’s programme.
The performance took place at Sadler's Wells Theatre in Islington, and saw alumni from the organisation, as well as friends, well-wishers and supporters, come together to celebrate 21 years of Black British Dance Excellence.
One of the event’s key contributors is well known to the Project Flourish team. Indeed, our friend Joy Sigaud provided the soundtrack for the opening performance, a wonderful score – called Resonance & Resilience – she created specifically for this event, and which depicts “the ancestral timeline of the Black and mixed-race peoples from Africa to the UK”, the Windrush Generation. Joy also dealt with media relations for the event and wrote the text for the event programme we sponsored, which you can read here.
We have an excellent relationship with Joy; you may remember that, back in 2023, we worked with the supremely talented writer and composer to sponsor the October 2023 newsletter for Editions magazine, which was celebrating Black History Month and the 75-year anniversary of the Windrush Generation coming to the UK. In turn, she wrote a thoughtful piece about Project Flourish, including her views on the many benefits the development could deliver to the local community, for the same newsletter.
Joy said: “I was delighted to be invited to compose a piece for this particular event and it was very easy for me to come up with the title Resonance & Resilience. Classically British & Co have celebrated classical dance in a variety of forms for many years, providing outlets and opportunities for young dancers from primarily ethnic backgrounds in North Kensington to express themselves.
“As someone who takes great pride in documenting the history of the Afro-Caribbean people of Britain, the score enabled me to embrace and remind audiences of the history of our fathers and mothers who struggled and devoted their lives towards making a better life for us - their descendants/those whose shoulders we stand upon.
“Through the music we have depicted just that and more importantly, the fruit of those struggles through sound and movement of the descendants of these people.
“As the journey continues, it is the support of organisations like Ballymore, whose lifelong commitment to developing and improving the area that enables such productions to be brought to mainstream audiences and it is with both resonance and resilience that we all continue the journey.”
We wrote a profile last year on our relationship with Joy, which also explores more of the wonderful things she has done in the local community. For those who haven’t had a chance to read this yet, here’s the link: https://www.projectflourish.co.uk/newsletter/joy-sigaud. Please read it if you have time – she really is a key figure in the local community and someone we’re proud to continue to work with.
In the meantime, we’re looking forward to enjoying more of Joy’s fabulous compositions and seeing where her journey into the world of ballet takes her next.
Do you support Project Flourish?
We know there is great support in the local community for what we are trying to achieve with Project Flourish. However, if you support our plans but haven’t already voiced your opinion, it’s really important that you tell the Council know how you feel. Your voice matters and every supporter needs to stand up and be counted. To have your say, you can:
Email your support - planning@rbkc.gov.uk
Send a letter of support - RBKC, Planning Department, The Town Hall, Hornton Street, London, W8 7NX
Use the online planning portal - www.tinyurl.com/support-project-flourish (scroll to the bottom of the page and use the comment box).
We hope you share our view that this development will bring the Kensal Canalside Opportunity Area back to life and deliver a number of significant benefits.
If you would like to speak to the project team, please feel free to contact us at info@projectflourish.co.uk or by calling 0800 772 0475 (no charge phone line).
Thanks