SET studios will be sharing the untold stories of those that live and work in the London Borough of Royal Greenwich, in response to the Black History Month theme for 2024 ‘reclaiming the narrative’.
We will be showcasing work that highlights the contribution the African and Caribbean communities in the Borough have made in shaping the cultural landscape of modern Britain. Working primarily with the stories, memories and experiences of the local residents, the work will also celebrate the contributions they have made to building a sense of place in the borough.
The showcase will explore themes around the history of the migration of the African and Caribbean communities into the borough, collectively creating a living community archive where Black history is currently underrepresented across the UK.
This project, entitled ‘Untold stories; reclaiming the narrative of Black British history through the voices of the people of Greenwich and the visual arts’ will see the visual work created by members of the local communities displayed on ‘The Big Screen’ in Gordon Square in the Woolwich town centre throughout May 2025.
This call out is open to local schools, community groups and general members of the public who would like to share their memories and stories through the medium of song, archive material, photos, animations, videos, and spoken poetry or written words. The Greenwich community can also submit words of what Black history means to them. Artists living and/or working in the borough are also welcome to share new or existing work in response to the theme.
We’re looking for examples of all kinds of creativity in the borough and it could even be something that you made years ago. You do not need to be a professional, you might have work that you produced as a hobby that you would like to share. It could be anything like a film clip, a short animation, photographs, ceramics, paintings, textiles, drawings, poetry and dance. But it needs to relate to the theme of reclaiming the narrative: the contribution that Black people have made to the UK, asserting your identity, owning your stories, and refusing to be isolated into false stereotypes. We are open to all forms of interpretation.
Although the work submitted does not need to be new, however, all work must be original. Therefore, the submission must have the full copyright permission and clearance to screen the work. The work must also be suitable for pre-watershed viewing or otherwise be family friendly.
Select works will also be available to view on the SET website in June 2025 followed by a special curated evening of films at SET Woolwich in June 2025. The films shown will be by artists who are working across the themes of community, belonging and connection. They will also reflect on the past, present and future, reclaiming the narratives that have led to the marginalisation of Black British communities.
More information on the film programme and Q&A to follow soon. Please follow us on Instagram for regular updates.
Please upload your completed entries here: BH 365 Submission Form
If you have any questions, please email info@setspace.uk
We can support you with completing the submission form too. Just reach out using the contact details above or come to one of the advice sessions. We will consider multiple image submissions but only one video work no longer than 1 minute.
The Big Screen requires work to be ready to screen in a specific formats:
- Videos are landscape and HD (16:9 Aspect Ratio) and are provided as a ProRes or H264 file. The video will need to be exported as a .mov or .mp4 file
- Images at a minimum of 150 dpi – 1024 x 576 pixels. Photographs, landscape Square is OK
- Text has a maximum length of 125 words (to fit on the screen)
SET Woolwich will be holding two advice and technical support drop-in sessions on the following dates:
- Wednesday 15th January 2025 from 5pm – 7pm
- Saturday 18th January 2025 from 11am – 2pm
Spaces are limited so please book here: Tech Support Session Booking
All entries must be made by someone over the age of 18 and submissions close on Friday 21st March 2025 at 5pm.
This project is funded by the Royal Borough of Greenwich
