BLM creative call-out from Hastings Museum and Art Gallery

Hastings Museum and Art Gallery is offering its platform to local black and ethnic minority communities to share their responses to George Floyd’s killing and the Black Lives Matter movement. Now more than ever, the arts can be a vehicle for change, a chance to heal and bring people together that may never have had the chance, writes HOT’s Vanessa Alves.

Creative call-out

The community response call-out is to black and minority ethnic communities to share their responses to recent events. Hastings Museum and Art Gallery would like to commission three-four responses. There is no deadline for submissions and works will be commissioned on a rolling basis. To express an interest please email museum@hastings.gov.uk. Please include the type of response you would like to make, for example written, video, or paintings; and your fee or hourly rate.

Councillor Kim Forward, leader of the council, said:

“The council supports the Black Lives Matter movement, and all those across the world who are raising awareness of racial injustices. We have seen those locally in Hastings who have been supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, and we want you to know that we stand with you.

“We are hoping that Hastings Museum and Art Gallery can make a small difference in our local area, by amplifying the voices and supporting the work of black and minority ethnic creators.

“The museum is looking to commission three to four responses from local black and minority ethnic people to the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter Movement. The response can be in any format – written, video, artwork, anything you can think of.”

There have already taken place peaceful marches in Hastings and St Leonards, and other areas in East Sussex. The presence of so many people supporting and demonstrating that racism in all its forms is a blight on society as a whole is a move in the right direction towards how we all want to live in this world. The arts and in particular Hastings Museum and Art Gallery’s open invitation is a welcome point of action; giving vital space to under-represented voices.

About Hastings Museum and Art Gallery

Hastings Museum and Art Gallery

Hastings Museum and Art Gallery is currently closed to the public but open online as #HastingsDigitalMuseum. It is producing a range of content each week to keep people active and creative throughout lockdown. The museum believes racism can never be tolerated.

Find out more details #HastingsDigitalMuseum on Facebook  and on Twitter and Instagram.

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