News/Update from Fiona Evans, Project Co-ordinator

September 2007

The Living Memory Lab is up and running!  The first trainer’s course took place at the end of September.  Our next trainer’s course starts on November 16th.  These courses are for people who want to volunteer on our public courses, which run every two weeks. 

In October Plymouth’s Youth Parliament and Collective Voices from the Barbican Theatre will be joining the project and dipping their toes into the world of film making.  Should be very exciting!

The lab will be celebrating Black History Month on October 24th and screening some of it’s films at the Barbican theatre as part of an evening of entertainment with music, poetry, storytelling, performance and food of course.  The event is free and starts at 7.30pm.

LML will be at the Respect Festival on 27th and 28th November.  We intend to screen some of the short films produced so far and recruit more filmmakers. Plus we want feedback from you, come and fill in an evaluation and tell us what you think of our project so far. 

If you are interested in seeing our films outside of those events, pop along to the Human Cargo exhibition at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, the exhibition is on until 24th November and our films are projected in the Resource area of the North Gallery. 

We are still looking for budding filmmakers.  No experience necessary.  Ideas for current films in production include a mother exploring her child’s mix heritage identity, a Rasta’s perspective of the sugar industry, a take on what we didn’t learn at school about slavery and an exploration of the famous image by the Plymouth Abolitionists of the slave ship adapted by Thomas Clarkson. 

Teachers reading this…the lab is now calling for applications for schools to get involved in the project.  Unlike the public films, which are based on personal perspective, schools will be producing short features about Plymouth’s role in both slavery and abolition. 

To find out more contact Ed Whitelaw at Creative Partnerships – email ewhitelaw@cornwall.gov.uk

Plymouth & District Racial Equality Council

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Tel:  01752 224555   Fax:  01752 220258   Email: enquiries@plymouthrec.org   Web: www.plymouthrec.org