Engage

INTRODUCING...

The ENGAGE project - follow @this.isengage

Originally created by @rhyanrhyanart x @opinioninacrowd

ENGAGE is a creative community led and cultural based project initiative that incorporates the theme of Black/POC Queer creativity, visibility, engagment, Learning and impact. This is done through a series of FREE communal workshops, activities for 18 - 30 year olds during this month April 2022 and ultimately a digital mural installation created by @rhyanrhyanart in collabora`tion with the Black/POC community and which will be displayed in @westfieldstratfordcity this Summer 2022.

ENGAGE is funded by the Eastbank Small Grants Scheme alongside Westfield and supported by @stonewallhousing as our partner organisation.

These FREE workshops will range from African waist beading to Textiles, Poetry and Spiritual wellness. They will commence on the 20th, 22nd, 27th and 30th Apirl 2022 and held at Somerset House which will be hosted by amazing artists and businesses, Create Conscience Community, Celestial Being, Tyreis Holder and RHYANRHYAN-ART.

TICKETS TO ALL WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND WILL STOP SELLING MONDAY 18th April

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WORKSHOP DETAILS PLEASE SEE BELOW:

20th April 2022 (12pm -4pm) - Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1L

Celestial Being - African Waist Beading Workshops

About Workshop:

Hosted by Celestiall Beingg - The African waist beading workshops will explore the signifiance of beads in Afro-caribbean culture and explore what they are used for in these culutres.

"Join us and other divine beings to craft traditional african waist and thigh beads, educate ourselves on the aceint craft and give thanks to our ancestors for passing down their art for generations as we re-root and connect." - Celestiall Beingg

The workshop will be a safe, open and spiritual space for you to ask open questions surrounding culutre, arts and personal exereinces attached to the craft.

22nd April 2022 (12pm - 4pm) - Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1L

RHYANRHYAN-ART - Black Joy Workshop

(This workshop is for people who idenifity as Black)

Hosted by the founder of ENGAGE, RHYANRHYAN-ARTwill run a workshop based on the theme of Black Joy - in this workshop RHYAN will explore :

• A brief history of the different interpretations of what Black Joy is
• What does Black Joy look likes in our society/generation today.
• What is the future of Black Joy? - and finally How can we express Black Joy in Art, Music and our own lives.

This ultimately will be a interactive creative led workshop which will lead up to the curation of ideas for the digital mural that will be designed by RHYANRHYAN-ART himself - and will be displayed on a vinyl at Westfield Stratford city this Summer 2022.

About The Artist:

RHYANRHYAN-ART (Rhyan Jordan Holder) is a Multidisciplinary artist, based in Hackney, London. With Over the past 5 years Rhyan has collaborated with a number of creative and grassroots agencies, such as Livity, Studio Moross, Adam & Eve DDB, The V&A, Somerset House and More. Within these roles he has gained various skills and experience in project management, collective collaboration, and community programming. Whilst always being an advocate for change, RHYANRHYAN’s desire to explore his inner power to articulate himself creatively as an artist increased after experiencing personal trauma coming out to his family last year, forcing him into a journey of rediscovery.

The culmination of his professional and personal experience has fuelled him to explore Black & queer identities. Influenced by Afro-futurism, African spirituality and artists like Basquiat and Keith Haring, RHYANRHYAN uses his talents to celebrate and document the Black queer experience.

Rhyan is also currently a Future Producer at Somerset House, and currently studying a BA Fine Art at Chelsea College Of Arts UAL

27th April 2022 (12pm - 4pm) - Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1L

Create Conscience Community- Aura Craft Workshop

Hosted by the founder of CCC, Cherce Lucina - The Aura craft solo Meditation workshop will be a guided art based meditation that encourages exploration into your intuition, inner thoughts, expression, intentions.

About The Artist :

Cherece produces culturally diverse events which allow people to connect to their community and sense of spirituality in a personally relatable way, whilst honouring the need for safe spaces and accessible content. By bringing spirituality to others, she has been able to enter a multitude of contexts and encourage mindful engagement.

From sustainable fashion shows to psychedelic art exhibitions  and Festivals (Psychedelic Society headquarters, Nov 2018/Apr 2019) and holistic well-being events(Nurture june 2019/ nov2021) and Herbalism workshops ( Wolves Lane 2022), she has had the opportunity to find common ground for conversation in a range of areas.

Cherece has also lately taken to the spotlight performing circus acts and DJ'ing!

30th April 2022 (12pm - 4pm) - Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1L

Tyreis Holder- Textiles and Poetry Workshop

Tyreis will be leading a journaling and textiles workshop; exploring the healing process of journaling via poetry, fabric and punch needling.

About The Artist :

Tyreis Holder is an Artist, Poet and Visual Storyteller from South London, with heritage reigning from Jamaican/St Vincent.She works heavily in mediums pertaining to installation, textiles, performance, poetry, sculpture and sound.

Her practise centres around explorations of self and identity, the relationship with the mind, particularly within regards to navigating colonial spaces. Her primary grounds or exploration explores how textiles poses as poetic language, functioning as a healing device- specifically in regards to trauma experienced by black women. Bringing lived experiences into her practice, she aims to generate conversations around how social and intimate spaces are shaped through race, diffability*, community, class, sexuality and culture.

TICKETS TO ALL WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND WILL STOP SELLING MONDAY 18th Apirl

If you have any questions or queires about the ENGAGE project please contact rhyanrhyanart@gmail.com