Culture & Art For Unity (CA4U) Project

Culture & Art For Unity (CA4U) 

About the Project

CA4U was a children-led, community cohesion project that was funded by the London Mayor's Culture Seeds programme. The projectedprovided educational and recreational activities to marginalised children to create original, digital art to bring local culture to life. The project aims to increase children's integration into a developing London area, while bringing cultures and all ages together to debate the results of their art and what matters to them.

Through a partnership with the local non-profit Bizzie Bodies, CA4U holds digital art workshops, focusing on culture, race equality and community cohesion. The material are produced are:
  • published and disseminated widely including being catalogued with the British Library and made available online through RJ4All Publications.
The project is founded upon the belief that culture and art can bring people together and encourage community cohesion. 

We use restorative justice values such as equality, involvement in decision making, inclusion and empowerment, to support our children to lead on the art creation, and through their work increase cultural awareness.

Our research has shown that when cultural awareness is increased, inter-cultural conflicts and the attitudes that lead to hate incidents and racism are reduced. The stories, feelings and emotions of our children expressed through creative art can act as the best vehicle for sending a message of unity at a time when divisions and hate crime are increasing in London.

Key project objectives

  • Celebrate, learn and teach about culture in Rotherhide by focusing on race equality, the Windrush generation, its legacy and contribution to the SE16 area, its history, achievements, struggles and continuous efforts to build a stronger community
  • Create a space for dialogue between different cultures and ages by bringing local people together and by providing them with prompts through local children’s digital art depicting our project's theme
  • Create an opportunity for local children to learn about race equality, Windrush and 70 years since the Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury.
  • Remove barriers for children and families who wouldn't be able to access digital art workshops, engage them in learning activities and inspire them to continue learning about art after the project is finished.
  • Provide local children and their families with after school fun, safe and educative activities for at least 3.5 hours x 10 workshops increasing in this way both their cognitive and emotional resilience.
Related news
CA4U Closing Exhibition

Canada Water Library, 21 Surrey Quays Road, London, SE16 7AR

Celebrating culture and unity through our children’s art, following on from the last event, which focused on the Windrush generation and race equality. This exhibition aims to bring together local people, children and their families to enjoy the results of months of hard work by our children, while also using their original art as prompts for a much needed discussion on community cohesion in SE16 London.

Join us to:
  • Celebrate with us the achievements of our children who have been working hard over the last few months in creating original art that expresses their views, knowledge and feelings on race equality.
  • Hear from local decision makers, funders, young people and our children about what matters to them, and engage in a restorative justice dialogue bridging cultures and ages.
* The event is free and you can simply book your ticket by donating just one penny! However, we do ask you to give what you can. RJ4All and Bizzie bodies are small, non-profit organisations that work with local communities to empower them through educational programmes. We encourage all our service users to consider a small donation when benefiting from us. This will allow us to continue providing our charitable and free services to the most marginalised groups of our society. 
            Closing Exhibition - 8th of April 
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Programme for the 8th April 2019 exhibition

11:00: Registration, refreshments and exhibition

11:00 - 11:15: Welcome from the organisers Dr. Theo Gavrielides (RJ4All Institute) and Emilie Mendy (Bizzie Bodies)

11:15 - 11:30: Supporting the community - Neil Coyle (MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark)

11:30 - 11:40: Early education and Art - Janet Jones (The Dean of Art and Creative Industries, LSBU
 
11:30 - 11:40: Community Cohesion in SE16 London - Nick JohnsonCouncillor, Surrey Docks Ward, Southwark Council

11:40 - 11:50: Culture Seeds - Representative from Mayor of London (TBC)

11:50 - 12:00: Art, Culture and Community Cohesion - Chantal Caudron (UK Government Art Collection)

12:00 - 12:15: Q&A children, families and friends to all speakers

12:15 - 16:00: Exhibition and networking
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