2010/11

ANNUAL REPORT

UNYAKA

PHAKAMA IS A YOUTH ARTS ORGANISATION DRIVEN BY THE DESIRE TO MAKE HIGH-QUALITY ARTS.

PHAKAMA BELIEVES THAT INDIVIDUALS’ STORIES HAVE THE POWER TO MOVE, CHALLENGE AND INFORM.

PHAKAMA CREATES SHARED SPACES FOR YOUNG ARTISTS TO EXPRESS, GROW AND PERFORM.

‘ Personally, I feel belonging. I discovered my own

talent, something I’m good at. I’m stepping out

of my lonely world. I’m not invisible anymore.

I feel I’m ready to face the world.’

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2010/2011 has been a strategic and successful year for Phakama. The organisation embarked on a number of ambitious creative projects and have managed to secure continued and increased funding (37%) from ACE joining other 696 organisations nationally as part of ACE’s new NPO. This combined with Phakama’s relationship with Queen Mary, University of London, has enabled the organisation to make exciting and ambitious plans for the next four years.

Since late 2009 Phakama has been working in partnership with Transition Town Tooting (TTT) and Emergency Exit Arts (EEA) on the Trashcatchers Carnival in Tooting (awarded the prestigious TippingPoint Commission). Project Phakama UK, EEA and TTT worked with community groups for over a year exploring our relationship to Earth, creating beauty from rubbish and looking at change in how we live where we live. The Trashcatchers Carnival went to the streets on 4 July 2010 bringing together schools and community groups from across Tooting and featuring mechanical wonders and extraordinary costumes created out of trash.

Phakama has also collaborated in creative projects with organisations such as the Orpheus Centre

and Index on Censorship.

‘ What we did today I really enjoy, like singing,

dancing and drumming. It was so lovely. I never

thought I could drum or sing that well but today

I saw how well I sing and drum. I hope that this

opportunity of doing something that I never did

before appears always.’

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‘ I did not want to come back when I fi rst joined

the project, but now I understand the importance

of being in here. I feel more confi dent and can

talk to people without fear because of all the

things I learned in Phakama.’

‘ In a nutshell, Phakama teaches its members

whatever there is to learn, and because we

are Phakama, we are each others tutors.

You cannot get more democratic than that.’

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ARTISTIC HIGHLIGHTS

TRASHCATCHERS CARNIVAL

A total of 15 groups made up of school children, teachers, business people, local residents and community groups have been involved in creating this event. Together we have been making stories, costumes, banners, puppets, songs, music and marvellous inventions, assisted by professional artists from Phakama and Emergency Exit Arts.

On 4 July 2010 the Carnival went to the streets in a procession that was traffi c stopping! It did wind its way to Fishponds Playing Fields (previously closed to the community) where the ‘carnavalistas’ and the wider community shared a picnic served by the local restaurants and businesses.

The Trashcatchers Carnival was the largest event ever seen in Tooting and more than 1,000 have taken part in it. The project was supported by Arts Council England, Wandsworth Council and the Big Give/Reed Foundation. The Trashcatchers

Carnival is a TippingPoint Commission and was nominated in the best event category for the Climate Week.

PHAKAMA’S AND ORPHEUS’ OUTDOOR SPECTACULAR

Phakama and Orpheus joined forces in August 2010 to create a site-specifi c event at the Orpheus Centre using the centre’s beautiful indoors and outdoors facilities taking the audience on a journey of discoveries. Phakama’s and Orpheus’ young artists and facilitators were in residence at the centre for two weeks. The two groups brought together shared experiences and stories of journeys to create a performance with puppetry, music and audience interaction.

The Orpheus Centre is an inclusive performing arts centre that works with young people with disabilities.

‘ What we did today I really enjoy, like singing,

dancing and drumming. It was so lovely. I never

thought I could drum or sing that well but today

I saw how well I sing and drum. I hope that this

opportunity of doing something that I never did

before appears always.’

4

TRIPWIRES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INDEX ON CENSORSHIP

Tripwires is a leadership training and performance programme that started in the Autumn of 2010. We use theatre, poetry, music, dance, fi lm and more to explore freedom of expression, offence and self-censorship. For 20 weeks, Tripwires trained a group of 25 young people aged between 17-23 in Phakama’s methodologies and participatory arts. The training also includes outreach sessions in the community and culminated in a site-specifi c performance devised by the young people themselves under the leadership of Phakama facilitator Corinne Micaleff in Spring 2011.

Tripwires is a collaboration with Index on Censorship with the support from City Bridge Trust and Queen Mary, University of London.

‘ Personally, I feel belonging. I discovered my own

talent, something I’m good at. I’m stepping out

of my lonely world. I’m not invisible anymore.

I feel I’m ready to face the world.’

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PARTNERSHIPS In the past year Phakama has strengthened its partnership with Queen Mary, University of London. Phakama moved offi ces to Queen Mary’s Mile End Campus in 2009 and has been working closely with the Drama Department and Dr. Caiomhe McAvinchey.

New partnerships have been forged and existing ones strengthened. Some of the organisations Phakama has collaborated with in the past year include: Transition Town Tooting, Emergency Exit Arts, Orpheus Centre and Index on Censhorship.

WATCH THIS SPACE

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE (2011/12)

It is estimated that by 2025 more than half

of the world population will be facing water-

based vulnerability.

Water’s potential to create life and beauty as well as destruction and socio-political unrest informs Message in a Bottle. The project will enable young people from 6 European countries and six non-European countries to investigate creatively and practically how water (or the lack of it) impacts on their lives. Water will be used as a metaphor for cultural exchange, creative dialogue and environmental learning. The project will facilitate the collaboration between young people from the UK, The Basque Country, Poland, Portugal, Bosnia, Ireland and from Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Samoa, New Zealand, Brazil and China through virtual dialogue, exchange visits and local small-scale performances. In June 2012, international young artists will bring water from their countries to London to create a site-specifi c, participatory performance using the Regent’s Canal as part of Sketch.

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‘ Personally, I feel belonging. I discovered my own

talent, something I’m good at. I’m stepping out

of my lonely world. I’m not invisible anymore.

I feel I’m ready to face the world.’

THE EDIBLE GARDEN (2011/12)

Creating new recipes for the future

In the heart of Mile End three generations of women will grow food and create a recipe for a happy, healthy, hardy community. In partnership with the East End Women’s Institute and local daughters, mothers and grandmothers, Phakama will be growing an edible garden with and for the whole community. There will be a series of growing, cooking and performance events throughout and the project will culminate in 2012 with a performed Recipe Book.

The project will involve theatre-makers, gardeners and chefs enabling participants to explore their stories, intergenerational connections and together write new recipes for a happy community.

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‘ Personally, I feel belonging. I discovered my own

talent, something I’m good at. I’m stepping out

of my lonely world. I’m not invisible anymore.

I feel I’m ready to face the world.’

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2011

INCOME 2010/11 £

Voluntary income 78,639.00Activities for generating funds 76,033.00Investment income 6.00

Total income 154,678.00

EXPENDITURE 2010/11 £

Charitable activities 112,828.00Governance costs 3,118.00Other resources expended 48,045.00

Total expenditure 163,991.00

Total funds brought forward 17,567.00

Total funds carried forward 8,254.00

Accounts audited by:PERLIN FRANCOChartered Accountants and Registered Auditors

Project Phakama UK major funders

Project Phakama UK supporters

Crescent Lodge, TippingPoint, Wandsworth Council,BigGive/Reed Foundation, City Bridge Trust

For more information on Phakama please visit www.projectphakama.org

or email info@projectphakama.org

‘ Personally, I feel belonging. I discovered my own

talent, something I’m good at. I’m stepping out

of my lonely world. I’m not invisible anymore.

I feel I’m ready to face the world.’

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