Sun 22 June – Facilitator: Remi Graves
Into the Woods of Memory
Join Remi Graves for an exploration of our memory and the narratives that have shaped us. Participants will explore memories of home, ancestry and connection through different poems and writing exercises. We will also explore how nature holds space for memories to be relieved and preserved. This workshop is for anyone who wants to try out poetry for the first time, delve deeper into their own stories or just collaborate with others in the community. Speakers of all languages are welcome, the workshop will be led in English, but there will be space for collaboration and multilingual writing!
Come share your stories of food, culture and hobbies with artists from Writing Our Legacy, Diversity Lewes, and The Rest Experience in this free workshop series exploring culture and heritage, and health and wellbeing at the University of Brighton.
Each session will involve different creative writing and making opportunities
The sessions will provide experience in oral storytelling, creative writing, and various visual arts
We will also produce a book and an exhibition by the end using all work produced
All sessions will be fun and open to all – no experience is necessary
The workshops are aimed at BPOC people living, working or studying in Sussex.
About the artists
Remi Graves is a poet and drummer. A former Barbican Young Poet, their work has been featured on BBC Radio 4, at St Paul's Cathedral and in various anthologies. Past commissions include ‘a well worn path’ for Arthouse Jersey and ‘On Breathing’ for Barbican. Remi has led courses at The Poetry School, Queercircle and facilitates in schools and local community spaces. Their debut pamphlet, 'with your chest', was published by fourteen poems in 2022. Remi won the inaugural 2024 Prototype Prize.
About Maisha Stories Project
From November 2024 to December 2025, we will work with Black, Asian and ethnically diverse people of colour (BPOC) communities based along the South Downs National Park and East Sussex to co-produce and co-deliver a series of 12 monthly storytelling and placemaking workshops in Brighton’s Moulsecoomb, Hastings and Lewes aimed at people of all ages and backgrounds including families.
Project partners are Writing Our Legacy (WOL) and Diversity Lewes and The Rest Experience and working with academic Dr Jess Moriarty. Look out for our updates on how you can get involved if you are living, working or studying in these areas.
The project builds on the Maisha Stories: No Place Like Home project devised in 2024 by Amy Zamarripa Solis (WOL), Tony Kalume (Diversity Lewes) and Dr Jess Moriarty and delivered with Akila Richards founder of The Rest Experience.
The project has delivered a workshop series in Lewes, supported by University of Brighton’s Community – University Partnership Programme and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), AHRC Impact Account and Arts Council England.
The project has also delivered workshops, in partnership with Sussex Police, funded by IGNITE Acceleration fund and Policy Support Fund.
Why Maisha Stories?
In Swahili, the name Maisha represents the value, diversity, and beauty of life, the profound meaning of life and the energy, power, and essence of being. It is a name celebrated across African societies and more widely that inspires connections between human existence, nature and the whole community of life. It acknowledges these interconnections as precious and vital and should be celebrated.
Project Aims
The project seeks to connect individuals and build new communities. Storytelling, in particular, can be a catalyst for community, enabling people to share their lives and experiences and combating feelings of loneliness. We want to address the inequality of access to the natural environment in the UK.
Also check out other Workshops in Brighton, Arts events in Brighton, Literary Art events in Brighton.
