| AdminHistory | Initially developed as a series of artistic residencies arranged as part of the Year of the Artist, these were sponsored by the Fire Brigades Union [FBU] to raise awareness of racism in the Fire Service and to provide a model for Anti-Racism training.
The Year of the Artist [YOTA] ran from June 2000 to May 2001 and was subtitled 'Breaking the Barriers'. It consisted of a series of residencies across England, to enable artists to make art and engage in dialogue with people outside of their usual spheres of operation. For Banner, this involved three residencies, financed by different regional arts bodies.
The first residency was entitled 'I'd rather be Gay than Black', which was supported by North West Arts Board. This was a piece of documentary theatre and music, produced with firefighters in Greater Manchester which considered issues of sexuality and ethnicity. Residencies followed in Essex and the West Midlands which were entitled 'Black and White in the Red'. Supported by East of England Arts and West Midlands Arts respectively, they reflected and celebrated the experiences of ethnic minority firefighters and used the arts as a tool for change.
Sarah Richards, Dave Rogers, Sami Scott and Fred Wisdom collaborated on this project, which produced a touring theatre production with the title 'Black and White in the Red'. It was based on many hours of interviews with over 50 black and white firefighters, conducted by Rogers and Wisdom. They engaged in many debates in fire stations about issues ranging from fire service culture and recruitment practices, to sexism, homophobia and the MacPherson report [the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry which identified institutional racism]. These discussions had a primary focus on black experiences in a predominantly white fire service and generated some of the most powerful recorded material ever collected by Banner.
The production mixed theatre and song, intercut with the recorded voices of black and white firefighters. Ska, folk and jazz musical genres were powerfully combined within the production.
[See also MS 1611/A/7/8] |