Actor, writer and impresario Angela Clerkin has got together with south London’s award-winning arts centre, The Albany, to launch The Festival of Radical Care, celebrating local acts of caring. The festival includes a mix of art installations, a series of LGBTQ+ drama workshops, as well as a music showcase and cabaret night.
Over the course of four weeks, the Albany is home to a series of thought-provoking art installations, all highlighting a wide range of local acts of care and projects. Featuring work from the Albany and Entelechy Arts’ award-winning programme for the over 60s, Meet Me At… and Albany Connects. Other local artists and companies contributing include Spare Tyre, Sounds Like Chaos, Entelechy Arts, Bernadette Russell & Friends and Displace Yourself.
This festival is about acknowledging that it takes the whole community to care for the whole community
– Angela Clerkin
REZON8, the Albany’s new youth-led record label, showcases a night of music performers featuring a selection of 8 Drill, Grime and RnB artists – all talented young creatives originating from South-East London.
Queer Cabaret, will be a joyous closing event – a night about how Kings, Queens and Inbetweens care radically through queer joy, swagger, spoken word and lip syncing.Featuring Cocoa Butter Club’s Mr Wesley Dykes, Sigi Moonlight and award-winning performer, artist, producer and neo burlesque star Rhys’ Pieces.
Other participatory events include a Wellbeing World Café from theatre company Spare Tyre, a conference addressing anti-racism care in the theatre industry as part of Improbable’s, Devoted and Disgruntled series and also Homecoming: A 21st Century Tea Dance presented by Entelechy Arts in partnership with the Albany.
Festival curator Angela Clerkin comments: “As one of the Albany’s Artists of Change I wanted to create a festival to highlight and celebrate some of the amazing creativity and connections from the art centre’s resident companies, Associate Artists and Lewisham residents that went on during lockdown – and continues today. This festival is about acknowledging that it takes the whole community to care for the whole community. it’s time to celebrate, to protest, to create, to dance and to laugh. It’s time for The Festival of Radical Care.”
Artistic Director and CEO of the Albany, Gavin Barlow said: “We’re so pleased to be working with Angela on this festival that highlights the acts of care that have been happening not only over the last 18 months, but for years throughout Lewisham and beyond. The festival also highlights the importance of joy and togetherness as a means for caring for one another and we hope people come away with fresh ideas on how to care for each other and themselves.”
Joining the festival are also some wonderful, radically caring guests including Lewisham Young Carers, Dr Yewande Okuleye, theatre-makers Tabby Lamb and theatre director Emily Aboud.
Festival of Radical Care runs from now until 17 October
Venue: The Albany, Douglas Way, London SE8 4AG. Box Office: Tel: 020 8692 4446
For details of the full programme, please visit: https://www.thealbany.org.uk/shows/art-installations-festival-of-radical-care/
