A selection of latest news and published articles
Introducing The Talk, a new commission by Marjorie H Morgan
‘The Talk’ by Marjorie H Morgan is a short ‘public service announcement’ style film giving a brief insight into the personal impact of racism in the lives of Black young men in the UK. Sharing and conversation with Professor Patricia Daley and Professor Godfrey Palmer on Thursday 28 January at 2pm.
‘The Talk’, and associated resources are intended to stimulate discussion, education and conversation into the reality of some aspects of life lived while Black in the UK, in the hope that barriers will be removed and equality and equity of opportunity and access will increase. Free tickets here.
In Other Words is a collection of urgent reflections, created by 49 artists over 4 months in 2020 exploring their hopes and fears for the future at a time of global crisis. Through prose, poetry, drawing, collage and photography it is a clarion call for change from a diverse group rich in wisdom, shared experience, and what it means to be marginalised in the UK.
The book was devised at the start of the Covid -19 pandemic in the UK, and was initially inspired by an Arundhati Roy quote in April 2020.
“Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred … or we can walk through lightly, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.”
http://www.metalculture.com/projects/in-other-words/
Buy your copy here: https://metalculture.bigcartel.com/product/in-other-words
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From Homotopia Arts – THE WALK podcast series.
“Looking at Liverpool through a queer lens, THE WALK is a stroll through the city, as told by six queer writers.
Download the podcast and listen along as you retrace the writers’ steps, or enjoy the recording from the comfort of your own home.”
https://soundcloud.com/user-490983708
Here is a link to my contribution: “Ep. 7. Award-winning playwright Marjorie Morgan offers an intersectional approach to the Albert Docks, anchored to the city, to family, to self.”
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0nCeJiiFW4OFn9gqDtcGzZ?si=KZk1i48oRmyC-XtMJRg2Mw
Black Oral Histories in the North – an online panel discussion hosted by Liverpool Everyman Playhouse theatres on Friday 30 October 2020.
Racism and mental health. What impact does racism have on a person’s mental health? What behavioural changes can make a positive difference? Discuss
Coming soon … 10 November 2020 – Stage Your Story, a playwriting workshop collaboration with The Goddess Projects and Liverpool Everyman Playhouse theatres.
Coming soon …
Show Your Working from Homotopia Festival 2020
Queen Nanny of the Maroons
Throughout the month of July I have been selected as one of the artists who has been granted a Metal Remote Residency. Along with the other artists I will carry out my residency working remotely from my own home but with access to the support, networks and resources available from Metal. More information available below.
#WindrushStories interview with Prison Radio UK
Listen to all the #WindrushStories here: Lloyd Bradley, Benjamin Zephaniah, Cecil Wright, Jamz Supernova, Nadine White, Brendan Batson, Sister Ina Spence, Blacker Dread, Marjorie H Morgan, Matthew Phillip, Mr. Wright, Dr. Vanley Burke #WeTalk
#Windrush
I Can’t Breathe (Quis custodiet ipsos custodies?)
The Mis-education of a Moonraker
Commissioned by #WithForAbout2020 premiered 17 June 2020 at 2.30 BST
The Mis-education of a Moonraker was featured in the live #WithForAbout session 4 available here:
Vanishing Points is a new anthology of cultural criticism, focusing on the making, watching and conditions of Live Art and performance in the UK today. Vanishing Points is edited by Salome Wagaine, with deputy editors Ava Wong Davies and Ben Kulvichit, and designed by Chani Wisdom.
The book features contributions from Ava Wong Davies, Zarina Muhammad, Ben Kulvichit, Season Butler, Jack Tan, Salome Wagaine, Marjorie H Morgan, Rajni Shah, Selina Thompson and Dr Cecilia Wee.
It is co-published by LADA and Diverse Actions, a Live Art UK initiative, championing cultural diversity in the sector and marks the final point of three years of activity. Supported by an Arts Council England Ambition for Excellence grant, Diverse Actions is managed by Cambridge Junction on behalf of Live Art UK.
10° of Separation – a commission from Northern Broadsides Theatre, 2K20.
Granted a HomeWork Commission from Heart of Glass as part of their Compendium of Care Package during the Coronavirus Pandemic 2020.
http://www.heartofglass.org.uk/project/home-work/
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Cultures of Love
by LUMA Creations – FREE entrance.
7pm Friday 21st Feb 2020 at John Archer Hall, L8 1YR
An evening of food, music & spoken word celebrating love, books, and stories inspired by the novels that shaped our world.
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I’m one of the writers presenting new work at Finger Food Shorts, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse theatres, 27-28 March.
Tickets available here.
With Soulla Eriksen, Saphena Aziz et al. https://www.fingerfoodshorts.uk/
11 March 2020
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Grant Winner: Marjorie Morgan, Oral History In North Of England
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Each weekly session costs £10.00 per participant. Book here.
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Slideshow installed in Tate Liverpool 30 Sept 19 – 6 Oct 19
Who Wants to Live Forever? tells the incredible story of Henrietta Lacks through art, science, storytelling and documentation.
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-liverpool/tate-exchange/workshop/who-wants-live-forever
Celebrating Liverpool’s Windrush generation
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President Macron and Cultural Reparations
British colonialism is alive and thriving in the art world. The museums of the UK, and of the Western world, are filled with objects of uncertain provenance. Museum culture ignores the realities and sensitivities of the centuries of illicit trade as they are largely self regulated – they justify retaining their collections by claiming they are ‘universal museums’ that serve the citizens of every nations, not just one nation – this theoretical global access is a western luxury as the citizens of London, Paris, and New York may benefit, but not those of countries like Benin – access is not a global reality.
The British Museum was one of 18 museums who, in 2002, signed released a ‘Declaration on the Importance and Value of Universal Museums,’ as providers of “a valid and valuable context for objects that were long ago displaced from their original source”. This ‘displacement’ is a contested term used by mainly Western museums instead of looting, uncertain provenance, plunder, theft, and extortion. The use of the umbrella term, ‘universal museums’ provides institutions with a defence against the discussion of cultural reparation of objects to the countries of origin.
More from this piece available at: https://blkbld.uk/304PkDP
An extended article will be posted here soon.
October 2018
“Art in Liverpool usually writes very outwardly, reflecting on the highs and lows of what’s going on around us, so the upcoming book has been a fascinating opportunity to self-reflect, often very critically of the festival, and its context.
Working with eight of Liverpool’s most exciting writers, the book includes work from Richard Billing, Jessica Fenna, Joanie Magill, Bernadette McBride, Paul McDermott, Marjorie Morgan and Callan Waldron-Hall.”
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Liverpool Mental Health Week – October 2018
“This Festival’s final event launches the TranScripts anthology at Museum of Liverpool on 14th October. This features new writing and launches an anthology of work from a creative writing project run by Liverpool Mental Health Consortium … and led by tutor Marjorie Morgan, writer-in-residence for Independent Liverpool Biennial and recently shortlisted for the prestigious Kenneth Branagh Award. “
