PEOPLE DEM COLLECTIVE: New Building Blocks

The campaign continues with the ‘Beautiful Youth’ programme projecting a new way of thinking onto a Margate’s Arlington House, writes People Dem Collective

We hope our last feature got you interested and woke you up to what’s happening, the change that needs to happen, and how you can make your way down the yellow brick road to anti-racism. We are right here by your side… let’s get it right! So, hold tight and buckle up, it's gonna be a bumpy road but the views are spectacular.

We smashed our Crowdfunder target and raised a whopping £35,556. A massive achievement for us all and your support has been amazing. So many local fundraisers were organised and donations given to get us to the target and beyond. This will support us in getting that infrastructure in place to realise the National Cultural Centre. We got it because you get it!

People Dem Collective are in the business of raising aspirations, civic pride, making connections and creating opportunity. As part of our Beautiful Youth programme, People Dem Collective has been linking local young people with experts within many industries and were able to connect two local young people with director Tom Dream and Black Dog Productions.  

We Sent them on a shoot where they met artists Che Lingo and Nao and were given a brief of ‘Black Excellence’; they didn't let us down. Even our young person Kane (@kenwa_kenwizz) got in front of the camera to perform his track ‘I Can’t Breath’. 

Kane is a local conscious rapper, peaceful activist and skater, who organised local ‘Bun Hate Let’s Skate’ protests for Young People Against Racism. 

“..raising aspirations, civic pride, making connections and creating opportunity”

Our other young person was the talented Sterling (@sterlingchandler_)  who took professional shots of Che Lingo (which he’s now using for his Insta profile pic) and captured all of the behind the scenes action. This kid’s eye is next level, his calm professional approach and style to everything he shoots is stunning. We were not wrong with these fellas; what they created was spectacular and we couldn’t wait to show it off.

On Friday 25th September, when we should have all been home battening down the hatches as the wind was blowing us all over the shop, there was magic in the air in Margate. Magic that woke the Arlington House building up after 55 years.The irony of which is not lost in being “woke”(alert to injustice in society, especially racism) in the current social climate. 

Built in 1964, the ‘Brutalist’ tower block was considered “Britain’s first ‘park & buy’ shopping centre with luxury flats,” but more recently it has been considered an eyesore. However, we appreciate it beautifully dominating the Margate skyline and so it made perfect sense for us to collaborate with Projections on Walls and use the building as a canvas for a large-scale projection of the film created with Che Lingo and Nao, with the core message being ‘Black Dreams Matter’. This coincided with the launch of Margate Now 2020 and South East Creatives’ business support programme, which will be delivered by and for black, brown and diaspora-led businesses. It is aimed at nourishing and supporting the talent and the region’s incredible designers, makers, artists, and cultural producers.

Bringing these artists, industry experts and young people together was a beautiful moment that continues to inspire. We will continue to do these community activations; inspiring and motivating others is infectious and people will not be able to help themselves but to join in. 

Peace out!

Culture, Art and DesignJoe Bill#15, Feature, People Dem Collective, Margate, Che Lingo, Nao, Sterling Chandler, Arlington House