The ARC Summit is BACK! And 2025’s summit is going to be bigger, better, and have even more variety than ever before as we celebrate our 5th Anniversary as Anti Racist Cumbria!

If you’ve been to one of our Summit’s before, there’s going to be some changes to our format this year.

We’re mixing things up and alongside a very exciting keynote speaker (read on to find out more), we’re going for a festival vibe to match the celebrations, which means lots more workshops throughout the day, plus a literary tent hosting amazing authors and thought provoking chats and even more exhibitions than usual, which will hopefully inspire you to join in on a creative arts session.

For those further along their anti-racist journeys and craving deeper discussions, fear not – that’s covered too.

Read on to find out about all of our amazing speakers and contributors and to find out what’s in store for our lucky Summit ticket holders!

Click here to jump straight to the schedule

LEMN SISSAY, OBE FRSL

We’re thrilled to announce that 2025’s keynote speaker is poet, playwright, memoirist, performer and broadcaster: Lemn Sissay!

His latest poetry book “Let The Light Pour In”, and his autobiography “My name is Why” were Number One Sunday Times Best Sellers. In 2021 he helped select the works for “Hold Still” which also became a Sunday Times Bestseller. His Theatre adaptation of Benjamin Zephaniah’s ‘Refugee Boy’ is a text on The National Curriculum.

Seven years a chancellor, official poet of the London Olympics, Honorary fellow of Oxford and Cambridge colleges, winner of  2024 Hay festival medal for poetry; Lemn has performed throughout the world from The Library of Congress in The United States to  the national Theatre of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa to London Palladium in England. His television documentaries have been nominated for Grierson BAFTA and RTS awards and work in radio has been nominated for Sony and Palm D’Ors.

We could go on to list even more accolades but most importantly for us, Lemn is an activist through his art and his words in a beautiful, thoughtful and poignant way.

Lemn will be on the main stage as part of the Summit’s morning schedule – secure your ticket now before they sell out!

Our very first Comedy night needed someone pretty special to front it…so welcome to the stage, Nish Kumar!

Nish has achieved huge success on the stand-up circuit with five rave-reviewed solo stand-up shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, two of which have been nominated for the prestigious Comedy Award for Best Show.

Alongside stand-up, Nish is a frequent voice and face across both television and radio. Nish hosted two seasons of the Sky series Hold the Front Page with fellow comedian Josh Widdecombe, where the duo travelled the country working as local news reporters. He hosts the weekly political comedy podcast, Pod Save the UK, together with journalist Coco Khan, produced by Crooked Media partnered with Reduced Listening. He has appeared on BBC Two’s Live At The Apollo both as a stand-up guest and host, along with many of the UK’s most popular entertainment shows, including Q.I. (BBC Two), Mock The Week (BBC Two), Have I Got News For You (BBC One), 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4), Never Mind the Buzzcocks (BBC Two), The Last Leg (Channel 4), Would I Lie to You (BBC One) and Taskmaster (Dave). He hosted his own satirical, spoof, news series, The Mash Report, for BBC Two that ran for 6 series.

Nish’s last show Your Power, Your Control is available to watch on Sky, and he is currently touring his latest show Nish: Don’t Kill My Vibe in the US & Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the UK.

Make sure you get your day + evening ticket to see Nish and we’ll all round up an incredible Summit with an evening full of laughs!

It’s tough to top Nish in our comedy announcements but we pull out all the stops for you, our Summit ticket holders…. chances are you’ll have seen her on your screens, but in case you haven’t been paying attention, let us introduce you to Desiree Burch!

Desiree is a comedian, writer, actor, theatre-maker and NY-to-London transplant. Desiree has quickly and firmly established herself as one of the breakout comic stars in the UK. She is the host and voice of Netflix’s smash reality hit, ‘Too Hot Too Handle’ and recently hosted Live At The Apollo (BBC 2).

Desiree exploded onto the UK comedy scene, winning the 2015 Funny Women Award. Since then, she has appeared on, ‘Live at the Apollo’ (BBC), ‘Have I Got News For You’ (BBC), ‘Qi’ (BBC), ‘8 Out of 10 Cats’ (Channel 4), ‘Mock The Week’ (BBC2),’Insert Name Here’ (BBC2), ‘Frankie Boyle’s New World Order (BBC2). and co-hosted Netflix series, “Flinch”. Desiree recorded her critically acclaimed, debut Edinburgh festival show, ‘This Is Evolution” as a TV special for, ‘Live From The BBC ‘(BBC3) and has recorded a 2nd stand up special for Comedy Central. Her recent Edinburgh hour, ‘Unfuckable’ was a sold out hit at The Edinburgh Fringe and went onto two fantastic, sold out runs at The Soho Theatre. She also travelled to Just For Laughs in Montreal and recorded a set for Kevin Hart’s LOL Network in 2018.

Her solo theatre show “Tar Baby” was the winner of a 2015 Scotsman’s Fringe First Award, a 2016 Vault Festival Pick-of-the-Week and was Shortlisted (High-Commendation) for the 2015 Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award.

‘The funniest comedian I have ever seen in person. She left me breathless with laughter’– Scotsgay

“Desiree Burch is such a funny, frank, eloquent, entertaining and perceptive raconteur… positively poetic.” – The Scotsman

“A larger than life New Yorker… who brought the roof down” – The Independent

Desiree will be fronting the comedy night of our 2025 Summit, don’t miss your chance to catch this international comedy star right here in Cumbria!

You can’t have a comedy night without an MC, and do we have a corker for you!

Don One is a multi-disciplined performer and is undoubtedly, one of the funniest drag kings in the UK. They are known for making drag king history, most recently as the first drag king to host and sing live on the main stage at Mighty Hoopla 2025 performing to 60,000 people and introducing the legendary Jamelia. As a singer, comedian, actor, host and MC, they have taken their act from stage to screen. First starring in the West End Show, Death Drop and most recently as a regular on Channel 4 introducing Joe Lycett live on Late Night Lycett.

We know we’re spoiling you with all this talent for our first ever comedy night but we can’t leave it there with all the excitement…

Are you a Black or Brown up and coming comedian? How would you like to be part of the line up and open for Nish Kumar and Desiree Burch?

We’re on the hunt for a fresh, fearless, and funny voice to kick off our Comedy Night with a bang — someone who brings the laughs, but isn’t afraid to bring a little activist fire too.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Or know someone who does?
🎬 Send us a 3-minute clip of your best stand-up!

What’s up for grabs?
🏆 WINNER: Perform LIVE on stage alongside the legendary Desiree Burch and Nish Kumar!
🎟️ RUNNER-UP: Two VIP tickets plus a backstage meet & greet with our VIP’s!

📧 Send your clip to: hello@antiracistcumbria.org
🕕 Deadline: 6pm, 26th August
📣 Shortlist announced: 2nd Sept | Winner revealed: 15th Sept
📍 You must be free to perform in Keswick on 17th October 2025

This is your moment — we can’t wait to discover the next big voice in comedy.
LET’S GO! 🙌🔥

Tabish Akbar fought off some really fierce competition and was chosen by the ARC panel to be our opening act!

He’s known for his sharp, punchy observational comedy and soon after starting stand-up, he won competitions including King Gong, Beat the Frog, Beat the Blackout and the Ding Dong Gong show. He now performs regularly at top clubs across the UK, and is fast establishing himself as one to watch.

We can’t wait to welcome him to the stage!

Have you ever thought about how anti-racism is linked to land, growing, nature and climate justice? If this is something you are passionate about, or a connection you’ve never considered before, our next Summit headliner is for you! 

We are so very excited to be welcoming Land In Our Names (LION) to the summit this year, where they’ll be hosting a main stage session exploring ‘Reparations and Land Justice in the UK’, as well as leading a restorative workshop – ‘Reconnecting to the Earth’ – for Black and Brown attendees later in the day. 

LION is a grassroots collective whose work aims to address the inequalities in access to land and food, and drive forward a new vision of working with the land with  climate and racial justice in mind.

LION are working towards this by…

• Collective ownership of land so Black and Brown people can connect to the soil, heal and organise.
• Redistributing resources to Black and Brown people, and creating spaces to heal from the intergenerational trauma created by a long history of being forcibly removed from land, and the extraction of both Black and Brown people as well as the land they lived on.
• Creating opportunities for Black and Brown people to connect with the land, with nature and with each other.
• Fostering a relationship with the land beyond extraction, and affirming the right to grow and live in relationship with the earth.

At ARC, we are surrounded by the beauty of nature, and many of the places we work across Cumbria have a rich history of agriculture and land stewardship. We are so excited to platform LION at this year’s event and better connect anti-racism with land, nature, and growing. This is a conversation which is deeply relevant to places like Cumbria and a perspective which is rarely considered.

This is definitely not one to miss!

The brilliant Kimberly McIntosh will be joining our literary tent line up for this years Summit.

Kimberly is a writer, researcher, and public speaker who focuses on race and inequality.
As a policy researcher, she’s worked on the impact of austerity on racialised women, curriculum reform and the Windrush Scandal.

She’s discussed her work on BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live, BBC News and Sky News and has written for a range of publications including the Guardian, the Washington Post, the Independent, the Metro, i news, GLAMOUR, Stylist and The Sunday Times Style.

Her first book, the essay collection Black Girl No Magic: Reflections on Race and Respectability was published by The Borough Press at Harper Collins UK in 2023 and is a MUST READ and a strong favourite at ARC.

To prepare for all the interesting discussions which will be happening in the literary tent, Black Girl No Magic will also be our next book for our Anti Racist Cumbria Book Club. Our next meeting is Monday 7th July. Sign up here if you’d like to join us!

You can meet Kimberly in our brand new literary tent, which will be opposite the theatre and is overlooking the stunning Derwentwater.
Here we’ll be hosting some amazing authors and facilitating thought provoking chats about their books and all things anti-racism. A really exciting new addition to the Summit Schedule!

Marsha Garratt is a long-time anti-racist educator and activist from North East England, and the author of the upcoming book, So now I’m mixed-race? Understanding Black mixed people, white supremacy, and Resistance — a historical, global analysis of racist systems created to control and manipulate people of African Caribbean and European heritage (Black mixed), and the ways they have resisted through the power of self-determination.

She began writing the book as a way of coping with grief following the unexpected passing of her brother in 2014, and through that process learned that even the deepest pain can be transformed into love. Marsha is now ready for the world to learn about Black mixed history from a Black mixed perspective — history that, once again, is rarely taught in schools.

Marsha will be in part of our incredible Literary Tent line up and you can catch her in conversation with Hannah Chandisingh.

We couldn’t be more thrilled to be welcoming the one and only Travis Alabanza to our Summit line up. Travis is an amazing writer, performer, and theatre maker from Bristol, and author of ‘None of the Above: Reflections on Life Beyond the Binary’ which was published in the UK and the US. It won the Jhalak Literary Prize, the Somerset Maugham Award, and was listed in TIME Magazine’s 100 books of 2023!

You might be familiar with their debut show Burgerz, published by Oberon Books, which won the Total Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, sold out at Southbank Centre and Traverse Theatre and toured internationally. Or, their play Overflow, which premiered at and streamed from The Bush, was met with critical acclaim including numerous four-star reviews and was shortlisted for the George Devine Award. Their latest theatre commission, Sound of the Underground, premiered as part of the Royal Court’s new season in 2023 to critical acclaim.

There is so much to say about Travis, and they’ve appeared on BBC Front Row, The Verb, ‘Going to The Gay Bar’ on BBC Radio Four, Forbes’ 30 under 30 2021, Dazed 100 list, and the Evening Standard’s future stars of stage and screen.

Travis will be appearing in our Literary tent and will interviewed by another VIP guest, the lovely Benjy Kusi. Read more about him below!

We can’t wait for you to meet Benjy Kusi!

Benjy is a British-Ghanaian inclusion and wellbeing consultant, based in London.

He helps organisations and individuals across the UK and the world create spaces where everyone can thrive and be their best selves. He’s also built a community of 230,000+ people on social media, where he produces helpful educational content on topics such as anti-racism, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and self-care.

Additionally, Benjy is the author of “Hope this Helps: How to be Kinder to Yourself and Others” a practical guide to the practice of self-care, empathy, and conscious inclusion that was published in February 2023.

His overall mission is to equip and empower people to make a positive difference – in their lives, and the lives of others,

You can catch Benjy in our literary tent and he will also be working with our young people to capture backstage content for our socials on the day!

Welcome to our line up…the brilliant Dr Darren Chetty!

He’s writer and a lecturer at UCL, and former primary school teacher. He contributed to the bestselling book, The Good Immigrant, edited by Nikesh Shukla. Darren has published six books to date, as co-author and co-editor. He co-authored with Karen Sands O’Connor, Beyond the Secret Garden? Racially Minoritised People in British Children’s Books (English Media Centre). His debut picture book, I’m Going to Make a Friend, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat, is published by Little Tiger. Darren is a recipient of the Award for Excellence in Interpreting Philosophy for / with Children.

Darren will be chairing our Arts & Culture panel, one of your choices for the workshop section of our day and it’s one not to be missed.

He’ll be joined by an incredible trio of talent…read on to find out more!

First up joining Darren in our Arts & Culture panel discussion is Anoushka Khandwala.

An artist and writer practicing in painting, printmaking and publishing, Anoushka is interested in questioning canons, norms and disciplinary boundaries. Her work explores memory, migration and the third spaces carved out by those on the margins. She currently teaches at Central Saint Martins in a role that challenges the canon of communication design, and is studying Painting at the Royal College of Art. Anoushka has written for Elephant, AIGA Eye on Design, and Creative Review, and spoken internationally about her practice. 

Anoushka is a friend of ARC – we’ve worked with her before as part of our anti-racist programme for Cumbria Museum Consortium, and we’re thrilled to be inviting her back, this time to the big stage!

Also in our Arts & Culture line up is the incomparable Sandra Shakespeare.

She is the founder of Museum X, an experimental museum and home to the Black British Museum Project (BBMP), which unites artists and communities to create new experiences celebrating Black cultural heritage. With over two decades of experience in the heritage and arts sectors, Sandra has held transformative roles at The National Archives and consulted for institutions such as the Courtauld Institute, National Trust, English Heritage, and the V&A. She is passionate about increasing access to Black cultural heritage and its global narratives.

Sandra co-founded Museum Detox, a network of over 700 professionals of colour working across museums and cultural institutions in the UK and internationally. She has also developed youth engagement programs for BskyB and London Olympic Host Boroughs, focusing on empowering young people facing homelessness.

A Clore Cultural Leadership and RSA Fellow, Sandra has worked internationally with the Asiko International Arts School in South Africa, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Ethiopia. Her work has been featured in British Vogue, BBC Front Row, and Global Citizen. She co-authored a chapter in Whose Heritage? Challenging Race and Identity in Stuart Hall’s Post-nation Britain (Routledge, 2023). Her leadership with Museum X earned the UK Museum Activist Award for challenging ethical frameworks in museum practices.

Phew! We could go on but we’re running out of word count. What a fantastic addition to this year’s Summit, we just can’t wait to hear Sandra’s expert viewpoints!

Last but by no means least for the Arts & Culture panel is owner of quite possibly the best job title in the UK, Zandra Yeaman

Zandra Yeaman is the award-winning Curator of Discomfort and Head of Strategy Development and Implementation at the University of Glasgow Hunterian, leading bold anti-oppressive work that confronts colonial legacies and systemic injustice. Their acclaimed Curating Discomfort intervention challenges institutions to reckon with uncomfortable truths, while their participatory approach centres communities as co-creators and knowledge holders.

With a strategic focus on equity, feminism, care and transformation, Zandra’s job purpose is to challenge oppressive systems to make museum practice and spaces that truly mean they are for everyone.

Bennie Kara is the Co-Founder of Diverse Educators, a former grassroots movement turned training company that is making waves in education. They commit to growing a collaborative community that celebrates the successes and amplifies the stories of diverse people, and strives to empower schools, colleges and trusts to commit to everyone being celebrated, in every classroom, in every school.

Bennie inspired the Diverse Educators inaugural conference, and after 20 years in schools as a teacher and leader she now works full time as a speaker, trainer and consultant on the curriculum. She is the author of ‘A Little Guide for Teachers: Diversity in Schools’ and the Co-Editor of ‘Diverse Educators: A Manifesto’.

Bennie will be leading a Summit workshop in the Studio at Theatre by the Lake alongside ARC trustee and headteacher, Kirsty Cooper. A must for all educators and parents / carers alike.

The themes for this year’s  Summit are “Black Joy” and “Allied Activism”.

One way we are threading Black Joy through the day is with a range of special performers and a talent showcase. All Black and Brown – our Special Guests are doing their ‘thing’ regardless of the boxes white supremacy tries to put them in by saying ‘that’s not for you’.

We can announce that one of our Special Guests will be the totally badass, Muslim Girls Fence!

Muslim Girls Fence is a result of a project collaboration between the fantastic charity Maslaha (we are BIG fans of their work so be sure to check them out) and British Fencing . The project is all about creating spaces at a grassroots level for Muslim women and girls to get involved in Fencing.

Why? Through their enjoyment of fencing – a traditionally elite, white, male-dominated sport – Muslim Girls Fence physically confront the expectations our society has of them: that Muslim women and girls are weak, subordinated and lacking agency.

You’ll get the chance to watch an exclusive creative performance from the girls, and there’ll also be opportunities to speak with them, see some of the kit…and if you’re really lucky you might even get to have a go yourself! En garde!

Simone Seales continues our line up of Black joy. Simone is a Glasgow-based cellist and performance artist whose work spans free improvisation, poetry, and devised theatre. Rooted in play, connection, and Black feminist thought, their practice explores sound as an embodiment of emotion while centering Blackness, sexuality, intersectional feminism, and anti-racism.

They have performed at venues and festivals including Fruitmarket Gallery’s Deep Time, Dundee Jazz Festival, Sadler’s Wells, and the Edinburgh Festivals, and collaborate regularly with composers Rylan Gleave and Sonia Killmann. In 2023, Simone released their debut album I believe in living, a responsive improvisation to Assata Shakur’s Affirmation.

A passionate educator, they teach trauma-informed practices at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and work with the Benedetti Foundation to expand access to music education.

April Koyejo-Audiger: Described by The Guardian as “a gloriously full-bodied soprano,” British-Nigerian soprano April Koyejo-Audiger trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Royal College of Music. A former Jette Parker Artist at the Royal Opera House, her roles there include Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Barena (Jenůfa), and Musetta (La Bohème), with performances praised for their vibrancy and depth.

Beyond the stage, she is an award-winning librettist and opera creator, co-creating Yum!, winner of the 2025 FEDORA Digital Prize. A trustee of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, April is committed to reimagining opera—expanding its stories, voices, and audiences.

At just 17, Birmingham-born Simeon Graham is already a multi- Guinness World Record holding juggler.

A first-generation circus performer, he taught himself to juggle at age 7 by watching YouTube videos – and by 14 had earned international recognition for pushing the boundaries of ball juggling. Simeon has since amazed audiences with his ability to juggle up to 11 balls, while dreaming of one day surpassing the all-time record of 14.

Alongside performing, he explores his passions for film, drumming, and music. Known for his hard work, positivity, and humor, Simeon is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of jugglers: never give up, never get angry, and always have fun.

Friend of ARC Rowan Carr will be joining us again, to help us all feel safe and resourced for the challenging topics that will make up our discussions on the day.

Rowan is an educator, lecturer, facilitator, mentor, and coach. He has designed, lead, and taught on Public Services courses at FE level in Birmingham and Cumbria. He also has a master’s degree in Race and Ethnic Studies. Rowan is qualified in Somatic and Embodied Regulations Strategies, Embodiment Coaching and Foundations in Trauma Education & Therapeutic Skills. 

In simpler terms; Rowan knows healing.

Rowan will be leading us all in a session in the Main House and he’ll also be on the boat trips to help those who would like to better connect to the peace and nature surrounding them on the lake; a much needed pause.

KEYNOTE: Lemn Sissay

We’re thrilled that our 2025 keynote speaker is poet, playwright, memoirist, performer and broadcaster: Lemn Sissay! Lemn has so much to say on not only anti-racism, but the themes of the day, Black Joy and Allied Activism, and much, much, more. As you take your seat, prepare to be swept up by Lemn’s powerful, beautiful, and philosophical yet simple way of talking about the world and his experience of walking through it. The perfect way to start the day, and it’s sure to spark that activist fire and inward reflection which will carry you through the Summit.

LAND IN OUR NAMES: Reparations and Land Justice in the UK 

A grassroots collective we have watched from afar for a while, Land In Our Names (LION) will be leading a session exploring some of the most radical intersections of social justice: anti-racism, reparations, climate and land justice. This is set to be an in-depth, radical workshop which will help you make the connections across social justice issues, and empower you to get involved in pushing for change across all the intersections.

ARTS & CULTURE: The Shapeshifting Face of Racism

This panel discussion brings together four experts in dismantling racism and legacies of colonialism in art, education, history and museums to deep-dive what anti-racism really looks like in practice. To Help us re-imagine the Arts & Culture sector, we’ll be hosted by Dr Darren Chetty, Sandra Shakespeare, Anoushka Khandwala, and Zandra Yeaman. Experts in their fields, you’ll leave with actionable ideas you can apply in your own sector or institution. If you’re seeing the hidden racism, but struggling to address it in a meaningful way or facing barriers when you try to do so, this is for you. Hear from those who have successfully pushed change forward!

RUNNYMEDE: Confronting Injustice: Racism, riots and the Environmental Emergency

This workshop connects some of the most pressing issues facing us right now,  racism, the rise of overt, violent, and fascist rioting across the UK AND the pressing environmental emergency. We will be in good hands as we broach these massive and sometimes overwhelming issues, as Shabna, CEO of Runnymede Trust will be our host. 

Travis Alabanza in Conversation with Benjy Kusi

Over in our beautiful Literary Tent overlooking the calming waters of Derwentwater, Travis Alabanza, author of ‘None of the Above: Reflection’ will be in conversation with Benjy Kusi, author of ‘Hope This Helps: How to be Kinder to Yourself and Others’.

This is going to be a nuanced, though-provoking conversation led by kindness and a deep sense of shared humanity. We love both Travis and Benjy’s books, which re-framed our thinking in so many ways. We always find ourselves re-sharing Benjy’s insightful online content too – we are proudly a small part of his cult following online! Two deeply thoughtful thinkers with an ability to think beyond the binary and the status quo, this conversation is guaranteed to get you thinking differently.

Marsha Garratt in Conversation with Hannah Chandisingh

Marsha Garratt, author of her (soon to be published!) book ‘So now I’m mixed-race? Understanding Black mixed people, white supremacy, and Resistance’, will be in conversation with our very own ARC volunteer, Hannah Chandisingh. Marsha’s book explores the unique experience of mixed heritage people across the globe, and the connected histories of the form of racism they faced, and how they resisted. This is a history which has been hidden as the existence of  mixed-heritage identities are often erased.

Attendees will not only get an early insight into this yet to be published book, but will benefit from a conversation centred on mixed-heritage experiences and histories. This is too rarely part of the anti-racist conversation.

Kimberly Mcintosh in Conversation with Nykia Herron-Ash 

Kimberly Mcintosh is author of ‘black girl, no magic: reflections on race and respectability’, a collection which brings together everything Kimerbly has learned through years of social policy work, campaigning and life! Her book explores it all, from dismantling the myth of social mobility, to cringe facebook posts, to how systemic injustice impacts us all, to toxic friendships and even Love Island! 

Kimberly will be discussing all this and more with our ARC’s very own Creative Marketing and Admin Co-ordinator Nykia. Nykia is many things – singer, reiki practitioner, cold-water dipper, shark geek, tennis player, empath, and someone who laughs easily and emotionally connects with the person she’s speaking to. We can’t wait to hear these two in conversation!

EDUCATION: Representation and Beyond – Harnessing Your Superpower!

Hosted by Bennie Kara, co-founder of Diverse Educators and our very own Kirsty Cooper, ARC trustee and headteacher at Grayrigg Primary, this workshop will explore all things education and anti-racism. You’ll leave feeling empowered. Ready to step into your anti-racist role as an educator who has the power to make every child in your classroom feel seen, heard, and safe. The conversation will be wide, exploratory, yet practical. How can anti-racism be embedded in school practice? What does an anti-racist school look like? Why should we treat racism as a safeguarding issue? How can we address racism in our school policies and procedures? How can we prevent racist incidents from happening and deal with them better when they do? And much, much more! 

ALLYSHIP: We Need to Talk About Karen

In a cosy and casual setting, three white women, Karen Lockney, Meg Guy and Jane Yates, will be hosting an open and honest conversation about the intersections between feminism and anti-racism. The aim of the session is to look inwards and consider the ways white women could be better anti-racists, and to support each other to step into our allied activism role fully. Many of us identifying as women already have an understanding of at least one form of oppression, misogyny. This session will be about how we can move from empathy to action, and we’ll explore what being an anti-racist, intersectional feminist looks like in practice. Whilst focusing on women and feminism, this session is open to all regardless of gender identity. However, we gently suggest that this session will be most relevant and beneficial to our white attendees and encourage our Black and Brown attendees to attend other workshops. 

Alongside their exhibition ‘local?’ Carlidoscope will be hosting a drop-in creative art space where you can express yourself and connect with your creative side!

There will be four activities to choose from: affirmation station, unapologetically me photoshoot corner, portrait area ‘our hair is our crown’, and zine making. During the afternoon break, Carlidoscope will also be hosting a clothed life drawing session with a focus on expressing black joy to its fullest!