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And The Winner Is…

Actively SeeK.I.N.G… CIC Wins at the 2024 East London Community Heroes Awards!

We are thrilled to announce that Actively SeeK.I.N.G… CIC has won the Outstanding Initiative in Arts & Culture category at the 6th Annual East London Community Heroes Awards 2024 for our impactful ‘Don’t Write Me Off’ (DWMO) Drama Programme!

In addition to this incredible win, we are proud to share that we also received a Highly Commended award for Outstanding Initiative in Peace & Conflict Resolution. This recognition highlights the continued dedication and passion our team brings to using the arts for social change, particularly in empowering young people and fostering important conversations about peace and community cohesion.

The DWMO Drama Programme, co-created with a group of primarily young black boys and a remarkable creative team, embodies our commitment to nurturing voices from marginalized communities through the arts. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to the development of this programme, especially our partners:

  • Arts Council England
  • Rights and Equalities in Newham (REIN)
  • Face Front Inclusive Theatre
  • East London Dance
  • Youth Empowerment – Stratford Youth Zone

We would also like to give a special shoutout to our phenomenal team:

  • Olaoluwa Akindipe – Music Composer
  • Michael Babaola – Videographer
  • Colin Burton – Youth Support
  • Natasha Cox – Director
  • Fern Crosbie – Producer
  • Amy Dalton-Hardy – Support Assistant
  • Abdullah Duhag – Social Media Trainee
  • Martin Edwards – Writer
  • Andy Egwuatu – Actor
  • Athena Knight – Associate Counselor
  • Matthew Moore – Actor
  • Alice Nicholas – Stage Designer
  • Nocturna Photography
  • Sara Reimers – Dramaturg
  • Dr. Ella Simpson – Guest Teacher
  • Baxter Willoughby – Actor
  • Jenny Wills – Actor

Lastly, a massive thank you to our brilliant young participants—our K.I.N.G.’s. Your energy and talent brought this project to life. We couldn’t have achieved this without you!

Elisha Anglin, Imanni Ikenga, Omari Bailey, Kayden Blake, Tree Grant-Barton, Paula Nambuya, Obi Nwachukwu, Nathaniel Phillips-Brill, Rasan Pollock, Tyreece Wickham Barrett, Tyler Wickham Barrett and Makai Xavier

Thank you to Rotary International for recognising our creative contributions to the community.

From East London to Ghana, the USA, and the Caribbean to Empower Black Youth Through the Arts

Natasha Cox, Founder CEO and Artistic Director of Actively SeeK.I.N.G., has been awarded a coveted Churchill Fellowship which will enable her to travel to Ghana, the USA, and the Caribbean to explore successful educational approaches and develop arts-based interventions for African and Caribbean boys in the UK.

Natasha Cox of East London is one of 134 new Churchill Fellows announced by the charity, the Churchill Fellowship. These exceptional individuals come from across the UK representing different backgrounds, experiences, professions, and passions, all united by a common aspiration to inspire change and build a better society based on global learning. Each will have the unique opportunity to explore new ideas and learn from experts and stakeholders around the world, bringing knowledge and innovations back into their chosen field in the UK.

Talking about her award, Natasha said: “I am thrilled to have been awarded a Churchill Fellowship. Being able to learn and work with leaders in Ghana, the USA, and the Caribbean and bring back new approaches to support the well-being and mental health of African and Caribbean boys through creative arts is a fantastic opportunity.”

Alongside Natasha, this year’s Fellows will address a wide range of topics including combatting racism in nursing, making towns and cities greener, using AI to support reading, and employing creative arts in dementia care. They will draw on experience and knowledge from innovators in countries across the globe from Ghana to Switzerland, Japan to Brazil.

A Churchill Fellowship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, open to all UK adult citizens, to lead the change they want to see. The charity funds applicants to spend between four to eight weeks meeting experts in their field anywhere in the world, in person and/or online, building international networks that promote reciprocal knowledge exchange. It then helps Fellows to make a difference in their community or professional sector in the UK, based on insights inspired by these exchanges.

Julia Weston, Chief Executive of the Churchill Fellowship says: “We are delighted to welcome our new cohort of Churchill Fellows for 2024 from across the UK and to see first-hand their extraordinary passion and dedication to their respective areas of work. Through the Churchill Fellowship we aim to inspire and empower these exceptional individuals to become catalysts for positive change. From the spark of an idea to make a difference in a local community to ambitious plans for influencing policy at a national level, we are looking forward to supporting these inspiring Fellows on their journey to make a long-lasting difference to UK society.”

2024’s Churchill Fellows join a community of over 4,000 changemakers who work on the frontline of today’s crucial issues, developing new solutions based on global research and personal expertise. From aged 18 into their 80s and from every corner of all four nations, Churchill Fellows have achieved amazing things, from becoming community leaders and charity founders to embedding new services and campaigning for action in fields from climate change to education, technology to the arts.

More info…

Celebrating Success: A Hat Trick of Achievements!

We’re bursting with excitement to share some incredible news with you all! In what feels like a whirlwind of support and enthusiasm, we’ve achieved something truly remarkable here at Actively SeeK.I.N.G.

Thanks to the unwavering support from 1. Arts Council England, the generous backing from 2. Aspers Good Causes Fund, and the overwhelming generosity of our community through our 3. GoFundMe campaign, we’ve hit a total of £34,004 in funding within just one month! This is a monumental accomplishment that will allow us to expand and fulfil our mission of assisting African and Caribbean boys in their mental health and wellbeing journeys, as well as rebuilding the K.I.N.G. (knowledge, identity, nurturing, and gifts) in them through the arts.

Here’s a snapshot of what we’ve accomplished…

Arts Council England Funds R&D

“Don’t Write Me Off” R&D supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our three-week research and development project. Collaborating with our boys and professional artists, we’ll be co-creating a powerful new play titled “Don’t Write Me Off.” This project provides an opportunity to amplify the voices of black boys, sparking dialogue and promoting healing through the arts.

Key dates:

Mon 8th – Fri 12th April: “Don’t Write Me Off” Easter Holiday Drama Programme. Open to ages 14-19. Book here

Mon 22nd – Thurs 25th: Schools and youth centre tour.

Fri 26th April: A live theatre performance of “Don’t Write Me Off” at 7pm at Stratford Youth Zone. All our guests and supporters are welcome. Book here.

Free Theatre Trip For Our Boys

West End Experience: Through the incredible generosity of our community on GoFundMe, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ll be taking our boys to watch “For Black Boys” in the West End. It is an award-winning production that addresses many of the themes our boys face, so it is only fitting that we take them to the West End for a culturally rich experience. The donations enabled us to purchase 30 tickets and hire a coach.

Key dates:

Thurs 11th April. Book here

Aspers Good Causes Funds Music Programme

Don’t Write Me Off” Music Programme: Thanks to the generous support from Aspers Good Causes Fund, we’re gearing up to launch the “Don’t Write Me Off” Music Programme in May. This initiative will give our boys a platform to explore and express themselves using the transformative power of music. This programme was created to broaden our reach to boys who want to express themselves through music while also complementing the “Don’t Write Me Off” play.

Key dates:

Mon 27th – Fri 31st May.

More info to follow.

Fundraising Event

Join us on Sat 4th May at Genesis Cinema in east London for our fundraiser celebrating the 40th Anniversaries of Breakin’ 1 & 2 street dance movies!

Experience mind-blowing dance moves, live performances, a dance workshop, and more, all while supporting Actively SeeK.I.N.G.’s fundraising efforts. Don’t miss this double bill extravaganza featuring iconic 80s beats and discussions on mental health within the dance community.

Key dates:

Sat 4th May, 3.30pm-8.30pm Book Here

Thank You Supporters

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone who has supported us on this journey. From our partners at Face Front Inclusive Theatre, REIN, Stratford Youth Zone, and Culture Within Newham, to our incredible community and our funders, Aspers Good Causes Fund and the Arts Council England, —thank you for believing in our vision and helping us make it a reality.

Stay Tuned

If you’re as passionate about our cause as we are, we invite you to join us on this journey. Whether you want to learn more, get involved, or simply show your support, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch or follow us on our socials to stay updated on our progress and upcoming initiatives.