Mathilda Della Torre on Calais, the importance of narrative, and social responsibility
Creator of @conversationsfromcalais Mathilda Della Torre is a wonder. After volunteering with refugees in Calais, she brought their voices home, inscribed on pieces of paper that she pasted around London. She has amassed a bank of these snippets of conversations, sent to her from volunteers on the ground. Conversations From Calais is a living archive of voices brought into the spaces they cannot reach, bypassing the warped narrative of the mainstream media and confronting us as we walk through London’s streets, or in our hometowns.
Millie Turner turning on growth in lockdown, looking within, and transitioning into “normality”
Millie Turner is a London-based singer & songwriter turning heads with her ethereal indie electronica tunes. Having released her new album Eye of the Storm and finally performing at gigs post-lockdown, we talked about the buildup to the album release, the challenge of being stagnant during lockdown, the separation between an artist and the art that is consumed, space for spirituality, and so much more. Her album is available on all streaming platforms (our personal favourite is Search Party) so check it out.
Ramy & Gigo on music as a craft, a zeitgeist, and a privilege
In this episode, we sit down with Sublunary's Ramy Abul-ata (bassist) and Gigo Gaffar (lead singer). With members hailing from Egypt, Portugal, Syria, UK, Sublunary is an international band currently based in Cairo, creating melodies that transcend borders. We covered many things from the past and future of the band, Aristotelian philosophy, the importance of representative role models in the arts industry, the changing landscape of what it is to be an artist in the wake of social media, and navigating the privilege of music-making. Be sure to check out their self-titled EP out on all platforms!
Romaisa on the power of images
We chatted to Romaisa, the founder of the IG page @middleastarchive. A mosaic of the beauty and the Middle East and North African region, this page is a collection of archival photographs that capture the richness, the complexity, the joy of the region. Each picture not only captures a moment in time, but highlights the diverse identities, traditions, cultures present in a region that is often viewed as monolith. Romaisa talked to us about her longstanding love of photography, the power of imagery, and finding pockets of social media that help you grow.
Episode 5: Comma Press - Becca & Zoe on transcending language, Northern pride, and the power of the short story
We had so much fun chatting to Becca Parkinson and Zoe Turner! Focusing on Europe and the Middle East, Comma Press has brought to us stories such as The Book of Gaza, Iraq +100, The Book of Barcelona and so much more.
Focusing on the short story as a way to ‘democratise literature’, they also act as a writer development agency. In 2016, they founded the Northern Fiction Alliance in 2016 alongside three other leading independents, Peepal Tree Press, Dead Ink Books and And Other Stories, a radical publishing collective with the purpose of highlighting the unique character and spirit of publishers in the North of England.
Abbi & Izzy on Skating, Inclusivity, and Raising One Another Up
In this episode, we sat down with Abbi & Izzy, the founders of the Girlford Collective. We touched upon so many things from skatepark etiquette, the formative nature of a skatepark community, the importance of good role models, becoming more in tune with your body, giving your body the right fuel, the magic of mushrooms, and so much more. Find them on IG @thegirlfordcollective or check our their website thegirlfordcollective.com
Episode 3: Heart of OnBeat - Representation, Creativity, and Making a Home in the North
Join us as we delve into the heart of OnBeat Collective, joined by Ayesha Chaudry, Tanya Arackal, Alisha Shah and Maya Bury. OnBeat currently run an annual print, host a radio show, and ongoing events. It was such an honour to sit down with them as they tell all about the founding process, providing a space in Leeds for women and non-binary POC & ethnic minorities, the nourishment and healing one can find in such a space, the interplay between creative expression and community-building, grounding yourself locally, the very real effects of burnout, the importance of authenticity and enjoyment of the process in materialising your dream. They also shared with us their vision for the future of OnBeat and seeds of wisdom from one collective to another. Find them on Instagram @onbeatzine
Episode 2: Jack Simpson on Hyde Park Book Club & Community
Two weeks ago we sat down with Jack Simpson, the co-founder of Leeds’ favourite Hyde Park Book Club to talk about the importance of community, our very human need to congregate and create, our changing conceptualisations of "providing space", and the ever-evolving nature of our one & only HPBC. Jack also introduced us to some of their ongoing projects, including Open Space Labs and the Digital Access West Yorkshire, which has been providing families with refurbished laptops to redress inequalities and digital divides.
Open Space Labs: https://www.openspacelabs.co.uk/
To donate devices please head on over to the Digital Access West Yorkshire website: https://accesswy.org/
Episode 1: Amy Cooper on the Joy of Movement
In our first episode we are joined by Amy Cooper, co-founder of the OurBody Collective. We discuss the joy of movement, the distinction between dance & movement, and the importance of allowing your body to just be. Be sure to check out Amy's collective on Instagram @ourbodycollective