New micro-commissions will celebrate Plymouth's diversity

New micro-commissions will celebrate Plymouth's diversity

1 October 2021

To mark Black History Month 2021 we are looking for four local creatives, who identify as people of colour, to produce a piece of work that tells the story of their experiences of Plymouth at night.

Do you work in the night-time economy, want to explore the meaning of Iftar or show us how you celebrate in your culture? Maybe shed light on a night time service in your place of worship. or how you enjoy a night out with friends. We would love to hear from you!

These special commissions will celebrate the diversity of Plymouth and explore aspects of culture that take place in the city at night. They're part of 'Plymouth After Dark' - a major community project led by The Box which has been exploring all aspects of life in the city when the lights go down, from clubbing in the small hours through to volunteering on the Soup Run, over the last four years.

Each successful commission will receive a grant of £500 to produce a digital piece of work that will be shared across The Box’s online platforms in early 2022. It maybe that you have a painting or poem that could be made digital, or you have an idea for a audio or video work to share. Maybe you are a photographer and could produce a digital story or a musician who would like to make a video.

The work can be presented in any format, as long as it can be submitted and exhibited or shared digitally. Professional and amateur artists, wordsmiths, photographers, film makers and musicians are all encouraged to apply. The Box is particularly keen to have representation from younger people, and two of the commissions will be reserved for the under 25s.

If you'd like to apply, please email us your idea in not more than 500 words, outlining how you'd liked to present your story and how it could be made digital. If you have a short CV we would like to see that and proof of your age. The deadline for applications is midnight on 30 November 2021.

Artwork suggested by the Black History Month micro commissions for Plymouth After Dark

The four successful commissions will be announced in late 2021 with the final submissions of work on 4 January. They will be presented via The Box's website and social media channels in early 2022.