Farhana Shaikh is a writer and publisher born in Leicester. She is the editor of The Asian Writer and also manages the small independent press, Dahlia Publishing. In 2017, she won the inaugural Travelex / Penguin Next Great Travel Writer Competition and a year later, was long-listed for the 2018 Spread the Word Life Writing Prize. She can be found on Twitter talking about books and publishing @farhanashaikh.
The partner Renaissance One
Renaissance One is an independent arts company based in the UK that produces, curates and galvanises literature. We promote high-quality literature of all kinds. We highlight global voices in contemporary Britain, and the diverse arts and cultures that its writers, artists and communities produce. Our name is inspired by the Harlem Renaissance and the importance of rebirth and renewal. Since 1999, we have worked with leading and emerging voices including Bernardine Evaristo, Paul Beatty, Ali Smith, Gary Younge, Kerry Young, Caryl Philips, Shivanee Ramlochan, Kei Miller and the late Amiri Baraka. Through productions, creative business models, mentoring and artistic success as an organisation led by people of colour, we push for greater diversity in the arts, and shape education programmes to inspire communities.
About moderator Melanie Abrahams
Melanie Abrahams Hon FRSL FRSA is a producer, arts curator, visiting lecturer, and mentor who has channeled a love of words and books into initiatives. Melanie has over 18 years’ experience in producing and curating, and her practice steers a focus on narratives of race, class, mixed-race identities and intersectionality. Of Trinidadian and Jamaican heritage, she has instigated and curated many events, exhibitions and festivals on the Caribbean including Caribbeanfest at the British Library and a Cultural Village festival with Dominique Le Gendre for the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission as part of the Olympics’ cultural programme. Melanie has collaborated with organizations including V&A (Jamdown Meets Liming), Chris Ofili and Victoria Miro Gallery (Freedom One Day), Paradiso Amsterdam (Urban Love), Museum of Modern Art Finland (Modern Love), Black Cultural Archives and Nottingham Contemporary and The Centre for Research in Race and Rights (C3R), (Unspeakable Things Unspoken) www.melanieabrahams.co.uk
Music: Luminance by Ghostrifter Official
https://soundcloud.com/ghostrifter-official
Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0
Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/_luminance
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/EUp6JHXTcxk
