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Overview

renaissance one is an independent arts company that curates, produces and programs literature. The organisation promotes literature of all kinds, in the genres of poetry, prose, spoken word, and satire. Since its inception in 2001, the remit of renaissance one has been to highlight global voices in contemporary Britain by working both emerging and established writers. renaissance one provides a platform for new voices in literature by helping writers raise their profiles by proving opportunities for them to showcase their pieces. Writers associated with renaissance one include, Anthony Joseph, Jacob Sam-La Rose, Biyi Bandeye, Courttia Newland and Rajeev Balasubramanyam.

Through its work with diverse writers, renaissance one have developed a reputation for nurturing alternative and arresting voices, and works with established writers seeking to reach diverse audiences, such as Gary Younge and Caryll Phillips. renaissance one has coordinated programming for events at prominent cultural institutions in Britain, such as the Southbank Centre, British Library, the Cheltenham Literature Festival and the Hay Festival. As well as producing their own events, renaissance one liaise with venues in order to book writers for staged literature productions.

History

renaissance one was established by Melanie Abrahams in 2001. In the late 1990s Melanie Abrahams, now the creative director of renaissance one and Tilt, began representing the writer Kwame Dawes as a literary agent, and gradually acquired a large clientele of writers seeking representation. Writers Melanie has worked with in the past include, Bernardine Evaristo, Malika Booker, Jacob Sam-La Rose, Lawrence Scott, Rajeev Balasubramanyam. Through a mixture of galvanising writers, promotion and inventive income strategies, writers are able to generating enough income to sustain their work.

Melanie Abrahams has had a love of words, language and writing since childhood, during which reading became a refuge for her. Melanie is of dual Jamaican and Trinidadian heritage and her infatuation with the Caribbean began following a trip to Trinidad when she was eighteen. Drawing on her love for the arts, organisational skills and experience gathered whilst working at the Africa Centre from 1996, she ventured into an entrepreneurial career as an independent broker.

The name of the organisation is inspired by the Harlem Renaissance, particularly the wealth of literature and the entrepreneurial spirit of the writers of the era. The company name is also influenced by the European renaissance in the fourteenth century and its connotations of re-birth and renewal. Moreover, the Caribbean with its cacophony of voices and fusion of cultures, symbolises the cosmopolitan ethos of renaissance one, and its projects which champion the plurality of voice.

Productions

The first tour that renaissance one produced was in the late 1990s for a group of black women writers’ featured in the anthology Bittersweet: Contemporary Black Women’s Poetry, published in 1998 by Women’s Press. The tour which ran from 1999 to 2000 premiered at the Voice Box at Royal Festival Hall in London, now known as the Poetry Library, and showcased a roster of Black and Asian writers, such as Vanessa Richards and Khefri Riley, as known as KA’frique.

Since curating the theatre show, Modern Love, for the Southbank Centre in December 2001, which consisted of a poetry showcase and four-piece, in-house band, renaissance one have used literature to highlight the multiculturalism of Britain, and the diverse literature that its Afro-Caribbean communities produce.

Modern Love premiered at Queen Elizabeth Hall, a 1,000 capacity venue, in Southbank, London. The semi-staged show, directed by James Yard, was hosted by two MCs and featured eight poets who explored the theme of love in contemporary Britain. Modern Love was successful, and was subsequently nominated for Best Play at the Ethnic Multicultural Media Awards, and was hailed as Show of the Week by The Voice Newspaper. Renaissance one subsequently toured Urban Love, a live poetry spin-off show, across Europe. Between 2002 and 2003 Urban Love was performed in Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Finland, Switzerland and Holland.

A range of institutions have collaborated with renaissance one. In 2004 renaissance one in partnership with the British Library and Decibel produced the staged a photograph A Great Day . Fifty celebrated writers of African, Caribbean and Asian heritage gathered on the steps of the British Library to participate in a photograph. The event made a comment on the concept of Britishness and diversity in literature and attracted press reports from national press.

In 2004 renaissance one produced the Kin Commemorative Tour. Over the course of five months, thirty-three writers toured across forty-five venues in England. An anthology of the writers’ works was later published by renaissance one.

In August 2012 renaissance one co-organised the two-week literature festival London is the Place for Me at the Tricycle Theatre in celebration of 50 years of Independence for Trinidad and Tobago. The festival, commissioned by Trinidad and Tobago High Commission, featured over fifty artists of Caribbean origin. Festival highlights included an Earl Lovelace writer residency, readings by Lawrence Scott, Anthony Joseph and Mustapha Matura, as well as a collection of classical concerts co-produced by the composer Dominque Le Gendre.

In autumn 2012 renaissance one in partnership with the British Library and the Eccles Centre curated three literature events. Black Beats featured the celebrate poet, playwright and activist Amiri Baraka in conversation with Corinne Fowler, a lecturer in Postcolonial Literature at the University of Leicester, which formed part of his England tour. The talk explores his life, his works and themes of race and identity.

renaissance one also co-ordinates fundraising events. In September 2013, renaissance one organised a fundraising event, in celebration of the acclaimed late poet and musician James Berry which was held at The Tabernacle in London. A Story I Am In: A Benefit Performance included contributions from nineteen performers and writers including John Agard, Hannah Lowe and Linton Kwesi Johnson.

Writers and Tours

renaissance one works with influential writers, who are leading voices in contemporary transcultural writing. In 2014, the arts producers were responsible for the tour Telling Tales, the Chaucer inspired poetry collection authored by Patience Agbabi and published by Canongate Books in the same year, which consisted of over twenty venues across the UK. In 2014 renaissance one also organised literary tours for the poets John Agard and Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze. Its close relationship with these writers convey its preeminent position as a fosterer of multicultural literature.

Between 2009 and 2010 renaissance one worked with the poet and performer Adisa to produce the one man tour, ‘1968: The Year That Never Ended’. The performance piece draws on the political voices of 1968 to explore artistic liberty, identity and community. The poetry show was performed in various festivals and venues across the UK including, Off the Shelf Festival in Sheffield, The Drum in Birmingham and the Barbican Centre in London.

renaissance one also organise book launches and tours for a number of writers which in the past have included Bernadine Evaristo, Jacob Sam-La Rose and Chrisian Campbell. In October 2010 renaissance one worked with Caryll Philips to manage a four-date tour for his novel In the Falling Snow. In September 2011 renaissance one produced a staged tour for the writer Lydia Towsey and her collection The Venus Papers at the Arts Council England Decibel Showcase.

Projects

renaissance one alongside Apples and Snakes is a co-founder of the Creative Salon. The project began in October 2011, and has been a hub for budding arts professionals to receive advice and mentoring from experienced industry experts. Previous salons in 2013 included the guest speakers Lemn Sissay, Bobba Cass and Aly Stoneman.

In November 2014 renaissance one in partnership with Arts Council England and the writer Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze, organised The Final Stage, a project whereby twelve mid-career writers from the East Midlands were mentored collectively for twelve months. Writers included, Michale Brome aka Sureshot, Panja Banjoko and Joe Coghlan and the result of their work was staged at Embrace Arts, Leicester.

renaissance one performs education and outreach work, and has worked with schools and prisons to inspire communities. Many of its supporters are based in London and the East Midlands, however its strong social media presence, and upbeat and inclusive ethos means that it has attracted diverse audiences from across the world.

External links

• Official Website