Diverse Actions: SKIN in the GAME – Documentation and Responses
- Date
- Thursday 27 Feb 2020
SKIN IN THE GAME was a day-long interactive symposium, organised by Diverse Actions and taking place at Z-Arts in Hulme (Manchester) on 28 November 2019. The symposium was the first in a series of planned Diverse Actions legacy initiatives.
SKIN IN THE GAME brought together of a representative cohort of artists, journalists and researchers of colour from across the UK, offering a platform to thinking and discussion around ghettoisation, radical constitutions, anti-racist work, representation and leadership within both Live Art and wider culture. It was imagined as an open space for discursive honesty.
This is not a training day, it’s not a day for answers - it’s a day for listening.
Diverse Actions
Diverse Actions was a three year initiative, taking place between 2017 and 2019, championing diversity within the Live Art sector. The Diverse Actions programme has included: helping artists with professional development, supporting the creation of new work, building upon strong leadership and stimulating discourse to ensure a lasting legacy. Diverse Actions was managed by Afreena Islam, Amy Lawrence and Salome Wagaine, and led by Cambridge Junction on behalf of LAUK, and supported by an Arts Council England Ambition for Excellence grant.
Diverse Actions ActivityLegacy Initatives
The SKIN in the GAME symposium took place in Manchester, 28 November 2019. It was documented through photographs by Chan-Yang Kim, and vocal responses were collated by Chrystal Genesis and L’Oreal Blackett for Stance Podcast.
A publication, Vanishing Points edited by Ava Wong Davies and Ben Kulvichit is forthcoming, and will be launched at the ICA (London) on Wednesday 18 March 2020. Vanishing Points is a new anthology of cultural criticism, focusing on the making, watching and conditions of live art and performance in the UK today, featuring contributions from Season Butler, Jack Tan, Selina Thompson, Zarina Muhammad, Marjorie Morgan, Rajni Shah and Cecilia Wee.
RSVP to the Vanishing Points Launch
Developmental activities took place in 2018 – professional development for writers of colour at Cambridge Junction and Compass Festival of Live Art, with participants having access to work across the Compass programme.
SKIN IN THE GAME Programme
SKIN IN THE GAME consisted of discussion, workshops and performances. Afreena Islam and Harold Offeh hosted a morning of flash talks and provocations from speakers including Hetain Patel, Annie Jael Kwan and Hardeep Pandhal regarding the sharp questions around diverse programming. Jade Montserrat hosted an extended interview with Chanje Kunda around Kunda’s experiences navigating cultural and legal systems. Over the lunch break, attendees could watch a durational screening of a film by Hetain Patel, or enter into conversations regarding Live Art and diversity with Cecilia Wee, who is one member of the collective undertaking the Live Art Histories and Futures research project.
In the afternoon, Paula Akpan, CEO of Black Girl Fest, delivered the keynote address on leadership and attendees participated in workshops re-imagining Live Art of the future with Season Butler, or joining Jack Tan to consider possibilities around decolonising governance and queering constitutions: if we were to centre the anti-racist, feminist and queer ways of being what would a company’s or charity’s constitution look like?
Following a dinner break, a trio of Diverse Actions artists presented short performances: Alexandrina Hemesley, a dance artist and writer and one half of Project O, performed a new work, Embers; Season Butler performed an excerpt from her lecture performance, Happiness Forgets, about race, sex, nostalgia and familiarity; Nima Séne presented an excerpt of Beige B*tch, a visually challenging, multimedia theatre performance concerned with black culture, white responsibility and belonging.
More about SKIN IN THE GAME
The day was documented by Mancunian photographer Chan-Yang Kim and Nima Sene took over LADA’s instagram. Commentary on the day was collated by Chrystal Genesis from Stance Podcast with guest host L’Oreal Blackett. Stance is an arts and culture podcast, hosting interviews with a broad range of creatives. Practical aid to support the attendance and inclusion of attendees was made a priority in preparations for SKIN IN THE GAME and people of colour were centred at all levels of activity. SKIN IN THE GAME was a free event hosted in a fully accessible building, with a designated quiet room. Live BSL Interpretation was available and the theatre space had an audio induction loop. For those who needed aid in covering the expenses of attending there was a bursary scheme for childcare and travel costs.
Listen to the SKIN IN THE GAME Podcast Download Alexandrina Hemsley's response to the day
Image Credit: Happiness Forgets (2019), Season Butler, SKIN IN THE GAME, Chan-Yang Kim
Image Credit: Harold Offeh and Annie Jael Kwan (2019), SKIN IN THE GAME, Chan-Yang Kim
Image Credit: Participants in Season Butler's workshop (2019), SKIN IN THE GAME, Chan-Yang Kim
Banner image credit:
Image Credit: Happiness Forgets (2019), Season Butler, SKIN IN THE GAME, Chan-Yang KimLatest news
Announcing Cat Sheridan as LADA Co-Chair
3 November 2025
The Board of Trustees of the Live Art Development Agency (LADA) are delighted to announce the appointment of Cat Sheridan as Co-Chair, following an international recruitment process.
Read moreLive Art Bookshop: Does what it says on the tin
13 August 2025
We are changing the name of our retail publishing initiative to Live Art Bookshop.
Read moreJoin our Board of Trustees
5 August 2025
We are looking for new Co-Chairs and Trustees to join our Board.
Read moreStock Check Artists
27 June 2025
We are delighted to welcome the Stock Check group that will meet over four evening gatherings at LADA from July to October.
Read moreArtists in Residence Announcement
11 March 2025
LADA welcomes Samra Mayanja, Claudia Palazzo and Symoné as Artists in Residence between April and December 2025.
Read moreLeigh Bowery in The Study Room
26 February 2025
As Tate Modern celebrates the incredible career of Leigh Bowery, LADA has compiled a selection of materials from the Study Room which situate his work within Live Art practices and draw attention to the cultural and societal contexts in which he worked.
Read morePathways Home: Poppy Jackson Limited Edition Collection
3 December 2024
Following on from the year-long project Pathways Home, Poppy Jackson will be selling a collection of limited editions and original artworks exclusively through Unbound until May 2025.
Read moreLADA Summer Break
6 August 2024
LADA will be closed 8th-19th August inclusive, the Garrett Centre will not be open to the public and most operations will be paused. From 20th August on, you can book to visit the Study Room via our Eventbrite page.
Read more