Powerhouse Portraits Exhibition Launch

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Powerhouse Portraits Exhibition: Preview and Magazine Launch

A vivid reflection of people and locality through photography and text
Saturday 29 July 2-4pm

+ IAN JOHNS: retrospective showcase from 40 years photographing Moss Side

a Segment Arts project in partnership with Powerhouse and Crossing Footprints

Incl. poetry by Nasima Bee (Young Identity) and special guest local peace activist Professor Erinma Bell MBE DL JP.

Additional speakers from the Moss Side community: writer Deanne Heron, artist Ian Johns and photographer Dorothy Ennis Hand. At Powerhouse, 140 Raby St, Moss Side, Manchester M14 4SL with refreshments, snacks, speakers and musical ambience.

The Powerhouse Portraits Exhibition continues to 31st October

Photo taken during a workshop for the Powerhouse Portraits Exhibition
Photo taken during a workshop for the Powerhouse Portraits Exhibition

Local people have come together at Powerhouse to portray some of the people and places around Moss Side and nearby that are familiar to them. Three sets of workshops with different ages from 8 to 80 years ran for a period of just six weeks, all groups developing skills in photography using disposable cameras and in creative writing. The participants also developed skills in layout and design, the magazine will reflect the approaches the groups took during the project. Beginning on 22nd May the workshops took place at Powerhouse Community Centre and Library, everyone’s work will be represented in the exhibition and publication.

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POWERHOUSE PORTRAITS PROJECT

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Workshops in photography, writing and magazine making to create a community portrait of Moss Side – that’s Powerhouse Portraits!

Powerhouse Portraits - flyer front

Crossing Footprints are proud to be partners in developing and producing Powerhouse Portraits. Anyone local can join the Powerhouse Portraits Project and be part of a group creating a community portrait of and around Moss Side, have your work featured in a vibrant magazine and exhibition, also create your own photo album to take home. A set of 6 free workshops for young people aged from 13 years up to 18 years or so, living around or near the Moss Side area. Beginning on 23rd May the workshops take place every Tuesday 5pm-7pm at Powerhouse Community Centre and Library, 140 Raby Street, Moss Side M14 4SL.

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Migration Stories interactive digital map – online launch

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A groundbreaking new website documenting migration
in and out of the North West of England is to be
officially launched online on 5 December.

Image representing four Manchester stories which will be on the Migration Stories interactive digital map

Join the #MigrationStories NW project teams for the online launch of the Migration Stories interactive digital map, documenting stories of individuals who have migrated in and out of our region from the Roman period to the 20th century. Hear from those involved in the project about what they discovered during their research and be among the first to get a glimpse of the map on the project website.

Monday 5th December 6.30-8pm.

Booking required at:
https://Migration-Stories-Digital-Map-Launch.eventbrite.co.uk

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Finalist for the Manchester Culture Awards

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Kooj Chuhan & Crossing Footprints: culture arts and climate justice work in Manchester 2022

A quick snapshot of work by Kooj Chuhan and Crossing Footprints showing brief excerpts of five creative projects dealing with climate justice. These were highlighted in Kooj’s nomination by Community Arts North West for the #ManchesterCultureAwards 2022 (sustainability category). Featuring collaborations with Manchester Art Gallery , Amani Creatives , Emmanuela Yogolelo, Manchester Histories and Ayna Arts.

Now Kooj is a finalist for the Manchester Culture Awards. Results are to be announced at the awards ceremony 24th Nov 2022.

Bangladesh Independence with Climate Connections

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Oldham Libraries and Crossing Footprints present an event which celebrates the final victory day for Bangladesh Independence along with a Climate Connections Women’s Group cultural presentation.

Bangladesh Independence Victory Day Celebration

বাংলাদেশের ৫১তম বিজয় দিবস উদযাপন

Artists for Bangladesh Independence with Climate Connections

featuring a programme by Ayna Arts and Climate Connections Women’s Group

জলবায়ু সংযোগ মহিলা গ্রুপ

at Northmoor Library, Wednesday 7th December 2022 4.30-6.30pm

With music and songs by Nuruzzaman Ahmed, Mitra Kabir and Luthfur Rahman

Discussion, poetry and drama by Ayna Arts

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Climate Connections Women’s Group in Oldham

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Translation of title in Bengali - Climate Connections Women's Group at Northmoor Library

Climate Connections Women’s Group
at Northmoor Library

Every Monday 10am-12noon from 7th November 2022

Social media flyer for the activities - Climate Connections Women's Group at Northmoor Library

Education, Arts and Action against Climate Change

with Jesmin Chowdhury from Ayna Arts

  • Meet  other women
  • Learn about climate change
  • Use your skills
  • Improve your English
  • Make something creative and artistic
Some things we hope to support:
  • improve buses and transport
  • reduce air pollution
  • have less litter on our streets
  • help for Bangladesh
  • influence local officials

FREE – refreshments will be provided
Northmoor Library, Chadderton Way, Oldham OL9 6DH

Climate Connections Women’s Group at Northmoor Library is organised by Crossing Footprints in partnership with Hope For The Future, Ayna Arts and Oldham Libraries

Training to Fight Climate Change

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FREE TRAINING TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE
CAN THE FUTURE FOR BANGLADESH, THE UK AND THE WORLD BE BETTER?

at Northmoor Library, Chadderton Way, Oldham OL9 6DH.

Monday 3rd October, 12-2pm:
THE PROBLEM WE FACE
by Kooj Chuhan
• Understanding Climate Change
• How does it affect Bangladesh and the UK?
• What we can do about it?

Monday 10th October, 12-2pm:
LOCAL ACTION
by Arran Rangi
• Can we push our Council to do more to fight Climate Change?
• What are they doing already?
• What more should they do?

All welcome, lunch provided!
If you know people who live in the area please pass on this training to fight climate change or tell them about it.
Organised by Oldham Libraries in partnership with Crossing Footprints and Hope For The Future,with support from the Community Fund (National Lottery).

Climate Connections Community Festival at Northmoor Library

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It’s finally here, the Climate Connections Community Festival is happening outdoors at the back of Northmoor Library, Oldham on Saturday 24th Sept 2022, 12 noon – 3pm. Also coming up, free training to better understand and fight climate change on 3rd and 10th October.

Climate Connections Community Festival at Northmoor Library - banner image

So much is and has been happening due to climate change in Bangladesh over the years but so few know about it. There’s so much to say that needs to be out there and much louder than it is. Crossing Footprints are pleased to have co-developed and be supporting this Saturday’s Festival at Northmoor Library Oldham a great event with songs, stories and craftivism connecting with the Climate Emergency and a strong Bangladeshi viewpoint from some amazing artists. If you’re anywhere nearby come on down, and pass the word on.

Climate Connections Community Festival at Northmoor Library - Kayes and Ahad singing

What’s on at the Climate Connections Community Festival?

The event features Ahad Ullah Shah and Kayes Muktadir singing Bangla songs about climate change co-written with Murad Chowdhury who will also give some musical support. Then there is Apu Chowdhury from Ayna Arts who will deliver some storytelling and drama, and will also be the MC for the day. Also we have the amazing visual and craft climate activist Rabia Begum running a craftivism workshop. The local street will be closed off to be a play street so families and kids can bring their outdoor toys to play with.

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Climate Justice at Manchester Histories Festival!

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Crossing Footprints has developed a set of events focusing on Climate Justice at Manchester Histories Festival 8-12 June 2022. This year’s theme for the Festival is the history of climate change, for which Manchester has played a pivotal role as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

Climate Change is a Race and Migration Is for Climate Justice at Manchester Histories Festival 2022
photo credit: Joe Brusky

We’ve organised four events in solidarity with low income and racially marginalised communities, including a panel discussion ‘Climate Change is a Race and Migration Issue‘ followed by a powerful Bangladeshi theatre piece ‘GHOORNI‘ by Ayna Arts, both at Manchester Central Library on Friday 10th June from 6pm. Then on Saturday 11th June at 6.15pm the singer-songwriter Emmanuela Yogolelo from DR Congo will perform a music set focused on Climate Justice at Angel Meadow. Finally, throughout the Festival the ‘Climate Connections‘ set of short video films made mostly by low income and diverse communities in Oldham responding to climate change will be exhibited on a screen at Oldham Art Gallery, with an informal talk by project director Kooj Chuhan at 1pm, Saturday 11th June.

Video still from video by Emmanuela Yogolelo for Climate Justice at Manchester Histories Festival

More details about our events for Climate Justice at Manchester Histories Festival below:

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Migration Stories refocuses North West history

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An Invitation to Get Involved!

Would you like to research the story of someone who migrated any time from ancient history to WWII in North West England? The Migration Stories project will provide training, good support and expenses, it’ll get started in early May 2022 and grow gently over a few months.

Image header for the Greater Manchester section of Migration Stories North West

The project’s called Migration Stories North West https://migrationstoriesnw.uk , it’s headed by Global Link https://globallink.org.uk/ based in Lancaster, and is a partnership with four other organisations across the North West out of which Crossing Footprints is the one covering the wider Manchester region.

This is a 3 year project unearthing histories of migration in the North West from ancient times to the present day, which will re-frame migration as something that has been fundamental to the UK for a very long time. In this first year Crossing Footprints will be recruiting 8-15 voluntary community researchers to each explore local archives to find individual stories, at least one per volunteer, possibly more if time allows and there’s enough material. Manchester-based author Mickela Sonola will initially be working alongside our director Kooj Chuhan to run this project, and we are honoured to have local historian Washington Alcott as a community research associate for Migration Stories North West.

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