A spotlight on businesses and organisations founded by Black creatives
Thank you to Black artists sharing on Twitter, Project Zanana’s follow page, and individuals in the Scottish BAME Writers Network group for helping source this information.
The organisations on this list are founded by creatives who are Black/within the African diaspora, including those who are mixed-race.
This is by no means a comprehensive list. But, if you are a Black-owned Scottish creative organisation and would like to be added, please get in touch ScotBAMEWriters@gmail.com.
Scottish Businesses & Organisations
Be United
“We believe sharing and expressing creative talent leads to increased self-belief and confidence and inspires understanding of other cultures. We use creativity to challenge social norms that divide and limit societies. Our core values are: inclusion, connection, understanding and learning.” Be United is directed by Areeva Goliath.
Website | Facebook
CoastWord
Hannah Lavery is the founder of the vibrant Dunbar-based writer’s festival, CoastWord. At CoastWord “We work very hard to create a friendly festival to inspire and support our community and our many visitors in their enjoyment of stories, poetry and song.” A weekend of workshops, live readings, community events, and more.
Website | Twitter
Edinburgh Caribbean Association
Founded by Lisa Williams, “The Edinburgh Caribbean Association organises events to promote Caribbean culture in Scotland and explore the shared heritage between the two places.”
Twitter | Eventbrite
Fringe of Colour
Founded by Jess Brough, FoC began as a database spotlighting shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by performers of colour. “Since then, it has grown into an important conversation around the lack of representation of Black and Brown voices at arts festivals, and the majority white and middle-class environment that manifests in both the audiences and on stages.” Fringe of Colour Films, an exciting showcase of Black and Brown performances, launches this August.
Website | Twitter | Donate
Infohubme
“Infohubme is an online platform delivering empowering children’s e-books, digital activities and paperback books created by children.” Founded by Joan Hephi, Infohubme’s goal is to “inspire creativity and educate children about their cultural heritage.”
Facebook
Project X
“Project X is a multi-disciplinary, collectively run organisation based in Scotland, championing and platforming dance of the African and Caribbean Diaspora. Co-directed by Ashanti Harris, Rhea Lewis and Mele Broomes, Project X collaborates with artists and organisations, to deliver bespoke workshops, facilitate conversations, produce and curate performances and events in Scotland and beyond.”
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Seeds of Thought
Co-founded by Tawona Sitholé, Ernest Sitholé, and Tarneem al Mousawi-Sitholé, Seeds of Thought started in 2005 “to bring people together through poetry, art and music.” They have moved around different venues in Glasgow, but have settled at the CCA (Centre for Contemporary Arts) Glasgow since 2006. “We hold mostly all of our events at the CCA, a beautiful space where all are welcome.”
Website
Superpower Agency
“Super Power Agency works to improve the lives and literacy skills of some of Edinburgh’s most disadvantaged and under-resourced young people.” They provide “a range of creative writing workshops, interdisciplinary programming and mentoring” for 8 to 18 year olds. Gerald Richards is the CEO of the Super Power Agency.
Website | Twitter | Donate
The Content Witches
Nailah King, the founder of The Content Witches, is an Edinburgh-based content writer who provides resources for inclusive writing, such as this guide on inclusive language. The Content Witches have worked recently with organisations founded by Black artists and artists of colour.
Website | Instagram
We Are Here Scotland
“We Are Here Scotland Is a project in development that aims to highlight black and ethnic minority creatives in Scotland in the form of an audio documentary series.” Founded by Ica Headlam, We Are Here Scotland has been on Instagram Live regularly this month, providing a safe space for discussions around anti-Blackness and racism.
Instagram
Yon Afro
“Yon Afro Collective is a collective of black women based in Scotland focused on centring their experience of blackness through collective activism and collaboration with the purpose to create a sense of belonging.” Yon Afro is co-founded by Layla-Roxanne Hill and Francesca Sobande.
Website | Twitter
Some Organisations Across the UK
Black British Bloggers
“Founded by Mariam Bashorun, Black British Bloggers is a network for Black British online content creators. It was founded with a simple aim – to get online content creators networking with their peers and foster brand collaborations.” Black British Bloggers focuses on the Black British experience, and aims to elevate Black voices in the UK.
Website | Twitter
Black Cultural Archives
Black Cultural Archives is the only national heritage centre dedicated to collecting, preserving and celebrating the histories of African and Caribbean people in Britain. BCA uses their mission “to collect, preserve and celebrate the histories of people of African and Caribbean descent in the UK and to inspire and give strength to individuals, communities and society.”
Website | Twitter | Donate
Black Girl Fest
Founded by Nicole Crentsil and Paula Akpan, Black Girl Fest is “dedicated to amplifying the voices and experiences of Black British women and girls through community-based events.” One of their initiatives is Black Girl Fest Academy, which “aims to inspire and enable Black women aged 17-25, equipping them with the tools they need to create events for their communities.”
Website | Twitter
Brunel International African Poetry Prize
A major annual poetry prize aimed at celebrating and promoting poetry from Africa, founded by Booker-prize winner Bernardine Evaristo in 2012. Previous winners have included: Warsan Shire, Liyou Libsekal, Safia Elhillo, Nick Makoha, Gbenga Adesina, Chekwube Danladi, Romeo Oriogun, Hiwot Adilow, Theresa Lola, Momtaza Mehri, Nadra Mabrouk, Jamila Osman.
Website | Twitter
flipped eye publishing
“Founded in 2001 by Nii Ayikwei Parkes, an editor and award-winning writer, flipped eye publishing has won global critical acclaim.” flipped eye publishing is an innovative press that believes in pushing boundaries and experimentation. In 2020, they were awarded Arts Council funding through the ELEVATE program.
Website | Twitter
Jacaranda Books
“Our ethos is simple – we are committed to publishing ground-breaking writing with a dedication to creating space on the bookshelf for diverse ideas and writers.”
Founded by Valerie Brandes, Jacaranda Books is an independent publisher that launched an initiative to publish 20 black British writers in 2020.
Website | Twitter
Middleground Magazine
Founded by Pauline Jérémie, “Middleground is an online magazine focused on publishing the stories and experiences of mixed race writers and artists. It was born from a desire to achieve better understanding of mixed identities and offer a community to those who identify as part of this group.”
Website | Twitter | Donate
Project Sawti
“Sawti, derived from the Arabic and Kiswahili for ‘my voice’, intends to connect East African artists to their counterparts in the diaspora through conversation and collaboration. The project aims to create art that positions itself within the long-standing traditions of language and locale within East Africa” Founded and programmed by Sumia Jaama, Sawti also publishes an annual zine and hosts the Sawti Poetry Prize in English, Kiswahili, and Arabic.
Website | Twitter | Playlist
The British Blacklist
Founded by Akua Gyamfi, “the British Blacklist is an online platform which celebrates African & Carribean creative professionals on the Screen and Stage, in Sound and Literature – both up front and behind the scenes.” The British Blacklist features a database of Black creative talent.
Website | Twitter
UK Black Pride
“UK Black Pride is Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent.” Founded in 2005 by a group of Black lesbians who travlled to Southend-on-Sea to celebrate and “bear witness to each other as Black womxn living and loving at the intersection of racial, gendered and class oppression.” Phyll Opoku-Gyimah is the executive director and co-founder of UK Black Pride.
Website | Twitter | Donate
Yellow Zine
Yellowzine is a print and online platform that centralises the artwork of ethnic minority creatives. “We work with artists across the UK, with an aim to amplify and inspire. We are part of a contemporary movement for the progression of art by POC (People of Colour).” Yellow Zine was co-founded by Aisha Ayoade and Oreoluwa Ayoade.
Website | Twitter
