CAN Young Artists for Global VoiceBox
Omya Wanou
Celine Bulut
Nour Alsabbagh
Yohannes Gebre
Nazar Antypou
Denys Dykunets
Aida Hassanzandel
Mohammed Adam Ali
Osama Muhammed
Fahas Ajmal
Amein Ali
CAN team
Michelle Udogu – Creative Producer
Artists
Ben Mellor – Director and drama artist
Emma Marsh – Lead music artist
Shirlaine Forrest – Photography artist
Jonah Sharma – Music support
David Kayode – Music support
Baz the Plug– Audio artist
Habsyy – Hip hop and Afrobeats artist
Stacey Potter – Stage Manager
Volunteers
Shamim Afshan – Admin and hospitality support
Hannah Guite – Social work student/drama support
Supported by Contact
Funded by BBC Children In Need and The Granada Foundation
Photography: Shirlaine Forrest
At Contact on Saturday 2 November, CAN Young Artists performed a sharing of their work with a specially invited audience.
Young people with heritage in countries including Iran, Syria, Eritrea, Ukraine, Sudan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Manchester host communities worked alongside professional artists over the course of two months.
The group developed their skills in drama, spoken word, photography, visual art, music and sound to produce an intimate multi-artform piece that spoke from the heart and explored the issues that matter to them.
Global VoiceBox was shaped through several questions:
What would you say to the world if you had the opportunity?
What drives change?
Is it nature? People and community? Love and respect? Politics? Places and feelings?
“I would encourage people to join the CAN project because you form a family with people who are not necessarily related to you but who you hold dear to your heart…”
Nour, CAN Young Artist
“My favourite things about the project are everyone’s respect, very friendly. We playing games very good. One good thing is playing better piano. One thing is respect and teaching instruments.”
Denys, CAN Young Artist
“I am from Yemen. I am 17 years old, and I live in Manchester. I now have 20 friends.”
Somar, CAN Young Artist
Members of the invited audience reflected on the performance:
“Emotional, empathic, moving and joyful…”
“Heartfelt, made me cry and laugh…”
“Incredible young people…”
Michelle Udogu, Creative Producer of CAN’s Children and Young People’s programme:
“The work with young people is paramount to healthy and engaged communities. By creating safe and brave spaces with music, drama, visual arts and dance to explore self, we help create positive meaning to sometimes difficult times in a young person’s life.”
“CAN’s Young Artists programme is a safe space where young people can share and explore their cultural heritage and those of others. The programme supports them in growing a strong sense of pride in their cultural expression and identities as they adapt to their new lives in the UK.”