Shielded In The Community is a disabled-led project run in partnership with DaDa Fest and funded by Liverpool City Council.
Mandy Redvers-Rowe is a disabled writer based in Liverpool. She's working with producer Harriet Warnock and Assistant Producer Robyn Bowyer. Together they’re delivering this project with a wonderful team of disabled and neurodiverse artists.
All of them had to shield in 2020 and 2021 but, although for many the restrictions have now been lifted, there are still a significant number of people who have to continue to shield.
If you are a Disabled and/or neurodiverse person and you live in the north-west of England, we would like to invite you to take part in this project by responding artistically to your shielding experience - whatever your shielding status.
You can take part in two ways, either online or by attending a workshop.
Online
To take part online simply watch one or more of the short videos created by the artists working on the project and they will help you get started.
If you’re interested in:
Film - Look at Ellen’s video here.
Music - Look at Mal’s video here.
Poetry - Look at Amina’s video here.
Writing - Look at Mandy’s video here.
Your response can take any format you like. Please email them to shieldedinfo@gmail.com
Deadline for all submissions is Midnight Sunday 17th July
Workshop
We will be hosting a workshop on July 8th at Toxteth TV between 2pm – 5pm.
At the workshop all four artists will be running sessions and you will have the choice to work on whatever art form interests you.
Access provided
Level Access Venue
BSL Interpreter
Experienced workshop leaders who build access into their delivery
Additional Access Workers who can offer support
It will be a relaxed session so you can join in for as long as you wish. There will be built in breaks with refreshments provided.
Please email to tell us about any additional access needs.
We would love you to come along.
The workshop is free, but there are a limited number of places. To book a place please register on Eventbrite here or email shieldedinfo@gmail.com
More information via Facebook here and Twitter here.
You can find out more about the artists below.
Mandy Redvers Rowe
An Edinburgh TV Festival nominated writer, Mandy has written for television, radio and stage. Her TV drama, Second Sight, for Jimmy McGovern’s Moving On 11 was The Times Critics Choice. Currently writing for several CBeebies shows, with a Crime Drama in development with Saffron Cherry Productions.
Her theatre work includes her solo show Measuring Up and Shielded both developed in partnership with The Everyman & Playhouse funded by The Arts Council.
She’s a DANC Ambassador, is in the BBC Writersroom Access Group and part of the Graeae Beyond Programme.
Represented by : WGM Literary Agency
Malik Lidgett
Malik aka 'Mal' is an independent Artist, Filmmaker and Music Producer based on the Wirral in Merseyside. As a young black man with a lived experience of autism, Mal is a neurodiverse activist exploring his experiences within his creative practice. As a Producer, he featured on BBC's Documentary 'Rap Trip : Underground Scenes Uncovered', which explored the underground Merseyside Rap, Drill and Trap scenes. In this show he discussed his autism, how it empowers him as a creative, and what it is like working in the context of a neurotypical music scene. His music has also received national airplay on BBC Radio 1Xtra.
Outside of music, Mal works as a filmmaker, self-producing his own music videos. Most recently Mal was commissioned by 20 Stories High to produce his own track & video for their project : 'Black with a Capital B' and also to be part of a show called Touchy which was his first taste of working within an acting and theatre environment.
Instagram : @malartistuk
Amina Atiq
Amina Atiq is a Yemeni poet, performance artist, creative practitioner & award-winning community activist. BBC Words First Finalist 2019 & Young Associate & Anti-racism group member for Curious Minds. Artist fellow of DadaFest, Weston Jerwood Creative programme & Social Cohesion Fellow of Humboldt Foundation Residency 2022.
Currently lead artist at 20 Stories High public-poetry project Poets' Gift; working closely with Muslim young people in Merseyside & upcoming librettist in collaboration with composer Alya Al-Sultani for Opera of Two Sisters
Featured Poetry Please, BBC 4 Radio: Cordite Poetry Review, Queensland Poetry Festival : Use Words First, Wrecking Ball Press: John Moores Painting Prize 2020, The Double Negative: The Death of the Face Yemen's Humanitarian Crisis, The Independent: Just beyond Reach, Sutton Manor {Metal Southend}: Not Quite Right for Us, Flipped Eye Publisher {Speaking Volumes} & many more.
https://www.aminaatiq.org/
@aminaatiqpoetry
Ellen Purse
Elli is a neurodiverse film and theatre maker currently working in the North West. They're passionate about innovative, cross media story telling and accessibility. When they're not working you can find them reading and hanging out with their two cats.
Twitter: @ellipurse
Instagram: @purseelli