Saturday 22 October – Sunday 19 February 2023
Open daily 10am – 5pm (4pm on Sundays), and during evening concerts
Snape Maltings Concert Hall Foyer
Free, no need to book
Ideal for community groups, families, art/ design/ fashion/ drama/ music students, schools - and everyone else!
The Power of Stories exhibition features spectacular, original costumes from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther (2018), plus stories from our local Black community and unseen content from the Britten Pears Arts Archive.
In partnership with Aspire Black Suffolk, the Association of Suffolk Museums and Marvel Studios, Britten Pears Arts hosts this special exhibition, on the final leg of its tour of Suffolk.
It combines iconic original costumes from Marvel Studio’s blockbuster film– worn by the characters T’challa, Shuri and Okoye – with historical museum objects (including content from the Britten Pears Archive) and stories from our local Black community in an exploration of storytelling and identity.
This is the third and final location of the tour, which has seen the original award-winning Power of Stories by Ipswich Museums in 2021 be re-interpreted by each host venue.
Key Points
Community workshops: Britten Pears Arts have been working with members of the local Black and African-Caribbean communities to take part in community art workshops with artist, curator and gallerist, Devi Singh. The workshops were safe and empathetic spaces where members of the east Suffolk community were asked to share their stories and experiences creatively around themes of belonging, identity and living as a minority in rural environments.
Exhibition in a new light:
- Snape Maltings Concert Hall is an internationally renowned music venue and the famous red brick concert hall foyer gives the costumes and artwork room to breathe, enhancing their majestic nature.
- This is the first time that a collection of African-Caribbean artworks created by local people have come to Snape. This is significantly important for the organisation to be an inclusive and welcoming space for people of colour and is reflected in its equality, diversity and inclusion plan.
An exciting collaboration: The programme provides a platform to celebrate local Black stories, heritage and culture, whilst welcoming a diverse audience to Snape.
Accessible to all: The exhibition and curated programme around it has something for everyone, and prides itself on being accessible to all.
Events: A programme strand has been curated in response to the exhibition, which includes audio-visual materials, photography, workshops, a family-friendly trail and more. This multifaceted exhibition opens up conversations as to how the arts and culture can empower and celebrate diversity within our community - raising visibility and representation, it engages with the viewer and enhances Black voices.
Archival materials: In response to the exhibition coming to Snape, the Britten Pears archival team are exploring Britten's interest in non-classical western music for the first time. Britten made frequent trips to Bali, Japan and India, and he was a long standing Patron of the Asian Music circle and collected many rare Indian vinyl which
was not available in the UK. This, alongside his
involvement with the Anti Apartheid movement and the African National Congress, give us a unique look into this interest in a united humanity.
Free family activities
Wakanda Flower Trail - pick up an activity booklet from the Visitor Centre at Snape Maltings and solve the clues to find the bugs. Full details here.
Drumming Workshops with Wooden Roots - based on our doorstep in Rendlesham but famed around the world for their handmade djembes and other West African instruments – Wooden Roots will be running free hands-on West African drumming workshops on the Concert Hall stage, for all the family. These are the actual drums featured in the Black Panther film and its soundtrack. Full details here.
ID: Image of a Black woman with shoulder length tight curly hair, wears a loose scarf, and plays a drum. Source: Britten Pears Arts website.
Music events
Hannabiell & Midnight Blue – Hannabiell Saunders and her Midnight Blue Collective bring their exhilarating fusion of Afro-Caribbean and Latin percussion, Jazz, Afro-beat, Funk and Reggae to Snape Maltings Concert Hall. This organic blend of powerful and upbeat drums, brass, vocal chants, and mbira compositions produces an invigorating party atmosphere and summons lively audience participation! Tickets only £10, under 30s half price. Full details here.
Full details online at Britten Pears Arts.
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