Do you have memories of record shops that specialised in Black music? People are being asked to share their stories as part of a major UK project made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund. ‘The Record Store & Black Music, A UK History’ will explore memories people have of browsing aisles, discovering new artists, and socialising in these cultural hubs, to document a fascinating history.
Volunteers will conduct interviews with artists, DJs, store owners, customers and music fans to discover the stories and the facts that shaped this fascinating history. The 2Funky Arts team is also looking for photographs, footage newspaper articles that might help with research.
The project will see interviews and memories pulled together to create a film, publication, podcast series and educational resource. Interviews will take place in the Midlands, North, London & The South and virtually.
For the Windrush generation and Black diaspora, the early independent UK record store was a music-fuelled vehicle for resistance against systemic racism. Such sites became fertile ground for new music, and cultural eco-systems that shaped society’s relationship with Black music.
Black music is a cultural and stylistic term, encompassing genres including soul, disco, reggae, R&B, gospel, Afrobeat and hip hop.
Vijay Mistry from 2Funky Arts said:
“We can’t wait to interview people from a wide range of backgrounds, to help us find hidden gems of culture, history, and heritage. Whether you remember browsing, discovering new artists, socialising in record stores, or recall hearing stories from older family members, we want to hear from you! We are very grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for this grant.”
There will be opportunities to be interviewed on screen, on audio and virtually. Travel expenses will be paid and refreshments available. All interviewees will be fully credited.
The project, managed by 2Funky Arts, received funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund earlier this year, which has set 2Funky Arts and its partners on course to create an impactful range of resources.
To get involved, please contact the following organisations in each region:
2Funky Arts (Midlands) – [email protected]
Brighter Sound (North) – [email protected]
Sound/Image Research Centre University of Greenwich, London (London and south) – [email protected]
Visit www.legacyproject.online for more information.
Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.