Heaven-17’s Martyn Ware is to join a host of artists and musicians including Jon McClure of Reverend and the Makers for an evening to support creative communities in areas of conflict and war.
The In Place of War event later in the month will see performances from McClure, along with UK ‘godfather of hip-hop’ Rodney P and MC Fallacy. Also gracing the stage will be performance poet Dean Atta and fresh-faced Manchester psych-folk duo Bird to Beast.
Ware, the former Human League and Heaven-17 frontman will host the show, and guests will be treated to an array of complementary global foods and drinks.
IPOW co-director Ruth Daniel and Benson Wereje, a Congolese refugee, peace campaigner and Director of Theatre Versus Oppression will also be speaking.
Ms Daniel said: “Our work is about giving isolated artists a wider platform to tell their stories of war and help empower communities through creative practise.
“Turning our research into practice we have developed a range of innovative alternative educational tools, and raised funds to help create new cultural spaces in some of the world’s most challenging places.”
Funds raised will enable IPOW, an award-winning University of Manchester initiative, to secure spaces, support local staff costs and help with shipping equipment to locations. The project has already raised over £200,000 of music, studio and film equipment.
IPOW helps to affect social change and demonstrate the value of the arts in the public domain. For ten years, the project has helped to mobilise, empower and connect artists and creative communities in sites of war, revolution and conflict.
The project was recently shortlisted for the Outstanding Aspiring Social Enterprise of the Year Award at the Making a Difference Awards, and was runner-up in The Guardian University Awards for its international work.
The In Place of War event will take place at 7pm on Wednesday April 22 in the HQ Building (2nd Floor), 2 Atherton Street, Manchester.
More details can be found on the In Place of War site here.
