The Mending Room: Seeking passionate Brixtonites for paid work – and fun

April1981: Police form a barricade across Railton Road outside the Atlantic, now the Dogstar. PICTURE: "1981 Brixton Riots" by Kim Aldis. Licensed under CC.
April1981: Police form a barricade across Railton Road outside the Atlantic, now the Dogstar. PICTURE: “1981 Brixton Riots” by Kim Aldis. Licensed under CC.

A community-led programme of events to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1981 Brixton Uprising/riots is seeking Brixton people of Black/African heritage who are passionate about local issues and environment to generate imaginative ideas for the future of Brixton.

81 Acts of Exuberant Defiance will use design fiction to explore social problems that can be reimagined and then exhibited back to stakeholders to create calls to action.

Design fiction explores and criticises possible futures by creating speculative, and often provocative, scenarios narrated through designed artefacts.

Participants will learn and develop new skills in creative and fun Saturday sessions and collaborate with others to imagine the future, where objects provide solutions to social problems.

Experience in the one of the following areas is essential:

  • racial justice
  • activism
  • technology
  • community development
  • youth work
  • education
  • policing
  • politics
  • media
  • social
  • health and wellbeing
  • civic.

Sessions run from Saturday 27 March until Saturday 5 June and applicants must be available for all. The application deadline is Monday 15 March. Applicants must be over 16. Click here to apply.

81 Acts of Exuberant Defiance is a community-led commemorative programme that marks the 40th anniversary of the 1981 Brixton Uprisings/Riots that sparked widespread resistance against police racism, racial oppression and injustice around England.

It is made up of a collective of Brixton and Lambeth-based organisations, residents, artists, businesses and community members who hold a shared ambition to honour the uprisings of 1981, and are collaborating to create a programme of activity in 2021.

Visit the website for more details about upcoming events.