13 Mar 2019
Loughborough University hosts a series of events discussing the subject of citizenship this month
A series of events about citizenship has launched at Loughborough University today (13 March).
This participatory project has been organised by the Politicized Practice, Anarchism and Theatre Activism Research Groups with support from the University’s Institute of Advanced Studies and Loughborough Enterprise Project Group.
It begins with the Re-Re-imagining Citizenship exhibition, which opened at 4pm on Wednesday 13 March and will be open daily between 12pm-2pm until 29 March in the Martin Hall Exhibition Space.
This interactive exhibition brings together a range of audio-visual and text-based responses to questions about new forms of citizenship and civic participation. It asks whether citizenship can be reconfigured without subjection.
Students, researchers and artists from the University and beyond have contributed to the exhibition.
The opening of the installation will also host Should I stay or should I go? – a playful opportunity for visitors to take the Life in the UK practice test and reflect on the value of the exercise.
On 20 March, Dutch visual artist Jonas Staal will present a lecture on populism and propaganda art at 11am in Martin Hall.
Later that day, the project team will launch a generative resource for future research – the Re-imagining Citizenship Activity Book and online archive.
On 27 March Portuguese artist and dancer Rita Marcalo will perform ‘One Last Dance – An Chead Damhsa’ in the Martin Hall Exhibition Space.
Her ‘love letter to the UK’ explores immigration policies through intercultural dialogue – particularly in relation to EU citizens who acquire settled status in the UK.
Dr Gillian Whiteley, coordinator of the Politicized Practice Research Group, commented: “This is a comprehensive, exciting series of events, which are obviously very topical.
“We are delighted to welcome to Loughborough two outstanding international artists and to also showcase brilliant exhibits by our colleagues and students.
“Re-imagining citizenship is a collaborative initiative and we are thrilled that it is generating interest not only in Venice, but also in Amiens and Odessa.”
The exhibition is free to attend and open to members of the public, staff and students. Places for the talks and performances by Jonas Staal and Rita Marcalo can be booked online.
Following the closure of the exhibition, the Re-imagining Citizenship Activity Book will be going to the Venice Biennale, hosted by the European Cultural Centre. It will run from 11 May to 24 November 2019.
For more information, please email Gillian Whiteley at G.Whiteley@lboro.ac.uk.