Benji Reid - Concept, Direction, Photography and Text
Benji Reid is a British photographer, visual theater maker, and educator. His work focuses on the intersection of race, nationhood and gender with particular attention to the Black British experience, Black masculinity, and mental health.
His photograph Holding on to Daddy (2016) was the winner of the Wellcome Photography Prize 2020 in the Mental Health category. A pioneer of Hip Hop Theatre and culture in the UK, Reid defines himself as a ‘Choreo-Photolist’, a term he coined to refer to the practice of merging theater and choreography in his photography. His work has been shown at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts in New York, Somerset House in London, and Design Fair Paris.
He attended the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, studying ballet, contemporary, choreography, and lighting design. After appearing in Alan Lyddiard’s production of The Tempest at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, he auditioned for Soul II Soul, became chief dancer and co-choreographer for some of their numbers, and went on a world tour as part of the collective. Reid then trained for a year with David Glass, touring nationally with the David Glass Ensemble. He has worked with director Denise Wong and Black Mime Theatre, as well as directing Aeroplane Man by Jonzi D, and co-creating the pieces Silence da Bitchin’ and Cracked.
The hip hop musical Avalanche at Nottingham Playhouse marked the foundation of Reid’s own company, Breaking Cycles. Reid took part in the Hip-Hop Theater Festival in New York, and was the curator of The Illness at Sadler’s Wells in London. Reid’s show, The Holiday, toured to PS122 in New York, Sydney Opera House, the Linbury Theatre at the Royal Opera House, and more. In 2006, Reid founded Process 06, an opportunity to explore Hip Hop theater as an educational tool.
When his company was left without funds in 2011, Reid’s journey into photography started. His first photography exhibition was A Thousand Words at Contact Theatre. From a love note to his daughter to exploring mental health through surreal portraits and self-portraits, for Reid photography represents a possibility to celebrate love and fragility, challenging stereotypes of Black masculinity. Reid refers to his creative work as ‘part ritual, part photography, and part prayer.’
Andrew Wong - Creative Associate, Sound Designer and DJ
Andrew ‘Chengy’ Wong is a seasoned artist with a career spanning more than three decades, fuelled by an unwavering passion for music. As a DJ, his deep knowledge and understanding of diverse musical genres make him a true maestro at captivating audiences with his sets.
Beyond the turntables, Andrew’s artistic exploration led him to delve into sound design, where he meticulously crafts immersive soundscapes that leave a lasting impression on every project he undertakes. Driven by a belief in the transformative power of sound, Andrew has become an advocate for sound healing practices. Through carefully curated frequencies and harmonies, he promotes relaxation, balance, meditation, and overall well being.
Andrew’s impact extends beyond his personal achievements. As a mentor, he generously shares his wealth of knowledge and experiences, guiding aspiring DJs on their creative paths. Through nurturing mentorship programmes, he inspires and empowers a new generation of talent to excel in the industry.
Ti Green - Set Designer
Recent work includes: Dr Semmelweis (Harold Pinter Theatre, Bristol Old Vic); Waldo’s Circus of Magic & Terror (Bristol Old Vic and touring); A Dead Body in Taos (Wilton’s Music Hall); Touching the Void (Duke of York’s Theatre, Bristol Old Vic); Cyrano de Bergerac (Bristol Old Vic); Bartholomew Fair (The Globe); Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Shanghai Culture Square and tour of China); What Shadows (Birmingham Rep, Edinburgh Lyceum, The Park London); The Emperor (Young Vic, HOME, Theatre for a New Audience); The Government Inspector (Birmingham Rep and national tour); The Funfair and Romeo and Juliet (HOME; Manchester Theatre Award winner for Best Design); Playing for Time (Sheffield Crucible); Bright Phoenix (Liverpool Everyman); A Christmas Carol (Birmingham Rep); Orlando (Royal Exchange); Henry VI – Parts I, II and III (The Globe); Time and the Conways (Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Dundee Rep; Critics Award for Theatre Scotland nomination for Best Design); Unleashed (Barbican); and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Liverpool Playhouse).
Designs for the National Theatre: Revenger’s Tragedy, The Five Wives of Maurice Pinder, The UN Inspector, Coram Boy (National Theatre, Imperial Theatre New York; Tony nominations for Best Costume and Set Design). For the RSC: Richard III, Little Eagles, Coriolanus, Dido Queen of Carthage and Julius Caesar.
Liam Hopkins - 3D Designer and Maker
Liam Hopkins, widely recognized by his artistic alias Lazerian, is a multi-faceted artist and designer who defies categorisation. With his extensive repertoire spanning diverse sectors and employing various processes and materials, Hopkins’ work embodies a captivating fluidity that resists being confined to a single style. This enigmatic quality serves as the allure of his creations, as each project, piece, or commission he undertakes becomes a truly bespoke and distinctive reflection of its circumstances, influences, and environment.
Having established his studio, Lazerian, in 2006, Hopkins currently operates out of a workshop in Denton, Manchester. Renowned for their large-scale artworks, public installations, and custom sculptural commissions, Lazerian is a testament to Hopkins’ versatility as an artist and designer. Blending traditional craftsmanship techniques with cutting-edge technologies, the workshop serves as a hub for exploring novel concepts in the realm of art and design, pushing the boundaries and employing them to convey stories and produce site-specific, one-of-a-kind pieces.
An integral part of Hopkins’ artistic mission involves engaging in projects that carry significant social impact. He ardently seeks out opportunities to create something unique, defying conventional norms, driven by curiosity, passion, and a commitment to problem solving. By infusing his work with positivity and a genuine desire to make a difference, Hopkins inspires change and challenges preconceived notions, ultimately shaping a brighter and more dynamic artistic landscape. In Liam Hopkins, the world has found an artistic chameleon whose art and design transcend boundaries, leaving an indelible mark on those who encounter his remarkable creations.
Saskia Lenaerts - Costume Designer
Saskia Lenaerts is a trans-national activist fashion designer. Saskia holds a master’s degree in Menswear Fashion from Central Saint Martins. She is the recipient of the Considered Design Award 2018, the L’Oréal Professionnel scholarship 2019 and a Milan Fashion Film Festival Award.
She has showcased at London and Lisbon Fashion Weeks. She has collaborated and worked with Birkenstock 1774, Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Ivan Michael Blackstock, and Reselfridges. She is also a fashion design Lecturer at Kingston University. As an advocate for a cross-cultural and borderless world, Saskia uses fashion to impact society. Her work aims to help disarm prejudice. By repurposing and decommissioning surplus, she redefines and redesigns garments with a brutal past for a brighter, more accepting future. Demonstrating both our cultural differences and commonalities, her work is a celebratory juxtaposition of diversity.
Tupac Martir - Lighting Designer
Tupac is a light magician, creative visionary and artistic genius. His internationally renowned work includes production design, visuals and lighting direction for acts and organisations such as: Elton John, Sting, Jon Bon Jovi, Beyoncé, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Nederlands Dans Theater, UNKLE and Xu Bing at the V&A.
As an acclaimed Lighting Director in the fashion industry, Tupac has worked on shows for Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Moschino, Prada, Hugo Boss and Thomas Tait. He is a celebrated artist, with his work exhibited across the world. He directed and produced Cosmos Within Us, a performative reality piece that debuted at the Venice Film Festival and won the Spirit of Raindance Award at the Raindance Film Festival. More recently, he has created Unique, a multidisciplinary immersive music experience at the BFI and Sónar+D.
At Satore Studio, Tupac leads an international team of creative minds to create groundbreaking work, mixing art and technology. Tupac founded Satore Studio as a place to explore and create powerful art and multimedia experiences, combining lighting, projection, video, sound design, music and immersive technologies.
Keisha Thompson - Dramaturg
Keisha Thompson is a Manchester-based writer, performance artist and producer. Keisha is Artistic Director and CEO of Contact Theatre, Manchester, Chair of radical arts funding body Future’s Venture Foundation, an Independent Theatre Council board member and recipient of The Arts Foundation Futures Award for Theatre-Makers 2021.
Recent works include: children’s show Issy, BOSSS and Fractal, commissioned by Fuel Theatre and directed by Alan Lane (Slung Low); The Bell Curves, an all-female show that clashes science and culture by looking at the medical ethics linked to CRISPR-Cas9 technology, supported by Eclipse, York Theatre Royal and Pilot; and 14%, an immersive theater piece looking at DNA tests and structural racism particularly within the context of British football culture, supported by Talawa Firsts.
In May 2022, she completed a residency with Esplanade Theatre in Singapore. Her focus was on her ongoing project, DeCipher. This expansive educational project looks at mathematical pedagogy and how it can be taught in a creative way in non-educational spaces. In 2020, she finished touring her award-winning solo show, Man on the Moon. Her debut book, Lunar, features her poetry and the show script. This book has recently been reprinted after selling out 250 copies. Moonwhile is a poetic mini album featuring music from the show. In August 2020, she released a new mini album, Ephemera, in collaboration with Tom ‘Werkha’ Leah and featuring riveting cellist Abel Selaocoe. Performances of the album have included We Out Here Festival and Timber Festival. It was named as album of the week by Jazz FM DJ Tim Garcia.
She has supported artists such as Kae Tempest, Hollie McNish, The Last Poets, Saul Williams, Amiri Baraka and has performed at Brave New Voices festival in 2008 and 2009. Her work has been presented at high profile venues and platforms such as Tate Modern, Bluedot Festival, and the British Council’s Showcase in Edinburgh.
