The Jamaica Society Leeds is on the hunt for content for our Out of Many Festival of culture, art and heritage.

As well as celebrating 60 years of Jamaican Independence in 2022, the festival will capture narratives of the wider Leeds Caribbean community particularly through the festival’s Rebellion to Romance strand exploring the lives of young second-generation West Indians coming of age in 1970s and 80s Leeds and the impact of Jamaican culture, music and style on them.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Any mementos that will help to tell the story of the young West Indian community of the era – the friendships built, the places you went to, the music listened to, the styles worn, the causes fought for and the celebrations cherished ‘back in the day’;

• Photos of second-generation West Indians of Leeds taken in the 70s and 80s, coming of age (in their teens and twenties) – preferably original copies or good quality scans
• Posters, invitations, tickets – for community events, parties and gatherings
• Newspaper and magazine clippings
• Sound system memorabilia
• Keepsakes from protest and activism
• Clothing Gabbicci tops, Farah slacks, pleated skirts, track suits, t-shirts – especially if there’s a story behind them

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE COLLECTION?

Our specially trained team will treat the keepsakes you loan to us with respect and care. Your items will be kept in museum standard protective storage. They could then appear in some or all of a number of Out of Many Festival platforms (only with your permission) including;

• The Rebellion to Romance Exhibition at Room 700, Leeds Central Library and community locations from the end of July 2022.
• The Rebellion to Romance Show at Leeds Playhouse in October
• Out of Many Festival printed and digital materials
• Online – on our website and potentially those of our partners and in the press.

All loaned materials will be returned to owners.

WHAT NEXT?

1. Start searching in those drawers, lofts and old photo albums!
2. Be sure you can give permission to share the keepsakes.
3. Bring them along to one our collection events below;

From 11.30am to 5pm on Saturday 14th May and Saturday 21st May
at Jamaica House, 277 Chapeltown Road, Leeds LS7 2ED.

Or e-mail outofmany@jamaicasocietyleeds.co.uk
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @jamaicasocietyleeds or Twitter @JamaicaLeeds using #JamaicaLeeds #OutofManyFest #OutOfManyFestival for future collection events and festival updates.

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