What is the Project?
Context-Based Environmental Actions In The Performing Arts
The damage done to our earth and the environment through the exploitation of its resources has an unparalleled adverse effect on the capacity of the earth to keep sustaining our way of living. Collectively, our own healing is parallel to mother earth itself.
You have the chance to do something powerful, be part of the solution and support creatives in Africa that are making a difference with art as environmental activism. The average cost to make a short film is around £10,000-£30,000. We want to create quality digital art for international distribution on environmental issues to lobby for change.
In Spring 2024, Chanje Kunda, a Zambian-born UK based artist (https://www.chanjekunda.com/) and Zambia-based Visual artist Serah Chule, are working with Lusaka Contemporary Art Centre (https://lusakacontemporary.com/) in Zambia to create a digital art exhibition and a group exhibition to present internationally to lobby for change, and to highlight climate issues in Sub-Saharan Africa on a global platform.
We will also set up and resource a fixed term community outreach program for young people in the shanty compounds in collaboration with Chongwe Community Art Gallery.
This Crowdfunder is the only way to make this project happen. Despite being a commonwealth country, It's outside the UK so cannot get Arts Council England Funding and the British Council international funders are not currently open for project funding for most of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Issues we Want to Highlight:
In Southern Africa including most recently, North West Zambia, Cobolt mining is fast turning from a miracle metal to a deadly chemical, as toxic dumping is devastating landscapes, polluting water and contaminating crops. As cobalt is radioactive, it is linked to birth defects and is injurious to the health of miners. A further environmental impact of cobalt mining is the hazy air surrounding the mines, full of dust and grit, and is toxic to breathe.
The solution is reducing the demand for cobalt in the lithium-ion batteries found in electric devices. Perhaps this can be done through the public recycling broken electronics containing cobalt rather than throwing them away, therefore reducing the demand for cobalt mining.
The Copperbelt mining industries have caused acid poisoning of rivers like Kafue which downstream supplies water to Zambia’s capital city. The Kabwe Lead Poisoning (Currently in a class action) is a century-long public health catastrophe caused by mining (www.childrenofkabwe.com). In addition to these, lack of plastic recycling in the country has meant that discarded plastic blights the cities.
Below is Artist Serah Chule in Zambia (Left) and Chanje with a sculpture made from discarded plastic (right) using visuals to start conversations about how mother earth and human's environment is being polluted with plastics. They 're asking the question, what can we do about this problem in landlocked countries in Africa?
What Do We Want to Achieve?
'We see our healing as a parallel to Mother Earth itself and are working towards creating a project that focuses on transformation. We want to do activism through art and create the transformation we want to see.
Through Kunda’s Track Record with the British Council, and International touring, the aim is to present this high quality digital art exhibition internationally alongside online social media campaign to highlight climate issues and prevent further environmental degradation. Also delivering an
Serah Chule, will co-curate a group exhibition by local artists, incorporating women with trauma as a source of creative inspiration and redemption. This project will happen in Zambia, with Lusaka Contemporary Art Centre while the Chongwe Community Art Gallery will be involved in the community outreach program.
Why We Need Funding?
We require £25,000 to provide the technology and employ Zambian creatives freelancers, so we can film what is happening on the Continent of Africa and present it digitally back to the countries who are exploiting its resources. Not only Greta Thunberg or global north has something to say.
Employing Zambian based creatives including director, art director, sound designer, camera operators and post production specialists, we are creating opportunities for employment and for their work to be shared on an international platform. You can help them to have voice on a global issue. This project funding will also provide equipment needed to create, edit and exhibit the digital art, market it internationally.
This will empower Chanje Kunda, together with Serah Chule and other Zambian artists and creatives without recourse to arts funding because of the absence of government or and international NGO investment in Zambian arts and culture development. Funds will also cover filming and editing equipment, MacBook workbooks, software, generators, group exhibitions, and workshops for young talents in Shanty Compounds. Zambian creatives will be able to tell their own stories to the international community, and to inspire change in mining practices and the procurement of minerals from Africa. Zambian Artists will also have access to the equipment for future arts and activism or or cultural projects