🌟AND YOU SHOULD FOLLOW!!!🌟
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WXMB 2's ethos has always been to connect and support fellow (music & arts) collectives and platforms, it's a part of our core values and it stands proud within our Manifesto.
Now, more than ever, we need each other's support; whether we are fighting the patriarchy, raising awareness about inequality within the music industry and gender wage-gap, losing income due to a global pandemic, pivoting our services to adjust to the 'new normal', marching against racism and violence towards our BAME community - we cannot do it alone.
There has been a tremendous amount of backing from the (some would say, 'currently non-existent') events, music and night life industries towards the #BlackLivesMatter movement in the form of awareness, resources, workshops, panels, curation, crowd-funding, but we need to keep on going in order to make a real difference!
We have gathered the below (non-exhaustive) list of 12 FEMXLE-LED BAME MUSIC PLATFORMS & COLLECTIVES WE LOVE and you should follow! ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿
An ever-evolving curatorial & creative production collective born, raised and based in South East London with roots in nightlife and clubbing culture.
Prioritising the experiences of queer womxn, trans folk and non binary people of colour in all aspects of our work, they provide physical and online platforms for this specific community.
They work to democratise access to public institutions and challenge institutionalised behaviours to diversify. They explore experiential practices with interactive installations, sound, poetry, archive, celebratory communion, photography, group shows, film and more.
Organised by a stand out collective of seven queer black artists and headed by co-founders Tia Simon-Campbell and Naeem Davis. Their services include: Programming, DJ’ing, Visual & Audio Content, Art Curation, Cultural Consultancy, Effective Partnerships and Event Production.
Saffron is an artist development platform challenging the current climate of the music technology industry.
In their own words: "Women currently make up just 5% of the music tech industry. This problem is reflected in recording studios, at mixing desks and line-ups around the world. This can create an intimidating and sometimes hostile environment, making it difficult for Womxn to feel like they can engage within these industries. Saffron wants to change this.
We feel that the short term solution is to create safe, single sex learning environments for the education of women, which encourage confidence, creativity and curiosity. Comprising a record label, teaching series, masterclasses and artist development platform, Saffron's aim is to support Womxn in music business and technology."
GIRLS I RATE was founded to create a platform and voice for women to collaborate, celebrate and empower each other. It was formed to bring together the talent, influencers, advocates and passion we all share.
GIRLS I RATE was founded by Carla Marie Williams, a multi-platinum, A-list songwriter to a role-call of artists, including Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Naughty Boy, Craig David and Sean Paul.
Experiencing first hand the imbalance and inequality within a very male dominated music industry, Carla was compelled to create a movement that provides females with a voice and platform. Her mission is to unite females though GIR and create opportunities for females within the music & creative industries.
Dubbing as 'the next wave in fresh music sounds', So Future is a platform founded by K2RAH in January 2016.
A platform dedicated to discovering, exploring and showcasing forward-thinking new sounds and emerging artists online and offline.
It is also a monthly club night taking place in East London and featuring emerging DJs, producers and collectives.
K2RAH is the founder, promoter and event manager; develops concept and brand direction; manages its' online and social media content with a help of her team who create content for and manage the social media accounts; plus is the resident DJ.
A London based female collective specialising in events, showcasing the latest UK underground sound.
A female collective of boss DJs and creatives.
Catch them live last Friday of the month at 9pm on Foundation FM
The collective of DJs, educators and performers provides tools for marginalised groups and wider society through educational workshops and curation, centred on queer and trans people of colour.
They are known for promoting a safe space culture at their club nights, events and festivals.
In 2015, Glaswegians Nadine Artois and Skye Barr found themselves bored with London’s hip-hop club scene, so they created their own night. Pxssy Palace became a space for women and femmes of colour to party free from discrimination, with model, trans advocate Munroe Bergdorf previously holding a spot as the night’s resident DJ.
Sistren are laser-focused on telling stories relevant to queer black women like them. The trio of sister-friends made up of Michelle, Babirye, and DJ started making podcasts in 2015, breathing life into radio with uncensored chat that unpacks issues from fuckboys to bisexuality and taking nudes, all while offering life advice to listeners.
Part of a new generation of women of colour carving out a space for themselves in media, their mission to champion new narratives has made it to TV, with two-thirds of the line up fronting Cecile Emeke’s Ackee & Saltfish in 2016. They’ve even turned their hands to running safe sex, toxic love, and self-empowerment workshops at colleges, hosting parties, and teaching poetry.
Black Girl Fest is dedicated to amplifying the voices and experiences of Black British women and girls through community-based events.
Through Black Girl Fest, the founders seek to help change the narrative around Black women and girls in the UK.
Founded by Nicole Crentsil and Paula Akpan in 2017, who wanted to create "something they wished they had for their younger selves".
They have been featured in Forbes '100 Women Founders To Follow', TimeOut's '50 great Londoners' and Stylist Magazine 'Women Of The Week', to mention a few.
London's 1st annual festival with an all female line-up, founded by Kaiya Milan, an award-winning artist manager, creative strategist and PR Manager.
In her own words: "I came up with Goddess Fest to support and elevate female artists in the creative industries and at this stage our supporters include Live Nation, BoxPark and Cargo. At the moment there is a HUGE amount of female talent out there and I set up the festival to act as a catalyst for promoting young female talent that deserves a place in the public eye."
Kaiya has also founded The Sorority House, The Black Female Founders and Off Balance Group.
We feel like there's not much introduction needed to gal-dem, an online and print publication committed to sharing perspectives from women and non-binary people of colour.
gal-dem is a new media publication, committed to telling the stories of women and non-binary people of colour. With our online and print magazine, we’re addressing inequality and misrepresentation in the industry through platforming the creative and editorial work of our community across essays, opinion, news, arts, music, politics and lifestyle content.
While gal-dem makes decisions on content based on relevance and quality, we also recognise the under-representation of people of colour in journalism and we therefore welcome and encourage contributions from people with a lived experience of what it means to be of that demographic. The current journalistic landscape is 94% white and 55% male and gal-dem is actively trying to redress this imbalance in media more broadly through both our editorial and commercial work.
Showcasing and celebrating Performers of Colour within cabaret with regular events and a spirited soiree celebrating performers of colour within cabaret with regular events.
Wrapped in your favourite Neo-Soul, RnB, Motown, Blues and Jazz songs, discover Burlesque, Sideshow, Spoken Word, Live Music, Voguing and more; as The Cocoa Butter Club proudly provides a platform for performers of colour to exhibit culturally expressive work for us to revel in! They exist to promote the fact that performers of colour are creating and in a multitude of mediums.
With initiatives such as Networking Hour (post show), they hope to remove the notion that performers of colour do not exist/ are not creating/ are not applying for Cabarets and instead hold a mirror to productions, asking if they encourage performers of colour and the messages their art carries. Their homepage also functions as a directory for producers and event organisers!
The platform is focusing on tackling bias and ensuring their community sees the best of entry level jobs across a range of creative industry sectors.
Founded by Mercedes Benson in 2017, she took a look at the industry she had strived to be a part of and realised how rarely she saw someone who looked like, spoke like and had similar experiences to her. This realisation, coupled with conversations she had with those who existed in the industry, that looked like her, led to the founding of Soxial Fixt.
In having the large online community they have created in just under three years, they already tackle the idea that there are not enough young BAME people seeking these roles - an idea that has floated around for far too long. By further creating the #thefixtseries they are equipping people with the skills to ace not just their CV, but their interviews, too, which debunks the myth of an under qualified young workforce.
Written by Petra Kluk
If you think we have missed someone, please let us know - do send your suggestions & additions to hello@wxmb2.com - we love finding new groups to support!
Support these creatives now online and offline when the World opens up, this is a continuing fight, not a trend.
Make sure you follow www.wxmb2.com for updates and check us out on socials:
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