Bristol community radio station Ujima has received nearly £30,000 for a project to mark the 50th anniversary of the independence of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago.
The £29,400 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which coincides with the station's fourth birthday, will go towards a Young Roots heritage project Dub Plate to Dub Step taking place in Bristol in August.
The project gives up to 30 young people the chance to celebrate the influence of Caribbean music and culture on Bristol in a radio show, short film and web resource.
Participants will look at trends from the early dub plate vinyl records produced in Jamaica’s famous Studio One recording studio in the late 1950s, through the development of early reggae and dub sound system beats to the dub step artists of today.
The project will launch with a screening of Marley, the story of Bob Marley by Kevin Macdonald at the Watershed.
Ujima Radio founder Kevin Philemon said: “We are delighted to have received this award from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
“I am confident not only will it ensure we develop new skills and training opportunities for young people in our community, but will ensure they create a valuable piece of Bristol’s cultural history to be enjoyed by future generations.”
Richard Bellamy from the HLF said the project would inspire young people and help them to understand their heritage.
“That is why we are so keen to support projects like this one, that enable young people to explore their cultural identity and to find out about the individuals who have shaped their local communities,” he said.
Bristol film production firm First Born Creatives will lead on film making training and support the development of a short film created as a response to the Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago 50 year milestone, which will be showcased at the Watershed Cinema in October. All recordings, information and materials created and collected across the duration of the project will be uploaded on a web page education resource designed and created by young people for 2013.
The project, for 17-25 year olds, starts on August 3 and courses run for between four and eight weeks. It will include cultural trips and participants can either work towards a Bristol Award 2 in Creative Arts or get a personal reference from Ujima FM.
For more information, email caroline@ujimaradio.com or call 0117 924 7715.
