The Newham Mosaic Mission Report was not intended to be a static document but to be a conversational one that would outline our Principles, Purpose, Plan and Programme as they evolved with the growth of the mission and community. Please read about our mission and become part of our community by leaving your comments.
Principles
The Newham Mosaic project mission is based on three fundamental principles:
- Each individual is intrinsically valuable regardless of their ethnic, cultural or personal attributes and abilities.
- Ethnic, cultural and individual diversity are valuable community resources to be respected and explored. Our shared humanity is also sacred and to be respected.
- Communities should be caring, conscious and collaborative environments that nurture the creative genius of all of their residents.
Purpose, Programme and Practice
At the beginning of the project we wrote that:
This project, “Newham Mosaic: Celebrating African Arts and Cultural Diversity,” aims to use photography, art, the written word, and music to create a cultural collage highlighting the rich heritage of African arts in Newham. Through workshops, an exhibition in March 2024, and interconnected websites, the project aims to engage the community and foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for African culture and its place within the Newham Mosaic. While we have chosen to focus on African Arts for this project we want to create a template for additions highlighting other cultural heritages in Newham.
Phase 1 – October to December 2023
During November and December, in line with the focus on African Arts we ran two arts workshops focused on identity, ‘Diaspora Dreaming‘, five writing workshops, ‘The Mosaic Writers Book Club‘, and an African inspired ‘Drumming and Networking Day‘ led by renowned drummer and workshop leader Tom Morley. The ‘Diaspora Dreaming’ workshops focused on the work of Faith Ringgold while the Mosaic Writers Book Club focussed on the work of James Baldwin.
We launched the ‘Conversation Kitchen‘ on 8th November alongside the Our Community Cares Friday Food Club at Memorial Community Church.
The Conversation Kitchen, running from 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm on Fridays is a space where anyone can come along, sit and talk over tea, biscuits and cake. It was, and is, intended to develop alongside the Mosaic Website, WhatsApp Mosaic Community, and Facebook Group, as part of a hybrid conversation that would be truly inclusive.
Phase 2 – January to April 2024
During the second phase of our project from January through April we have continued with the spirit of the ‘Diaspora Dreaming’ arts workshops and the ‘Mosaic Writers Book Club’ through our AI, Art and Story workshops and the online ‘Story of Africa‘ course. The ‘Conversation Kitchen’ continued to develop alongside the OCC Food Club.
While the African Diaspora remained a key focus, we have been working to express that focus in the context of a wider mission to bring together the creative potential of Newham’s whole cultural mosaic. This refinement of purpose is reflected in the change in our logo and a change in the project tagline from ‘Newham Mosaic – The African Diaspora’ to ‘Newham Mosaic – The Art of Community’.