DIY: 2017 – Jessie McLaughlin & Jo Chattoo: We Are Family FC

Queer people exploring our queer bodies by chatting, kicking footballs, gentle boxing stuff, rapping, running, dancing, reading, jogging, watching videos and whatever else comes to mind

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

Project summary

Join us to explore and think/chat about our queer bodies through queering sport. We think that both the arts and sport can very often be very exclusive to and favourable of white cis able male bodies and yet at the same time we see sport and art as interesting mediums for providing safe space for bodies who may be some or none of those things. So, we would like to create a space to research these ideas through playing something together – gentle, non-competitive, informal games of football, basketball, a slow jog, a weight lift, dancing – whatever we think of. Within our playing, we would like to carve out space for discussion about our queer bodies, in and out of queer spaces by bringing in other things like video clips, writing, music, art etc. Hopefully, by mashing all these things together we can think about queer bodies, space, movement in ways we hadn’t quite before. 

It feels important to say we want to create a space in which everyone feels comfortable and welcome to listen, to contribute, to play, to show-off, to hang back, to be quiet and non-participatory, and all responses are treated as valid and valuable so we will probably kick off with some sort of group discussion/agreement on how we do this.

How to apply

Applications are invited via the link below. The application form asks for details on you and the things you like to do, your reasons for wanting to take part in this DIY, and 2 things that, if selected, you might bring to the sessions for the group to think about.

We welcome anyone who identifies as queer, trans, non-binary and/or gay/bi/pansexual into these sessions. However, we are not interested in replicating white-cis-able-bodied dominated spaces so please help us do this by stating if you are white/cis/able-bodied in the bit about yourself. Thank u!

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

Dates, times and location

Dates: Fri 29 Sept – Sun 1 Oct
Times: 12noon – 4pm each day
Location: Norwich

The artists

Hi my name is Jessie, I am am an artist and keen amateur footballer (no sporting ambition beyond doing excellent kick ups in the park) based in London. I make work from a queer brown (sometimes sad) perspective, foregrounding personal/emotional experiences and proposing these as valid (and so therefore valuable) methods of research. My work is often social, collaborative and instinctively interdisciplinary in approach – taking form as books, workshops, performance, archives, drawings, photography, video, playlists etc.

Hi my name is Jo, I organise Queer Kickabout, a friendly kick-about and meet-up for queer, trans, non-binary people in East London.

We both identify as queer people of colour.

If you have questions about this project, please contact Jessie.

This DIY is supported by Norwich Arts Centre.