Touch The Floor Project
ACE Supporting Information
This page is to provide supporting information for the Arts Council England Project Grant Application for Touch The Floor Project by Anthea Lewis/ Blulilli Projects.
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Contents
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Project Description (What the project is and why it matters)
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Archive Methodology (The research enquiry and how the archive will be developed)
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TTF Archive Activation – Programme & Documentation Framework (How the methodology is put into practice through the live programme)
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Project Timeline (How the research evolves across three phases)
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Core Team & Roles (Who delivers the methodology & research)
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Budget Summary & Explanation
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Marketing & Audience Engagement Strategy
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Previous related work
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Partners' Letters of Support
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Contact Information
1. Project Description (What the project is and why it matters)
Touch The Floor (TTF) is an intergenerational research, archive development & community engagement project exploring Black British social dance cultures, histories, memories & embodied knowledge. Through oral histories, community conversations, workshops, live events & archival research, TTF investigates how collective dance knowledge is transmitted, preserved & remembered across generations.
The project centres Black communities as active contributors to the archive, creating opportunities for elders, artists, practitioners, young people & emerging creatives to share stories, experiences & cultural knowledge. Alongside developing a living archive, TTF explores how archival practices can better recognise & preserve embodied knowledge, questioning what an archive is, who it is for & how communities can actively shape its purpose, form & future.
2. Archive Methodology
The research enquiry & how the archive will be developed
Touch The Floor approaches the archive as a site of enquiry rather than a fixed outcome. Working collaboratively with the archival team & Serendipity Institute for Black Arts & Heritage, the project will explore how collective dance, embodied knowledge & lived experience can be documented in ways that extend beyond conventional archival practice.
Rather than beginning with a predetermined methodology, the TTF Archive Activation will generate the primary material, questions & conversations that inform the research. Through ongoing reflection, evaluation & dialogue with artists, community contributors, partners & the archival team, we will test alternative approaches to participatory archiving that recognise movement, oral histories, collective memory & community knowledge as vital archival forms.
The research will explore questions including:
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How can collective dance be meaningfully archived?
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What forms of knowledge are overlooked by traditional archives?
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What is an archive, who is it for & how can communities actively shape it?
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How can archives remain accessible, relevant & responsive to the communities they represent?
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What should be preserved, for how long & what responsibilities accompany long-term stewardship?
The archive methodology will evolve throughout the project, with each phase informing the next. This iterative process aims not only to create a publicly accessible living archive of Black British social dance cultures, but also to contribute new thinking to participatory archiving, curatorial practice & the future role of archives within communities.
3. TTF Archive Activation – Programme & Documentation Framework (How the methodology is put into practice through the live programme)
Touch The Floor: Archive Activation is the first stage of an 18 month archive & research project, delivered in partnership with Dance Umbrella Festival & Rich Mix. Rather than simply documenting a live event, the programme is designed to generate the primary research material that will shape the archive's ongoing development.
Each activity combines creative participation with archival enquiry, inviting artists, audiences, researchers & community contributors to collectively generate oral histories, movement knowledge, personal memories, photographs, sound, film & written reflections. Alongside specialist documentation, every session will produce archive material that will be reviewed by the archival team & Serendipity Institute for Black Arts & Heritage to identify emerging themes, research questions & priorities for the next phase of archive development.
The programme explores collective dance not only as a cultural practice but also as an archival process, recognising movement, social interaction, storytelling & lived experience as valuable forms of knowledge that have often been overlooked within traditional archives.
Programme Activities
Community Archive Zine-Making Workshop – Natifah White
Participants document memories, stories, places & experiences connected to Black British music & dance cultures.
Archive outputs: Scanned zines, photographs of participant work, written reflections & selected contributions for the digital archive.
Community Playlist & Story Collection – Natifah White & Dwayne Church-Simms
Participants contribute songs & the memories connected to them, creating a collective archive playlist.
Archive outputs: Digital playlist, recorded stories, written memory cards & participant quotations.
Pop-Up Library & Reading Nook – Natifah White & Dwayne Church-Simms
A space for reflection, discussion & sharing books, references & cultural resources.
Archive outputs: Reading list, participant annotations, photographs & audience reflections.
Artist Salon: The Body as an Archive – Dwayne Church-Simms with Dr Aleema Gray & Stuart Thomas
Explores movement, rhythm & lived experience as forms of cultural memory.
Archive outputs: Audio recording, transcript, audience reflections & thematic summary.
Movement Workshop: Rhythm, Repetition & Collective Dance – Jamila Johnson-Small
Explores movement as cultural transmission, collective memory & shared expression.
Archive outputs: Photography, film documentation, facilitator reflections & participant responses.
Keynote Presentations – Benji Reid & Amarnah Ufuoma
Reflections on Black British identity, music, dance, belonging & cultural memory.
Archive outputs: Film documentation, transcripts, photography & selected quotations.
Memory in Motion: Panel Discussion
Facilitated by Lisa Anderson with Cyndi Anafo, Spider J, Dean Bryce, Gary Nurse & Amarnah Ufuoma.
Explores memory, archives, cultural preservation & the significance of Black British social dance spaces.
Archive outputs: Film documentation, transcripts, audience questions & discussion summary.
Lecture Demonstration – Paradigmz & Verona Patterson
Explores movement vocabularies emerging from Black British music cultures & the transmission of social dance knowledge.
Archive outputs: Film documentation, photography, facilitator commentary & audience feedback.
DJ Set & Social Dance Session – Cyndi Anafo & Handson Family DJ
Activates dance as a living site of memory, joy, resistance, expression & community.
Archive outputs: Photography, film documentation, audience reflections & observations of collective dance.
Continuous Archive Capture
Throughout the day, participants will be invited to contribute to the archive through oral histories, audience vox pops, focus groups, archive registration, informal conversations & behind-the-scenes documentation. These activities recognise that valuable archival material is generated not only through the formal programme, but also through spontaneous encounters, shared memories & collective participation.
What Happens Next
Following the TTF Archive Activation, the archival team & Serendipity will review the material collected to identify key themes, research questions & areas for further investigation. This reflective process will inform a Strategic Research & Archive Development Plan, guiding the next phases of research, community engagement, archive development & the creation of a free, publicly accessible living archive.
4. Touch The Floor Project Timeline (How the project develops over 18 months)
Phase 1 – Archive Activation & Research Direction
October 2026 – March 2027
The project begins with the TTF Archive Activation, generating the initial body of archive material. Following the live programme, the archival team & Serendipity Institute for Black Arts & Heritage will review the material collected, identify key themes & develop a Strategic Research & Archive Development Plan to guide the next phase of the project.
Key Milestones
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TTF Archive Activation delivered
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Archive material reviewed & catalogued
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Initial research themes identified
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Strategic Research & Archive Development Plan completed
Phase 2 – Research, Testing & Archive Development
April – October 2027
Research expands in response to the findings from Phase 1. Archive methodologies are tested, refined & developed through continued community engagement, collaborative research & the TTF Living Archive programme at NottDance. Evaluation & reflection remain embedded throughout, informing the archive's ongoing development.
Key Milestones
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Research & archive development
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Community engagement continues
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TTF Living Archive presented at NottDance
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Archive expanded through new contributions
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Methodology reviewed & refined
Phase 3 – Consolidation, Public Access & Legacy
November 2027 – 17 March 2028
The final phase focuses on consolidating research, preparing the archive for public access & capturing learning from across the project. Evaluation, dissemination & legacy planning ensure the work can continue beyond the funded period.
Key Milestones
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Digital archive completed
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Public launch & dissemination
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Final evaluation completed
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Legacy & future research recommendations
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Project close
5. Core Team & Roles (Who delivers the methodology & research)
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Anthea Lewis – Curator & Archive Lead
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Provides overall artistic direction, project leadership, archive strategy, partnership management, evaluation, and oversight of archive development.
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Leads the design and delivery of community archiving activities and ensures research findings inform both public presentations and long-term archive outcomes.
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Steph Berge – Community Engagement & Archivist Producer
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Leads community consultation, participant recruitment, archive contribution activities, oral history coordination, consent processes, contributor support, and archive administration.
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Ensures community voices shape the archive throughout its development.
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Lisa Anderson – Archival Mentor
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Provides specialist guidance on archival methodologies, ethics, accessibility, stewardship, and knowledge preservation.
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Supports the development of sustainable and community-centred approaches to archive creation and management.
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Natifah White – Creative Archive Researcher
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Leads archival research, oral history collection, interviews, and community consultation.
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Identifies themes, stories, and cultural knowledge that inform archive development and future programming.
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Dwayne Church-Simms – Creative Archive Developer
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Develops archive methodologies, contribution frameworks, documentation processes, and digital archive structures.
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Explores approaches to preserving movement-based cultural knowledge and embodied forms of memory.
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Cheresa Revill – Audience Development & Communications Manager
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Leads audience development and communications strategy.
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Supports participant recruitment, archive engagement campaigns, marketing activity, digital engagement, and dissemination of archive outputs.
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Documentation Team
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Captures programme activity, oral histories, community contributions, audience reflections, workshops, discussions, and performances through photography, film, BTS documentation, and vox pops.
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Produces archive-ready documentation and digital assets for future public access and dissemination.
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Documentation Technical Manager & Technical Assistant
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Oversee technical delivery, archive capture requirements, documentation workflows, and event operations.
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Ensure programme activity is effectively recorded and preserved across all project phases.
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Geraint Howell - Accountant & Finance Manager
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Oversees financial management, reporting, compliance, budget monitoring, and final reconciliation in line with Arts Council England requirements.
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6. Budget Summary & Explanation
Funding Overview
Total Project Budget: £127,252
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Arts Council England request: £97,902
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Dance Umbrella cash contribution: £20,500
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Dance Umbrella in-kind contribution: £6,350
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FABRIC cash contribution: £2,500
The project is supported through a blended funding model that combines investment from Arts Council England, Dance Umbrella & FABRIC. This approach enables the live programme, archive research, digital platform development & long-term public legacy to be delivered as one integrated 18-month project.
A significant area of investment supports the phased design, development, testing & public launch of the Touch The Floor digital archive platform. Rather than creating a static repository, the platform will evolve alongside the research, ensuring the archive is shaped by community contributions, archival enquiry & the project's developing methodology.
Investment Across the Project
Phase 1 | Archive Activation & Research Initiation
October 2026 – March 2027 | £36,590
Investment supports specialist documentation, participatory archiving, community engagement, archive research, digital archive discovery & platform specification, accessibility, audience development & project management. Following the TTF Archive Activation, the archival team will review the material generated to identify emerging themes & develop a Strategic Research & Archive Development Plan that guides the remainder of the project.
Phase 2 | Archive Research, Development & Living Archive
April – October 2027 | £35,050
Investment supports continued archive research, community engagement, digital archive platform design & development, documentation, technical support, accessibility & the presentation of Touch The Floor: Living Archive at NottDance 2027. Research & evaluation remain embedded throughout this phase, allowing both the archive & digital platform to evolve through continued participation & testing.
Phase 3 | Archive Publication, Public Access & Legacy
November 2027 – 17 March 2028 | £19,010
Investment supports completion of the digital archive platform, archive publication, digitisation, accessibility, evaluation, dissemination, legacy planning & project closure, ensuring the archive remains a free, publicly accessible resource beyond the funded period.
Why This Investment Matters
Dance Umbrella's investment enables the TTF Archive Activation by funding event production, artist fees, venue staffing, technical delivery & audience-facing activity.
Arts Council England funding embeds specialist archival research, documentation, digital platform development & community participation within that live programme. Rather than funding the event itself, it supports the research, interpretation & archive infrastructure that transform a one-day activation into an evolving public resource.
The funding also supports an interdisciplinary archival team working alongside Serendipity Institute for Black Arts & Heritage to investigate participatory approaches to archiving Black British social dance cultures. Through research, community collaboration & digital innovation, the project explores how living archives can better capture embodied knowledge, collective memory & cultural experience while questioning what an archive is, who it is for & how communities can actively shape its purpose, stewardship & future.
Together, these complementary investments create a sustainable model that combines live cultural activity with long-term archive research, digital innovation & public access. The project will deliver a freely accessible digital archive that continues to evolve beyond the funded period, contributing new thinking to participatory archiving, curatorial practice & the preservation of Black British social dance heritage.
7. Marketing & Audience Engagement Strategy
Vision
Touch The Floor (TTF) will build audiences through participation, co-creation & shared ownership. Rather than viewing audiences solely as spectators, the project invites people to become contributors to a living archive by sharing memories, stories, movement knowledge & lived experiences connected to Black British social dance cultures.
Audience engagement is embedded throughout the project, recognising that the archive is shaped through collective participation. By creating opportunities to contribute, reflect & reconnect, TTF aims to build lasting relationships with communities while ensuring the archive remains relevant, accessible & responsive to those it represents.
Audiences
Core Audience
Black communities across generations, including elders, artists, dancers, practitioners, young people & emerging creatives whose experiences, memories & cultural knowledge contribute to the archive.
Wider Audiences
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Former club-goers, DJs, promoters, selectors & sound system communities.
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Community groups, cultural organisations & grassroots networks.
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Contemporary dance audiences.
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Researchers, students, educators & heritage professionals.
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Artists, archivists, curators & cultural practitioners interested in participatory archival practice.
Audience Development Objectives
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Raise awareness of Touch The Floor through trusted community networks & cultural partnerships.
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Encourage participation in workshops, conversations, archive activities & public events.
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Recruit archive contributors, oral history participants & community collaborators.
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Foster meaningful intergenerational exchange through shared memories, music, movement & lived experience.
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Build long-term relationships with contributors beyond the live programme.
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Ensure the archive remains freely accessible, relevant & actively used after the project's completion.
Audience Journey
Discover → Connect → Contribute → Participate → Continue the Conversation
People will encounter Touch The Floor through artists, community networks, cultural organisations, partner platforms & digital storytelling. They may choose to contribute stories, oral histories, photographs, playlists, creative responses or movement knowledge, participate in workshops & live events, or engage with the archive online.
The project creates opportunities for people to reconnect with the archive as it develops, whether by contributing additional material, attending future activity, exploring the digital archive or sharing it within their own communities. Participation is open, flexible & shaped by individual interests, recognising that every contribution has value.
Audience Development Activity
Audience development will be delivered collaboratively by Blulilli Projects, Dance Umbrella, FABRIC, project partners & the Audience Development & Communications Manager through:
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Community outreach via trusted organisations, artists & grassroots networks.
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Archive contributor recruitment through oral histories, community consultation & storytelling campaigns.
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Artist-led workshops, discussions & intergenerational knowledge exchange.
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Social media campaigns sharing archive stories, contributor voices & behind-the-scenes research.
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Digital communications through partner websites, newsletters & social media platforms.
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Targeted marketing for public programmes & archive participation opportunities.
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Ongoing engagement through the Touch The Floor digital archive.
Archive Dissemination
Archive development takes place throughout the project through research, workshops, documentation, oral histories, community conversations & participant contributions. Rather than waiting until the project's completion, research findings & archive content will be shared at key moments as the archive evolves.
Public dissemination will include Touch The Floor presentations, Dance Umbrella Festival, NottDance, Dance Umbrella Digital Pass, project communications & partner networks, enabling audiences to engage with the archive throughout its development.
The completed Touch The Floor digital archive will launch at the end of the project as a free public resource, providing ongoing access to stories, research, documentation & collective knowledge while creating opportunities for future community contribution & continued archive development.
Measuring Success
Success will be measured through:
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Growth & diversity of archive contributors.
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Participation across workshops, archive activities & public programmes.
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Audience reach, digital engagement & archive usage.
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Evidence of meaningful intergenerational exchange & community ownership.
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Strengthened partnerships & contributor relationships.
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Learning that informs the future development of Touch The Floor & participatory archival practice.
8. Previous Related work by Anthea Lewis/ Blulilli Projects
Ground Provisions (2024–ongoing)
A curatorial and community-building initiative created by Blulilli Projects, bringing Black creatives together through informal gatherings, reflection, restorative practice and peer exchange. Ground Provisions centres care, relationship-building and community infrastructure, creating spaces for dialogue, connection and collective nourishment outside traditional institutional frameworks. This work demonstrates Anthea Lewis' ongoing commitment to convening communities, facilitating exchange and developing artist-centred environments. (Blulilli Projects)
Big God, Little Me (2025)
A multidisciplinary devised performance directed by Anthea Lewis, created collaboratively with performers and designers at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama. Exploring themes of faith, transcendence, resilience and collective survival, the project brought together movement, theatre, sound and visual design to investigate how people navigate uncertainty and seek meaning. The work reflects Lewis' interest in collaborative creation, interdisciplinary practice and generating spaces for shared reflection through live performance. (Blulilli Projects)
Collateral Echoes (2025)
Created by artist Baff Akoto with live performance directed by Anthea Lewis, this immersive installation combined archival material, testimony, moving image, sound and live performance to honour Black and immigrant Britons who died following police contact. Through choreography, ritual, music and collective witnessing, the project explored memory, grief, resistance and remembrance, demonstrating Lewis' experience of working with archival material, community histories and multidisciplinary forms to create powerful public encounters with cultural memory. (Blulilli Projects)
Together, these projects demonstrate a consistent practice of bringing people together through performance, conversation, collective memory and informal gathering spaces. They evidence a long-standing commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, community engagement, artist development and the preservation and sharing of underrepresented histories, all of which directly inform the development of the Touch The Floor Archive Activation project. (Blulilli Projects)
9. Partners Letters of Support
Dance Umbrella Letter
Dance Umbrella is the lead presenting partner for Touch The Floor: Archive Activation, providing investment, production management, technical delivery, staffing, marketing & audience development. The Archive Activation generates the research, documentation & community contributions that underpin the wider 18-month archive project. Dance Umbrella will also support dissemination through its communications channels, Digital Pass platform & sector networks, extending the project's reach & long-term impact.
Serendipity Letter
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts & Heritage is the project's Archive & Heritage Partner, contributing expertise in participatory archiving, heritage preservation, digital archiving & interpretation. Working alongside the archival team, Serendipity will support the development of the archive methodology, critical reflection & long-term archive strategy, helping ensure the Touch The Floor archive is accessible, community-centred & of lasting public value.
Fabric Letter
FABRIC is the project's Regional Development Partner, supporting the continued development of Touch The Floor through a future presentation at NottDance 2027. The partnership will extend the project's reach through regional audience engagement, community connections & collaborative programme development, enabling the archive, research & community participation to evolve beyond the initial Archive Activation.
10. Contact Information
Anthea Lewis / Blulilli Projects
www.blulillibyanthealewis.com
anthea.lewis@gmail.com
07910740742
Applicant Number: 51094334
NLPG-00874419