The African and African-Caribbean Design Diaspora is the new three year initiative of the British European Design Group (BEDG) to promote the creative skills and commercial potential of ethnic minorities of African and African-Caribbean descent in the UK.

Co-funded by the Arts Council England/Lottery Fund and supported by the London Design Festival, the Initiative will run alongside the London Design Festival until the Olympics in 2012.

Its main purpose is to provide a comprehensive overview of the creative skills, cultural heritage and cultural identities of black designers to promote wider public interest and to improve the dialogue between the different communities.

A series of events, exhibitions, seminars and workshops is intended to offer platforms for black designers in the UK, Africa and the Caribbean. Schools and outreach programmes with a high number of black minorities will also form an essential part of the initiative.

Another vital aspect is the bridge building between black British born and based designers and their African and Caribbean counterparts allowing both sides to benefit from an exchange of cultural identities, such as the inclusion of traditionally trained craftsmen and – women from Africa and the Caribbean in some of these events and exhibitions to instigate a mutually advantageous learning process about ancient manual craft skills and contemporary design approaches.

We believe that black British creativity can offer a virtually untapped vein of talent, which can be mobilised to enrich the UK design community, both aesthetically and commercially. « less