BLACK HISTORY MONTH FORTH VALLEY CELEBRATED WITH VIGIL, ART & POETRY

Written By Kevin Harrison

A new partnership, Black History Month Forth Valley have been celebrating Black History Month  

2024 this October and with a programme of art, reflection, poetry and music programme across Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling.  

Young poet from Larbert High School, Ekua Osei, performing for audiences at the Speirs Centre in Alloa

The programme began with an inter-faith peace vigil on the 4th October 2024 at St Saviour’s Scottish Episcopal Church in Bridge of Allan. Led by Rev Aaron Moffat-Jackman, the rector for St Saviour’s and St Modoc’s in Doune, the short 30-minute peace vigil featured music, readings from across faiths and created a space for Honour, Hope and Healing. 

Reverend Aaron Moffat-Jackson leads a vigil at St Saviour’s Church in Bridge of Allan to open Black History Month Forth Valley.

This was followed by an Art and Poetry event and display on 21st October at the Speirs Centre in Alloa. Supported by the Clackmannanshire Council Library Service, this well attended event featured art work by Dunblane based artist Christina Horrill, including textile works, monoprints and other visual artworks celebrating identities and landscapes. The work was exhibited in the main library for the duration of the week. 

Pictured - Ekua Osei, Rebecca Northover and Iain Keane with artwork by Christina Horrill at Speirs Centre for Black History Month Forth Valley Art and Poety event

Ekua Osei from Larbert High School, chair of BHM Forth Valley Robecca Northover and Iain Keane from the Speirs Centre celebrate with a display of artwork by Dunblane artist Christina Horrill.

Incantations: iBrina by Tape Rituals.

A film following Falkirk based reggae artist iBrina on a journey of self-expression, reclamation and empowerment.

The project, funded by a Scene Stirling Unlearning Open Grant, was led by Stirlingshire based musician and filmmaker Omar Aborida of Tape Rituals.

Omar said: “The film draws from performance footage and conversational interviews to illuminate iBrina’s creative workflow and practice as well as her connection to Scotland.”

The event featured a screening of a powerful film Incantations: iBrina by Tape Rituals, following Falkirk based reggae artist iBrina on a journey of self-expression, reclamation and empowerment.The film was made by Stirlingshire based musician and filmmaker Omar Aborida of Tape Rituals. 

This was followed by a performance of song and poems as well as a talk by Larbert High School pupil and talented creative Ekua Osei, drawn from her lived experience and hopes for the future. 

Feedback from the audience noted that Ekua was an “Excellent poet. Very eloquent and mature beyond her years.” 

Black History Month Forth Valley are a collaborative partnership who have come together to reboot Black History Month across Forth Valley this October and the years to come. We are looking for collaborators, creatives and venues who would like to be involved in hosting Black History Month Forth Valley 2025. 

A range of local groups and businesses are working together to support the project including Police Scotland, local libraries and churches and Artlink Central. 

For more information about Black History Month Forth Valley: Tell Your Story visit scenestirling.com/bhmforthvalley 

Kevin Harrison
Kevin Harrison is the Director of Artlink Central, a charity and social enterprise designing creative experiences in conjunction with artists, public bodies and led by disadvantaged or marginalised people particularly in health, social care or criminal justice contexts. . Kevin joined the organisation five years ago and was previously Arts and Wellbeing Manager with Sense Scotland since 2006, supporting a Scotland-wide participation in the arts for disabled people with communication needs. Kevin managed the development of a range of arts projects including Threads and Found in Translation, projects exploring cultural diversity and disability, and Leaving New Craigs, a life history project in Inverness for people leaving the last long stay hospital in Scotland. He managed a national arts and wellbeing team and supported the establishment of a strong creative programme in the TouchBase, a new inclusive base for people and communities supported by Sense Scotland in the south side of Glasgow. Kevin who has a degree in theatre and film from Roehampton University and who undertook postgraduate studies in Arts Management and Policy at Birkbeck University of London is also a trustee for Scottish Prison Arts Network, chair of Dementia Friendly Forth Valley as part of a Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) programme. Previous posts include freelance editor and administration roles with key national disability arts organisation, Shape Arts and public sector roles in Arts Development and as Business Manager, Creative Academy, Slough Borough Council, supporting a multi-million pound EQUAL creative industries inclusion programme . He also has experience of managing Music 4 Slough, a Youth Music Action Zone.
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