It’s the year 2070 and on the 50th anniversary of The New East Festival, the great-grandchildren of the founders of One Room have taken up the mantle of What the New East means to them…
Barking and Dagenham-based collective One Room produced an original podcast series that imagines a future for the Becontree in sound, in a series of experimental, atmospheric and futuristic vignettes that reimagine the idea of home and identity in ‘New East London’. This ambitious, immersive series will take the listener forward in time by 50 years and ask what our hopes, dreams, and even our history mean for our future.
The series rejected all expectations of podcasting by pushing the boundaries of audio as it moves between documentary, fictional narrative, poetry, sound art, music and more. With contributions from across its members, One Room created something imaginative and hopeful but also challenging as they grappled with the big questions around climate change, creativity, home and identity via human personal stories that allow us to imagine what’s possible for a new generation.
One Room Collective, based in Barking and Dagenham, was created to connect in the real world again, to re-discover the love for the physical because digital isn’t enough. The group comprises young practitioners that believe creativity and inspiration can exist anywhere, all with a desire to break out of the boundaries of what makes and defines London.Collectively rekindling creativity, inquisitiveness, as well as desire to share energy with each other to produce intimate moments that allow people to see themselves, others and places in surprising and imaginative new ways. Twelve months later producing events including wellness, live music, design workshops, live art, panel discussions, exhibitions, and meditation – One Room makes it happen. This call to celebrate and practice plurality in its fullest is now more necessary than ever, No One Room is Ever One Thing and this will be their mantra for life.
One Room Collective:
AJ Haast
Akanele Kalu
Steph Olowe
AJ Thompson
Ade Yusuf
Recent projects include The New East Festival; The Solidarity Space; Staying At Home (all London, 2020); PRO-PER-TY (The White House and Create London, 2019).
Boom Shakalaka established 2014, Margate, Kent and was born from an appetite for connecting people – we care about who gets to tell stories, why and where. Boom brings talented individuals together to make ambitious, creative work in radio, podcast, video, theatre and more. This collaboration will be led by Steve Urquhart, an award winning radio producer, sound designer and composer of 25 years.