As part of Boundary Encounters at Modern Art Oxford, the exhibition shows ‘A Place For We’ with the work of Brookes Architecture students who responded to a brief describing the lack of a centre for diverse communities and aiming to offer accessibility for all. Their portfolios and designs range from general engagement on how culturally specific needs can be addressed to sketches of possible cultural centres in Temple Cowley.  On 10 October, the exhibition hosts a discussion evening inviting local arts organisations, policy makers, urban planners and architects, residents, activists and archivists to listen to students’ experiences as well as panel speakers from local African Caribbean and Afrikan heritage organisations addressing the issues on diverse and inclusive cultural spaces in Oxford. 

Based on our collaborative approach, we have ongoing conversations with creatives, activists and archivists from local African Caribbean and Afrikan heritage organisations as well as community initiatives. The need and significance of an African Caribbean cultural centre in Oxford is shown by and through the multitude of (hi)stories shared with us. In the recent initiative by the Oxfordshire Community Education Group for a Black History Month exhibition, a newspaper article from the 1960s emerged which stated:  “Although there are about 8,000 West Indians in Oxford and most of them enjoy a celebration, there was no formal gathering last night to see the New Year. And the reason is that the Oxford Caribbean society had nowhere to hold one. Mr. Horatio Spencer, of 10 Overmead Green, Blackbird Leys, who has been trying to keep the club going for the last two years, tells us: ‘up to the last minute I was going to organise something. But I couldn’t find a hall. It is very sad that West Indians, who are accustomed to seeing New Year in great style would be frustrated in this way’".  Similarly, interviews with young community members in a 1978 ATV Today report highlights the challenges in building their own spaces and  gives insights into the significance for community organisations such as the African Descendants Youth and Roots Group.

Preliminary results of 'Diversifying Creative Spaces' and the wider context of the project were presented at the CKC2023: New Future for Creative Economies conference in Bristol on 29th March. In their talk  ‘A Place For We – Mapping creative spaces and the African Caribbean experience in Oxford’, Euton Daley, Junie James, Rachel Barbaresi, Hanna Klien-Thomas and Sylvia Morgado De Queiroz introduced previous collaborative projects, the ongoing community-led campaigns for permanent space, as well as various student projects at Brookes which have emerged from their activities. In doing so, they discussed ideas for tools of community-led archiving, integrating student learning experiences in collaborative research and how documenting initiatives in academic research can contribute resources for activism and community organising.

Architecture students at Brookes are currently working on a project researching ‘access’ and how the sense of community integration can be strengthened. The first year undergraduate students explore possibilities of a purpose-built community centre in the Temple Cowley area  through desk based research and recorded site observations. A number of guest speakers will provide insights to students about the lived experience and knowledge about shared diverse spaces in Oxford, including Euton Daley and Junie James. Students can draw inspiration to drive their designs from listening to oral histories and asking questions. 

The module ‘Introduction to Architectural Design 2’ is led by Khisha Clarke and Ralph Saull. Student tasks are based on the understanding of Oxford as one of the most diverse small cities in Britain, where over time the demographic make up of certain areas has changed causing the displacement and separation of specific communities from the amenities that support them. Students are encouraged to think of their work as a collective response that will generate research and ideas that can be used as collateral to campaign for the funding and creation of further facilities closer to the heart of the community. 

As part of the learning process the changes in the role of the architect are highlighted, as its governing institutions seek to reprioritise matters of social and ethical values at the very top of the list of responsibilities. In addition, community consultation and engagement is becoming standard practice rather than an afterthought, involving those who use the spaces in the design of their spaces. Through this project students will gain the necessary knowledge, skills and vocabulary to research and engage in the cultural and social dimensions which drive architectural scale design decisions. Such investigation will drive purposeful designs that seek to effect nuanced and meaningful change for the people and communities they serve.

Image by Moe Javaheri-Yeganeh

Dear All,

Firstly, I would like to apologise for not being able to attend this event as I am in full-time employment at Harwell and this is our busiest period.

Secondly, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to write something on behalf of our Domino Club (Oxford Domino Club established 2009).

My name is James Forbes and I have been the Chairperson of Oxford Domino Club since it started from humble beginnings with donations from myself and 2 other members who are no longer active.

It is important to understand the history of this very significant pastime among the Caribbean diaspora, from the first arrival of the Windrush generation in 1948 until the present day. The 2 games that formed an essential part of Caribbean life here, were the game of dominoes and the other cricket, both unfortunately on the decline, due to a lack of resources and properly equipped “spaces” for these activities. My mother arrived here from Barbados in 1957 and settled in Oxford. My father came from Jamaica in 1959 and after a brief stint in Slough came to Oxford where he met my mother and they married in 1961. I was the first child of that union born in 1963, followed by my younger sister in 1969.

As a young child, I heard nothing else in our house except cricket and dominoes. Dad would play dominoes at any opportunity. He and friends played in each other’s homes along with the odd rum or two! A club was soon formed. They went all over the country playing other clubs like Manchester, Nottingham, London to name a few. Dad would always say “Nobody could beat Oxford” and I could never recall them getting beat. They always appeared victorious when they eventually got back at all hours of the morning. The important fact is that dominoes was a part of a culture that bonded them together. Caribbean immigrants connected through the game of dominoes.

After approaching the council they managed to secure a club on the Cowley Road. Many of you may remember the “Caribbean Sunrise Club” where Tesco’s is now. The importance of this was that it was a base, where other domino clubs up and down the country could come for matches. Various local activities and entertainment could also be run from here. The club went on into the 70’s and 80’s and formed an integral part of the Caribbean community and my youth.

Fast forward to the present day, the clubs and youth clubs have all gone. We were briefly allocated a Caribbean Centre that would have a crèche, mental health facility, appropriate spaces for dominoes and other activities (Cowley Marsh) in the 2000’s. I got involved when I became Chairperson of ACCAN only to be told that the project had been shelved. There is still some activity around this cause today but to no avail. I was approached by a few people in 2008 to try and rekindle the game of dominoes. Many of the people I spoke too at that time (Especially people in the 60+ bracket) felt that it was important to maintain at least parts of their culture from back home. Dominoes being one of the main ones. Many felt it was a part of their culture they didn’t want to lose. I put on a mini tournament in 2008 at East Oxford Community Centre and to my amazement it was so well attended that the seed had been sown. I was determined to breathe new life into our community through our favourite pastime.

We had no base to start so we approached a few pubs. Our first game in which we played hosts to a team from Nottingham was at the Nelson Pub. The pub had never seen an attendance of that magnitude in its entire history. We then moved onto the Swan and for a few years packed out the place with our season games (April – September). As we became more successful, we would put on trips to see the lights at Blackpool and many other cities. We also conducted our own fundraising with Barbecues, Christmas events etc. We eventually left the Swan and are now in our 6th year at Cowley Worker’s Social Club. It’s been a rollercoaster ride as there is nothing worse than not having your own centre, base or space.

The pubs and the social club have made substantial profits on the back of our dominoes club. We do not have the proceeds of the bar, not even a percentage! Our club day/nights normally start around midday with the away coach arriving around 2pm (normally a 52 seater). The bar is open all day right up until the end of the match/evening night entertainment. The away coach leaves for home at around 2am the next day. As you can see the extent of the revenue we have generated in a 24 hour period, which we only keep our match subs and entry to the dance in the evening. We have run some fantastic nights to help fundraise for the club. These include 2 successful comedy nights, a lover’s rock evening and steel band evenings. This highlights the importance of having our own premises or even diverse space.

We have the ability within the club’s committee to run our own operations, and to be self-sufficient. We have never been given the chance despite running a vital community resource and knocking on all the right doors. Our members are primarily pensioners who enjoy getting out and meeting one another over a game of dominoes. They also enjoy going out on away games. Post covid-19 we have managed to secure home and away games against Bedford, Oldham, Manchester and Cardiff this season.

We continue to strive for a place of our own. We certainly do not want this very important part of our heritage to continue to dwindle because of a lack of “spaces” to play. The game of Dominoes is at the heart of the Caribbean diaspora tight-knit support group. It is intrinsic to the Caribbean culture. Owning and running our own place would be significant for the local Caribbean community and the diverse community of Oxford. Communities and our different cultures need to be fused together, including in-built pastimes. Leaving a legacy for our heritage has to be paramount. Let’s take the family game of Dominoes to the next level………..

Many thanks

James Forbes (Oxford Domino Club Chairperson)

In the first project phase, creatives and cultural organisers who have been and/or are involved in relevant initiatives were invited as experts to share their experiences in a workshop bringing together researchers, community members and community cultural organisers. The workshop took place on 9 June at the Headington campus and was facilitated by Euton Daley. We heard some inspiring narratives and presentations which were a starting point for discussions. Key messages from this session were:

• The significance of the Cowley Road area as a ‘conduit’ that connects Blackbird Leys to the centre of Oxford and as a location for cultural diversity which is lacking elsewhere in Oxford.

• The difficulties of historic and recent loss of community cultural spaces and the need to identify and create a permanent space for the African Caribbean community.

• The value these spaces have for the cultural life of Oxford. 

• The need for a public conversation which will involve cultural organisations, stakeholders in the city council, as well as residents and students based in Oxford around finding land / premises for a permanent space.

One of the outcomes of the session was a proposal from the BA degree in Urban Design, Planning and Development to run a research study for their first-year students around this project. The students will analyse social spaces in the Cowley Road area of Oxford considering how they may be experienced by people from diverse backgrounds. This will involve mapping the use of space and developing proposals to improve access to cultural space by different groups including the African Caribbean community. 

In 2021, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Network (EDIN) awarded a number of grants to Oxford Brookes researchers to support multidisciplinary research and collaborations.

Among the grant winners are Dr Hanna Klien-Thomas and Rachel Barbaresi with the project 'Diversifying creative spaces in Oxford'. This is a collaboration with local African Heritage community and cultural organisations and individuals.

This project seeks to document initiatives to diversify creative spaces in Oxford and thereby contributes to an understanding of how the lack of space reproduces racial inequities. The outputs aim to map spaces dedicated to cultural forms of expression of/by/for African diaspora communities and Black-led venues not merely by location but grounded in the experiences of those involved in the initiatives. 

The funded projects represent a range of cross-faculty collaborations and external partnerships, more information about all funded projects here: EDIN grant winners - Oxford Brookes University