Deptford X 2019
Deptford X 2019 was made up of a core programme of artists, chosen and supported by Deptford X, an extensive Fringe programme, and a closing parade.
Core Programme
Curated: A programme of seven artists and five new commissions by the festival director, Nathalie Boobis, within the framework of ‘Stop Making Sense’, the starting point for 2019’s festival. The Curated projects can be read as a distributed exhibition across different sites and spaces in Deptford. The artists are Kobby Adi, Sarah Browne, Roland Carline, Tiz Creel, Jin Han Lee, Sophie Mallett and Gray Wielebinski.
Supported: New for 2019, this strand was selected by open call and is intended to widen access to participation in the festival by providing funding, production and curatorial support to successful applicants. The 2019 winners were selected by guest judges Teresa Cisneros, Natasha Hoare, Christopher Kirubi, Hew Locke, Imran Perretta and Deptford X judges NT, Maggie Learmonth and Nathalie Boobis. The Supported artists were Ikra Arshad, George Boros, Tyreis Holder, Nkechinyere Nwobani-Akanwo and Davinia-Ann Robinson.
Fringe: Deptford X Fringe celebrates and promotes the area’s art scene. It is an opportunity for artists to show their work to a wider public and participate in an established event that has been running for over 20 years. It is a uniquely un-juried programme, meaning that if an artist submits an idea that fulfils the criteria then they are guaranteed a place in the Fringe. The Fringe is primarily aimed at artists who are active in our local borough of Lewisham and this year we are very proud to present over 90 fringe projects that will be running over the course of the next 10 days.
The ‘theme’ in 2019 was ‘Stop Making Sense’ and many of our fringe artists chose to work within this framework producing whimsical, playful and unruly projects.
Parade
A Parade of Friendly Monsters- a new community-led closing parade for 2019.
Across the world, humans have created masquerade traditions that are both beautiful and startling. Whenever there’s the need for communities to process and incorporate a significant change, we turn ourselves into monsters, animals and spirits.
On Sunday 3 November 2019 – perhaps days after a Halloween Brexit – we invite everyone and anyone to take part in an extraordinary masquerade parade through the streets of Deptford, witnessed by hundreds of their friends and neighbours watching agog.
A whirlwind of fur, feathers, horns, drones, drums, pompoms, bears, bagpipes, sequins, leather, lions and bells. This is the closing event for Deptford X 2019.
A Parade of Friendly Monsters was a project by artist producer Phoenix Fry in partnership with Deptford X and funded by Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants.
Team
Director: Nathalie Boobis
Festival Manager: Sarah Umar
Festival Assistant, Communications and Volunteers: Rhiannon Hunter
Festival Assistant, Programme Delivery: Charlie Hawksfield
Festival Design: Europa
We would like to thank the following partners for their support in 2019:
