Smashing It
Working Class Artists on Life, Art and Making It Happen
Published on 3. October 2019
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-1-908906-40-3 (ISBN)
Description
Longlisted for the People's Book Prize
`An inspiring book full of fight, fire and light' Kate Tempest
Smashing It celebrates the exceptional works and words of 31 leading working-class artists in Britain. Featuring writing, lyrics and images by Wiley, Maxine Peake, Malorie Blackman, Riz Ahmed and many more, it also includes reflections from artists on how class has impacted their working lives.
Come behind the scenes to find out how they overcame obstacles, from the financial to the philosophical, to forge careers in the arts and get inspiration to launch your own project. Smashing It empowers those who will be a part of tomorrow s bigger picture.
Contributors: Riz Ahmed, Sabeena Akhtar, Travis Alabanza, Anthony Anaxagorou, Raymond Antrobus, Malorie Blackman, Michaela Coel, Emma Dennis-Edwards, Maureen Duffy, Jenni Fagan, Marvell Fayose, Salena Godden, Hassan Hajjaj, Omar Hamdi, Kerry Hudson, Rabiah Hussain, Fran Lock, David Loumgair, Lisa Luxx, Paul McVeigh, Bridget Minamore, Courttia Newland, Aakash Odedra, Maxine Peake, Rebecca Strickson, Chimene Suleyman, Joelle Taylor, Monsay Whitney, Wiley, Madani Younis.
`An inspiring book full of fight, fire and light' Kate Tempest
Smashing It celebrates the exceptional works and words of 31 leading working-class artists in Britain. Featuring writing, lyrics and images by Wiley, Maxine Peake, Malorie Blackman, Riz Ahmed and many more, it also includes reflections from artists on how class has impacted their working lives.
Come behind the scenes to find out how they overcame obstacles, from the financial to the philosophical, to forge careers in the arts and get inspiration to launch your own project. Smashing It empowers those who will be a part of tomorrow s bigger picture.
Contributors: Riz Ahmed, Sabeena Akhtar, Travis Alabanza, Anthony Anaxagorou, Raymond Antrobus, Malorie Blackman, Michaela Coel, Emma Dennis-Edwards, Maureen Duffy, Jenni Fagan, Marvell Fayose, Salena Godden, Hassan Hajjaj, Omar Hamdi, Kerry Hudson, Rabiah Hussain, Fran Lock, David Loumgair, Lisa Luxx, Paul McVeigh, Bridget Minamore, Courttia Newland, Aakash Odedra, Maxine Peake, Rebecca Strickson, Chimene Suleyman, Joelle Taylor, Monsay Whitney, Wiley, Madani Younis.
Reviews / Votes
'An ambitious and invaluable collection.' -- Morning Star `Takes us directly to the hypocrisy at the heart of today's Western cosmopolitan elite.' -- The Times Literary Supplement `Incredible; warmth and wit radiate through these pages. It offers urgent inspiration for those from working class backgrounds and is a revealing read for those who aren't. A must-read.' -- Yomi Adegoke `Empowering ... the bible for the next generation of artists from marginalised backgrounds.' -- Nikesh ShuklaMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Saqi Books
Dimensions
Height: 207 mm
Width: 145 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
414 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-908906-40-3 (9781908906403)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
10/2019
The Westbourne Press
€10.79
Available for download
Person
Sabrina Mahfouz is a British Egyptian playwright, poet and screenwriter. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the recipient of the 2018 King's Alumni Arts and Culture Award, a Sky Arts Academy Award for Poetry and a Fringe First Award. Mahfouz is currently writing the biopic of legendary 'Godfather of Grime', Wiley, for Pulse Films. She is co-founder of the Critics of Colour Collective, which helps ensure fairer representation in UK arts criticism. Mahfouz is the editor of Smashing It: Working Class Artists on Life, Art and Making It Happen and The Things I Would Tell You: British Muslim Women Write, which was a Guardian Book of the Year and selected for Emma Watson's feminist book club, Our Shared Shelf. Mahfouz has also published eight works of drama with Bloomsbury. She lives in London. www.sabrinamahfouz.com
Content
Introduction by Sabrina Mahfouz
Ten Crack Commandments, Madani Younis
Little Rass & Coming in from the Cold, Raymond Antrobus
Resolutions for the Common, Black, Queer, Young Kid (and anyone else who may need it) Travis Alabanza
Strength Thy Name is a Working-Class Woman, Maxine Peake
That's How It Was (an extract), Maureen Duffy
Diversity vs. Representation, Riz Ahmed
My Rockstars, Hassan Hajjaj
Spun: Making a Debut Hit Play, Rabiah Hussain
Stories Not Stats, Kerry Hudson
gutter girls, Joelle Taylor
Playing the Part, Michaela Coel
Am I Working-Class or Am I Just Black?, Emma Dennis-Edwards
Cohort, Fran Lock
In the Boot of a Car, Chimene Suleyman
Pluripotent, Jenni Fagan
London Underground, Courttia Newland
Lyrics to Light the Way, Wiley
Family Question Time, Omar Hamdi
Dear British Theatre, David Loumgair
Box Clever, Monsay Whitney
Money Money Money, Bridget Minamore
A Tailor's Son, Marvell Fayose
All Eyes on Me, Paul McVeigh
Entry Points, Sabeena Akhtar
Jeremy Corbyn At the Doctor's Surgery and Separation Has Its Own Economy, Anthony Anaxagorou
Q&A with Novelist, Malorie Blackman
You Wretched Men, Rebecca Strickson
Broken Biscuits, Salena Godden
I Move, I Tell, Aakash Odedra
The Economy of Sisterhood, Lisa Luxx
Smashing the Class Ceiling, Joelle Taylor
Applying for Arts Funding: A Guide, Sabrina Mahfouz
Ten Crack Commandments, Madani Younis
Little Rass & Coming in from the Cold, Raymond Antrobus
Resolutions for the Common, Black, Queer, Young Kid (and anyone else who may need it) Travis Alabanza
Strength Thy Name is a Working-Class Woman, Maxine Peake
That's How It Was (an extract), Maureen Duffy
Diversity vs. Representation, Riz Ahmed
My Rockstars, Hassan Hajjaj
Spun: Making a Debut Hit Play, Rabiah Hussain
Stories Not Stats, Kerry Hudson
gutter girls, Joelle Taylor
Playing the Part, Michaela Coel
Am I Working-Class or Am I Just Black?, Emma Dennis-Edwards
Cohort, Fran Lock
In the Boot of a Car, Chimene Suleyman
Pluripotent, Jenni Fagan
London Underground, Courttia Newland
Lyrics to Light the Way, Wiley
Family Question Time, Omar Hamdi
Dear British Theatre, David Loumgair
Box Clever, Monsay Whitney
Money Money Money, Bridget Minamore
A Tailor's Son, Marvell Fayose
All Eyes on Me, Paul McVeigh
Entry Points, Sabeena Akhtar
Jeremy Corbyn At the Doctor's Surgery and Separation Has Its Own Economy, Anthony Anaxagorou
Q&A with Novelist, Malorie Blackman
You Wretched Men, Rebecca Strickson
Broken Biscuits, Salena Godden
I Move, I Tell, Aakash Odedra
The Economy of Sisterhood, Lisa Luxx
Smashing the Class Ceiling, Joelle Taylor
Applying for Arts Funding: A Guide, Sabrina Mahfouz