Dr Mykaell Riley sparks discussions on the impact of Black music during Black History Month

On Friday 11 October, the University of Westminster Black Music Research Unit’s (BMRU) documentary Bass Culture was screened at the Garden Cinema in Covent Garden to celebrate Black History Month. The screening was part of Camden Council's Black History Season which runs from October-December to honour the achievements and contributions of Black people across Camden and the UK.

Bass Culture was commissioned as part of Dr Mykaell Riley’s AHRC research project mapping the impact of Jamaican music on Britain over the last half-century and exploring its continued influence on global popular culture. The film was produced by Fully Focused Community (FFC), a youth led media organisation that uses the power of film to raise awareness, challenge perceptions and transform lives.

After the screening, Dr Riley participated in a Q and A session with the film’s director Teddy Nygh from Fully Focused Productions. Dr Riley said of the screening: “We’ve only been able to screen the film around eight times since its release, so it was really special to be able to do it during Black History Month. The film has become a bit of a cult classic amongst those who see it, and it’s sparked a conversation now regarding next steps and how to draw new audiences to Bass Culture going forward.”

The following afternoon on Saturday 12 October, Dr Riley spoke on the Music as Resistance panel at the Triangle of Unity Festival. Hosted by Jacqueline Springer, Curator of the Africa and Diaspora: Performance exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum, the panel also included Michelle Escoffery, President of the PRS Members' Council, and photographer Syd Shelton. The panel used Shelton’s Rock Against Racism photographs to encourage discussion on the power of music to affect social change.

Riley will also host a Q&A discussion at a screening of the documentary Pauline Black: A 2 Tone Story with Pauline Black and the film’s director Jane Mingay. The film explores Black’s legacy as a pioneering musician in the two-tone movement and how it is relevant to the world today, where society pushes the boundaries of gender, politics, race and identity. The Q&A will take place on 4 November at 6:30pm at The Ritzy cinema in Brixton.

The work of the BMRU contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10: Reduced Inequalities. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.  

Find out more about the University of Westminster’s BMRU, including the Bass Culture project.

Discover how the University is celebrating Black History Year.