Bass Culture, a research project led by Mykaell Riley within the Black Music Research Unit (BMRU) at the University of Westminster, has been shortlisted in the ‘Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences’ category of the Times Higher Education Awards 2021.
The Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences award recognises an individual or team within a higher education institution for innovative research that has far-reaching impact and has caught, or has the potential to catch, the imagination of the public.
Bass Culture is a research project by the Black Music Research Unit at Westminster with an aim of defining Black British music through exploring its historical and cultural significance over six decades. Its outputs brought together a national network of community activities, a documentary film, online resource, and book chapter.
It was the first major study of the history and impact of Jamaican influenced music in the UK. Mykaell Riley, Director of the BMRU, has conducted research involving locating, capturing and preserving memories, experiences and ephemera from three generations of musicians, music industry participants and audience members. The associated communities and networks played a key role in transforming Britain into a multicultural society, yet their contributions have previously remained absent from music education, cultural institutions and museums.
The key objective of Bass Culture is to change the narrative and associated perceptions of the distorted history of popular music in Britain, recognising the role played by reggae music and its accompanying historical and political narrative in the British music industry, media and scholarship.
Now in its 17th year and known as the “Oscars of higher education”, the Times Higher Education Awards recognise the talent, dedication and innovation of individuals and teams across all aspects of university life. The awards celebrate achievements during the 2019-20 academic year, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced widespread campus shutdowns.
The University of Westminster has been shortlisted in one of the 20 categories showcasing university achievements, with nominees being picked from a record of almost 600 entries. The awards are judged by a distinguished panel of judges from within and across the higher education sector in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Speaking about this prestigious achievement, Mykaell Riley said: “It’s wonderful that this project is being recognised. Hopefully, the spotlight of these awards will make easier the work that still needs to be done.”
Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday 25 November.
Find out more about the Times Higher Education Awards 2021.
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