The year has begun with a raft of activity for the Centre for Law, Society and Popular Culture.
In terms of the Soho Poly, redevelopment works are underway and the space is due to reopen in the summer, with more details to follow. Meanwhile, Matthew Morrison and Professor Guy Osborn have been working on a number of related projects in the interim. This includes a project in January where postcards with creative writing prompts were sent weekly through the charity Open Age. The project was very successful, with some fantastic work being shared, and was later offered to some Westminster alumni too. One of the pieces of creative writing was, in fact, turned into its own postcard (see the image below).
The first postcard used a quote from the oral history interview the Centre conducted with Hanif Kureishi in 2022, as part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Soho Poly Inspiring Future Generations project. The original Soho Poly helped launched playwright Kureishi’s career. The final postcard featured actor Bob Hoskins.
Professor Pippa Catterall has had a busy start to the year. She was heavily involved in the University’s rich programme of LGBT+ History Month events. She spoke at the launch of the Loudest Whispers exhibition, introducing a group of Westminster students who presented on LGBTQ+ representation in film at St Pancras Hospital. The presentations linked to 2023’s LGBT+ History Month theme Behind the Lens. Professor Catterall also co-hosted the LGBT+ History Month event which boosted open conversation around why a London AIDS memorial matters, alongside AID Memory UK’s founder Ash Kotak.
Professor Steve Greenfield has been appointed Extraordinary Professor in Education and Human Rights in Diversity Research Unit at North-West University, South Africa. This news cements the University’s long-standing links with North-West University.
Finally, the Centre has welcomed a number of visitors to give guest lectures and seminars to Westminster students. These include Sir Richard Arnold’s seventh annual lecture to over 150 people at Portland Hall; a seminar on sports sponsorship from Sheridans law firm; and an interesting session on music contracts delivered by alumni Nick Kadrnka from Sony Music. Entertainment Law LLM alumni George Chin visited the University to see his photo of David Bowie which now has pride of place in the University’s Little Titchfield Street building.
