Global Majority artists take centre stage at Lighthouse Poole this autumn in We Rise, a vibrant group exhibition showcasing award-winning and emerging artists across painting, printmaking, installation, textiles and sculpture.
Reflecting on themes of heritage, identity, migration, nature and belonging, the work celebrates global majority artists living and working in Dorset, as well as invited guests, and is curated by Swanage-based artist Sharon James, who says: “We Rise is about visibility, representation and celebration. Dorset’s global majority community is strong and creative, and this exhibition creates space for those stories to shine.”
We Rise forms part of Black History Month 2025 and highlights the creativity and contribution of artists whose voices are often underrepresented in the region.
“We’re used to exhibiting outside of Dorset, but to have a platform in the place that we live is really important. We all enter open calls, but that means the work is usually seen in isolation and often out of context, so I wanted to be able to put on a small, curated show that shows where we’re at.”
Several of the artists represented showed work at last year’s Connected Grounds exhibition for Access BEAF at Boscombe Arts Depot and from that have come together as Boscombe Radicle Artists Collective (BRAC), with a core group of seven augmented by associate members and invited guests. More artists are waiting to join.
“A radicle is the part of a plant embryo that grows before roots are formed and, like that plant, I’m hoping BRAC will grow and flourish. Some people might be surprised at the number of Global Majority artists living and working in Dorset, but we’re finding more all the time.”
Among those exhibiting in We Rise are Dorchester-based printmaker Georgie Moore and mixed media portrait artist Jack Dickson, who lives in Blandford and was featured this year on BBC One’s Extraordinary Portraits.
“Both were so excited to find there was an outlet locally where they could show their work – it’s like we’ve hit on something that people were crying out for. Jack said he’d been waiting to find his people on his doorstep… and here we are!”
Also showing work is self-taught painter and BRAC member Adilson Naueji who recently staged his first solo exhibition at Lighthouse having won the first ever Lighthouse Open Call in 2024.
We Rise opens on Saturday 20 September and runs until Saturday 1 November. It is free to see from 10am Tues-Sat and in the evening when Lighthouse is open.
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