The Spit Game: championing young black voices through creative expression
Following their year-long residency at Science Gallery London, the collective presents new films that explore education, consent, humour, and conspiracy through the lens of young Black people
My Kind of Black by The Spit Game UK at Science Gallery London (2024)
Imagine a classroom where the rhythm pounded, heads swayed in unison, and microphones became tools for lyrical expression. This wasn't your typical setting; it was one of the rap club sessions ignited by former teacher Benjamin Turner at his first job in 2016. What started as an after-school project quickly blossomed into The Spit Game, a thriving community of young artists, actors, models, producers, and creatives from across London. The collective expresses themselves in music, film, and fashion. One of their core initiatives is Spit on the Street, an open rap cypher series that unearths new talent in the city. Constantly growing with new members, The Spit Game has become a pivotal platform that celebrates and champions the vibrant potential of young Black talent and cultures.
In 2023, the collective was selected for the inaugural edition of Science Gallery London’s Just Futures residency programme. This year-long residency is designed to empower young and emerging creatives, activists, and convenors, placing them at the forefront of designing structures, systems, and ideas for future living. It offers crucial space and support to experiment and develop concepts aimed at fostering equitable futures.
“We used the framework developed with researchers at King’s College London to engage more youth voices in local secondary schools and ensure that the topics of our short films were supported by research”
Throughout their residency, the Spit Game enjoyed access to spaces, dedicated to working collaboratively, writing sessions, rehearsals, and film production, all supported by the Science Gallery London’s team. Alongside this, they worked with researchers from King’s College London to delve deeper into the issues impacting young Black individuals, specifically within education. This collaboration culminated in the development of a research framework that guided their interaction with students and their creative process. ‘We implemented this framework in local secondary schools to engage more youth voices and ensure that the topics covered in our short films were supported by research’, explained Benjamin Turner.
From top to bottom, left to right: The Spit Game UK members Ryan, Aaron, Isaiah, Zara, Tyrelle and Vidal, research facilitators Nathan and Hana, and Science Gallery London producer Jaz .
Their residency will culminate in the exhibition MY KIND OF BLACK at Science Gallery London. Curated by young Black creatives, the show features four short original films inspired by their work with local secondary schools, existing research in the Arts & Humanities faculty at King’s College London, and their personal experiences.
“All of our film projects focus on highlighting excellence and/or issues that reflect our community of young Black creatives. This has been enhanced by our residency at Science Gallery London”
Through a blend of comedy and drama, their films aim to shed light on the experiences and challenges faced by young Black people in London today. As Turner said, ‘There needs to be a recognition that excluding things from schools – be it youth cultures (positive or negative) or Black identities – does not exclude it from their lives and risks making young people feel unsafe or unwelcome.’
This claim is highlighted in the film, HELP! I THINK MY TEACHER IS RACIST, which explores the impact of educational system issues on the mental health of Black students. ‘Embracing the cultures and identities of learners, supporting them to achieve excellence within and beyond these, and trusting young people with more leadership (including allowing failures) will elevate the impact of education,’ says Turner.
The Spit Game, HELP! I Think My Teacher is Racist, 2024 (film still)
“Embracing the cultures and identities of learners, supporting them to achieve excellence within and beyond these, and trusting young people with more leadership (including allowing failures) will elevate the impact of education”
The Spit Game, The Things I’ll Do To Be President, 2024 (film still)
Visitors to the exhibition are invited to watch the films, explore the behind-the-scenes creative processes, and engage with the Spit Game Studio to express their own unique creativity. ‘This will be a refreshing exhibition experience. A key goal is to show that learning creatively – not just facilitated in classrooms and/or institutions – can have its own value,’ added Turner.
MY KIND OF BLACK will be on display from 17 July to 12 October 2024 at Science Gallery London. The Just Futures residency programme is a testament to the commitment of the Science Gallery Network to provide opportunities and resources for nurturing the next generation of thinkers, creators, and leaders who will shape a more just future.
Compiled by: Ana Prendes, Science Gallery International, 2024.