The BlackScript: Sips & Stories,

About the event

What is 'Sips & Stories'

'Sips and Stories' is the first live storytelling and Launch event for The BlackScript. 'Sips & Stories' will be held on on January 29th 2022 and will be a night of incredible storytelling performances, interactive writing activities and, of course, some liquid courage! This is an event aimed at adults over the age of 18.

Why 'Sips & Stories'?

The theme of 'Sips and Stories' is exploring how we project our identities through storytelling, in line with the current theme of The BlackScript, 'identity'. The contents of the night will aim to explore this by engaging attendees in activities that prompt them to free-write about and share their personal experiences. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to hear the stories of others performed on the night. 

Aim of the event

The aim of the evening is for attendees to have a go at storytelling, to enjoy amateur storytelling performances and to meet new people in an intimate and safe setting. Most importantly, this is a nice and relaxed but engaging evening for adults (18+) who will enjoy alcoholic beverages and music on the night.  Attendees will have an opportunity to purchase tickets prior to the event at a discounted rate through The BlackScript membership.This gives an excellent opportunity for pre-event networking and the opportunity for giveaways and sponsor- related activities to engage attendees. 

Why should you sponsor?

By offering their support for this Launch event, sponsors will be in direct support of a platform that gives people of colour a voice within the storytelling and creative writing sphere. The BlackScript encourages the participation of people from all backgrounds therefore the 'Sips & Stories' event will be an important first step in this work by connecting diverse groups of people and showcasing unique stories. This is an important opportunity for companies to also think about the ways their products and services can be tailored to reach audiences from different populations.

The 'Sips & Stories' event, with the right support, will be one of many events run throughout the year which we hope to be popular with younger and older adult audiences alike. Sponsorship of this event will open future sponsorship and business relationship opportunities, for companies, with The BlackScript. 

Chiugo Ike

My name is Dr Chiugo Ike and I am a London based junior doctor working for the NHS. I am a writer and the founder of The BlackScript. 

I founded The BlackScript in March 2020 during the early COVID-19 pandemic. I was working in a busy intensive care unit in South London and used storytelling, reading and writing as a vital outlet. 2020 was an incredibly turbulent time worldwide, but it was especially so for people of colour, like myself. 

As an Igbo (Nigerian) woman, I recognise the importance and value of the tradition of storytelling within my own community. Storytelling has, for many generations and across many other ethnic groups, created unity between its members.  During the 2020 pandemic and through the rise in use of social media, many have found connection in being able to witness  and relate to the experiences of others. 

I wanted to preserve this tradition and create a dedicated platform where people of colour feel safe to share stories about their lives and experiences. The platform is an insight for readers, of all backgrounds, to empathise and learn from these experiences. This insight is important in connecting people of all backgrounds, particularly where, in more recent times, we have seen division. I believe that we are able to gain better perspectives through better connections. 

The BlackScript is a positive venture that supports and educates both people of colour and those who identify as otherwise. It is a platform for showcasing a 360 degree insight into the lives of people of colour, good and bad.

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