#BlackoutTuesday - After the Blackout, Keep Supporting & Championing Black Artists

I din’t want to let #BlackoutTuesday pass by without writing something about it, acknowledging its existence. Consider this blog entry a hastily written, ill-prepared drop in the ocean of this important international conversation.

I was considering whether to post a black square on my Instagram and tag it with #BlackLivesMatter, along with other hashtags; but artist, audio producer & founder of “Sister Shack” Tel Erbie raised the problem with doing so: If you were to click on the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, today, you’d see square after square of darkness occupy the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag. It’s a great showing of support, of course, in response to the great outpouring of decades of bubbling anger at society’s inherent and sustained racial inequality, sparked by the death of George Floyd. But filling the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, a much-important free exchange of information about the movement, results in “hiding much needed activism and information” behind a wall of blankness.

In response, please keep the hashtags separate - and tell your networks to do so if you can. #BlackoutTuesday is important and has its place. But beyond today, after this hashtag reaches the end of its 24-hour window, do consider how you can continue to showcase your support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement; to share and champion black artists and their work.

Yusuf Yahaya - Singer, Musician, Wordsmith.

Yusuf Yahaya

"I like to consider myself a musician, but to be honest I’m just someone who asks questions over instrumentals."

“My songs are like questions. I feel as though we all have them, and I enjoy taking people on a quest to find answers, over striped back lo-fi instrumentals. My major inspirations are J Cole and Santan Dave in terms of style, but in terms of contents I owe that to all my exes.”

Tel Erbie

Alongside running the female creative collective ‘Sister Shack’, and working as a freelance DJ, Tel is currently studying an MA in Radio Production at the University of Sunderland.

“Our aim is to promote and empower women to continue their growth in any area they undertake. We strongly believe in female wellbeing and we aim to talk about and tackle any subject - from feminism, relationships, nutrition, boundaries, consent, racism - nothing is off limits.”

If you have artists or creatives you would like to nominate for inclusion on the ArtyParti website, or to take part in a discussion on our podcast, please do get in touch. We are keen to continue to grow our online space to champion and celebrate the work of creative professionals.