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Groundings on a Black Planet

An evening of sound, gathering and reasoning

,Conservatory
An illustration of a saxophone player

What might it mean to ground on a Black planet? This evening invites audiences into a shared space of sound, archive and reasoning, exploring memory, relation and diasporic connection.

Curated by HOUSE OF DREAD, this participatory evening engages themes of archive, ritual, nationhood and Black life across geographies. Drawing on the work of Walter Rodney, "groundings" is a method of gathering, listening and reasoning together.

The Conservatory becomes a space of encounter, inviting audiences to sit within a shared process rather than observe from a distance. Through live sonic interventions by CKTRL and moving image, the evening considers memory, land and inheritance, and how these continue to shape lived experience.

Asking what it means to ground in a time of fragmentation, contributors including writer and researcher Haja Fanta, community advocate Sheeba Levi and writer Aniefiok 'Neef' Ekpoudom reflect on Black gathering, diasporic connection, Pan-Africanism and the forms of knowledge that exist beyond the institution.

Tagged with: Talks & events Project a Black Planet: Events & Gatherings Take part

Age recommendation: 16+

Ticket Releases:
Tickets for this event are released in batches. Currently, we have only released the first wave. Subscribe to our Creative Collaborations newsletter for information on further waves.

About HOUSE OF DREAD

HOUSE OF DREAD is an anti-disciplinary heritage studio. Guided by principles of co-production and community knowledge(s), we ask questions that disrupt what is already known, provoke creativity and inspire new ways of thinking. 

As a source of learning, we are powered by community and a commitment to fostering meaningful exchanges and connections. From curated events, exhibitions, and critical interventions to professional mentorship and research-driven programmes, our work foregrounds rich yet complicated stories and experiences of the people, places and movements that have been undocumented, under-researched or forgotten. 

Speakers

Haja Fanta – Provocations
Haja Fanta is a researcher and writer whose practice is built on a single conviction: that culture, examined through its connections and frictions, is both a reflection of who we are and a means of making sense of the world and intervening in it.Based in London and working globally, her work spans visual art and cultural studies. She has written for World of Interiors. contemborarva and BYREDO. and has shaped cultural programmes with the Southbank Centre, The Africa Centre (London) and RALLY Festival. She works with a particular focus on West Africa and its diaspora, as a critical cultural force shaping the contemporary world. Her research experience includes roles at RAW Material Company and University of the Arts London.She is the founder of Studio Marrah, a research-led cultural studio that combines embedded cultural intelligence with strategic thinking; helping organisations contribute to culture with sharp, imaginative ideas.

Sheeba Levi – Provocations
Sheeba Levi is a Jamaican-born community advocate, cultural organiser and researcher whose work has focused on empowerment, heritage and social justice for over three decades. In the 1980s, she founded Sheeba Crafts in Brixton, a self-help initiative supporting vulnerable and marginalised communities through skills development and enterprise. A dedicated member of the Ethiopian World Federation since the early 1990s, she continues to serve in a leadership capacity. Her work bridges community activism, legal studies and ancestral research, and includes helping to organise the landmark 2014 Emancipation Day March in London, which brought together thousands to commemorate emancipation and celebrate African and Caribbean heritage.

Aniefiok ‘Neef’ Ekpoudom – Provocations
Aniefiok ‘Neef’ Ekpoudom is a writer from London. In his work, Aniefiok documents varying cultures and communities across contemporary Britain. His first book Where We Come From: Rap, Home & Hope in Modern Britain is a narrative-driven social history of British Rap, spanning from the 60s to present day. It was released by Faber & Faber in 2024. Where We Come From was a Dazed and Granta Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the 2025 Jhalak Prize. He is a British Journalism Award winner and was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List. Aniefiok writes for, The Guardian, British GQ, Vogue and more. His work has been published in a range of anthologies and collections, including A New Formation and Keisha the Sket (#MerkyBooks) SAFE (Hachette) and Free Wheeling (Daunt Books). Elsewhere, works on creative projects with the likes of Nike, Netflix, adidas, the Premier League, the British Library, Google and more.

CKTRL – Sonic Interventions
CKTRL is a South London musician, producer and composer whose work moves across jazz, contemporary classical music and experimental sound. His debut album, spirit (2025), is an intimate meditation on healing, memory and transformation, using instrumental music to create space for stillness and reflection.

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Conservatory

Location
The Barbican Conservatory is located on Level 3, if you’re coming from inside the main Barbican building.

From the Barbican highwalks, follow signs to the ‘Barbican Centre’. Walking from Barbican tube station, you’ll see a steps with ‘Art Gallery’ above them, these will lead you up to the Sculpture Court where you'll see a sign for the Conservatory. 

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.