During the pandemic, the Lewisham community stepped up to offer mutual aid in many many ways. Lewisham is Borough of Sanctuary and Lewisham has a proud history of community solidarity. How can self-care extend to community care and care for the wider world? Without care for the self, care for the community is not sustainable nor possible. 

Honouring the legacy of Audre Lorde, Spare Tyre invites you to explore what care for yourself and care for community(ies) can feel like in a week-long sensory installation exhibited in the café at The Albany accompanied by a series of workshops. We begin by acknowledging the integral importance of self-care for those impacted by the structural disadvantages of racism, classism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia and all systems of oppressions. 

Following these acknowledgements, we invite you to join us from Wednesday 29th September–Saturday 2nd October, to take some time to care for yourself in our Pods of Solace: 

 • Write a letter or pledge to yourself or for someone else

 • Free up your headspace creating colourful light projections

 • Watch sensory art videos made by Spare Tyre artists 

• What next? Consider how you might turn your care outwards to your communities 

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On Saturday 2nd October, we will explore aspects of care in a series of participatory events held in the café space at The Albany:

• Hasan will esplore writing as a tool of care through a creative workshop

• Jasmine will explore the ecology of care through a microgreens workshop

• Fauve will be hosting an open meeting for carers, whether paid or unpaid, and asking how we can reimagine care work together. 

These workshops are free, but you will need to book your spot using the links at the top of the page.

These events are part of the Festival of Radical Care, a series of workshops, installations, music and dancing exploring how the arts can help us care for each other and our world. Presented by ClerkinWorks and the Albany. 

Please email Neelam at Projects@SpareTyre.org with any questions and/or access needs.