Sangini

Sangini is a by and for Black women’s development organisation in Tyne and Wear with a track record stretching back nearly 20 years. It works predominantly with Black and minority-ethnic women across health and arts, arts and health often combining the two in exploratory and participatory therapeutic creative and heritage projects, aiding personal and community development.

Sangini is the only arts-based community development organisation in the region tailoring its service and projects in consultation with black and minoritised women. Sangini offers practice led peer group forums that enable women to access safe spaces for self-expression, and to explore and develop cultural entitlement. Successes include annual International Women’s Day events which have attracted over 150 attendees, the 2018 year long Women’s House arts project, and close partnerships with local/ regional universities and cultural organisations.

Sangini itself has undergone a revolution in its identity and confidence in 2020 as a result of the global, national, regional and local impact of race equality activism and the COVID-19 pandemic. Sangini’s ambition has crystallised: to move from operating project-to-project to a sustainable model. To sustain a practice of platforming of black and minoritised women’s lives, Sangini will continue to be-friend, listen, platform, make visible and protect WOC’s interests, assuring the women we work with that they are never alone.