The Lido Cafe

Produced by Charlotte Petts (UK 2024)

Milk Bottle Productions · Stories from the Lido Cafe

32 min

Charlotte has been intrigued by this place ever since she and her dog took refuge there from the wintery Worthing seafront to have a steaming hot pot of tea and a tunnocks tea cake. With its metal grills over the windows and a heavy door to strain open, it almost always looks closed, except for a little neon red 'Open' sign glowing in the gloom. Inside, there were mainly older people, sitting alone. It's part of an old lido complex, with a bandstand built in the 1920's jutting out into the sea, almost like a mini pier.

The tablecloths are chequered, you can get breakfast for a fiver and despite sitting separately, everyone seemed to know each other. One lady leaned over and chatted to her about her dog. It was just... friendly. She wanted to spend more time there, see what is was like in the warmer months and spend more time with the people that go there and the people that run it. And so she did. And she took her recorder with her.

Produced and presented by Charlotte Petts

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Jim, Human Waste Expert

Patrick McNameeKing (US 2024)

6 min

Jim, a human waste disposal expert, shares with me the ins and outs of the business.

Producer - Patrick McNameeKing
Music - by Patrick McNameeKing

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In The Dark What’s New: Friends of the Wall

Evan Green (UK 2024)

13 min

Every Friday, a small group of volunteers paint red hearts on the National Covid Memorial Wall, in the heart of Westminster. As the world moves on, why do they keep coming back?

Producer - Evan Green

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We Will Not Stop, We Will Not Rest

Melanie Marich and Sajina Shrestha (US 2024)

7 min

The CUNY Gaza Solidarity Encampment lasted almost a week before the police were sent in. Reporter Melanie Marich and Sajina Shrestha were at the encampment for all of its six days, interviewing protestors, collecting tape, and witnessing the night of the arrests from both inside (Marich) and outside (Shrestha). This audio piece is a documentation of the encampment, as a whole, from start to finish.

Produced by Melanie Marich, Sajina Shrestha
Edited by Kalli Anderson
Engineered by Chad Bernhard

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Citadel: Building Bridges Through Music

Alan Meaney (IRE 2024)

45 min

Citadel is a group of musicians formed at the Kinsale Road Accommodation centre in Cork city, Ireland in 2018, who refuse to be put down by the system. They are from different countries, such as Burundi, South Africa, DR Congo, Angola and Tanzania.

The musicians perform songs from home, accompanied by rhythms and tunes from around the world. Citadel have played many concerts around Ireland and help to build bridges with the Irish community through their music. Some of the musicians are refugees, others are newly arrived International Protection Applicants. They all speak different languages, but music is their universal language.

‘Citadel: Building Bridges Through Music’ is a documentary that explores the different stories of band members, how they came to be refugees in Ireland and the difficulties they face here. The founders of the band; Roos and Norbert speak about how they started the band and a not for profit organisation, International Community Dynamics. In June 2023, International Community Dynamics hosted ‘The Festival of Belonging’ in the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork. With poetry, spoken word, a conversation cafe, an art exhibition by refugee and Traveller artists and a conference on belonging at University College Cork, it was a busy weekend. The highlight of the weekend was a performance by Citadel.

The documentary follows the band in the buildup to their performance, taking in rehearsals and nerves before they take to the stage on the night. Citadel raises awareness and spreads joy, peace and understanding by sharing their music with each other and with the Irish community and this is reflected in the programme.

Produced and presented by Alan Meaney
The contributors are Roos Demol, Neziswa Mali, Daniel Motaung, Esmeraldo Tavares, Gloria Zulu, Tshoko Music, Phindile Moloi, Jason De Wet, Norbert Nkengurutse, Dr. Debora Kayembe, Elton Sibanda, Joanna Dukipati, Layali Al Fan Band.

The programme was funded by the Coimisiún na Meán with the television licence fee.

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We are all Palestinian

Soveks Lo (UK 2024)

18 min,

A ceasefire protest event and vigil in Enfield, North London last December, local people get togther in peace to end ceasefire in Palestine.

Producer - Soveks Lo
Maroon Community Media

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Over Westside

Emile Klein (US 2023)

27 min

Over Westside is a meditation on psychogeography and relationship.

Musicians Carly Ptak and Twig Harper, known as Nautical Almanac, are long time residents of West Baltimore. The American noise music scene evolved within their home, T-Hill. West Baltimore is also where, in 2015, police officers killed Freddie Gray. Protests expanded from this point.

These recordings take place after the streets emptied back into homes. But a departed flame leaves a different heat in the walls. Thanks to contributors: Carly Ptak, Twig Harper, Davy Rothbart, Chiara Giovando, Andrew WK, Liz Armstrong, Xander marrow, Brian Chippendale, Max Eisenberg, WFMU, the people of West Baltimore, and all others who shared time.

Produced by Emile Klein

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This is Chicago: The Secret

Stephen Pate and Ashlie Stevens (US 2023)

35 min

In Near North, a hospital visit reveals a secret second family nearby. Six miles as the crow flies.

This series of short audio portraits from Chicago draws from the long lineage of oral history recording in the city, perhaps inspired by the likes of Studs Terkel and the assumption that everyone has a story if you just ask.

Created and produced by Supraphonic Studios' Stephen Pate and Ashlie Stevens

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Listening Not Knowing

Hannah Kemp-Welch (UK 2023)

miaaw.net · Listening Not Knowing

23 min,

Part of a series about listening in participatory art practice.

Albert Potrony’s website describes him as “an artist with a participatory practice examining ideas of identity, community and language. Potrony is interested in generating social spaces through his projects, and participation from diverse groups and individuals is a key element of his work.” In this conversation with Hannah Kemp-Welsh he introduces his participatory arts practice, describing a recent project with young fathers in Gateshead and former members of an anti-sexist men’s group. Albert and Hannah talk about collaborative practice in detail, and the role of listening within this.

Produced by Hannah Kemp-Welch

Made for Miaaw.net a platform dedicated to conversations about community, creativity, cultural democracy and the commons 


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Bread and Roses

Soveks Lo (UK 2023)

17 min

A behind the scenes radio documentary about the making of the Enfield Peoples Theatre production of Bread and Roses. The play focuses on the 1915 Edmonton Rent Strike and community action led by (and won) by women during World War 1. However, it draws comparisons with the current housing crisis and the issues of homelessness.

Producer - Soveks Lo
Maroon Community Media

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