Ivan Michael Blackstock | Dream Space Podcast

In this episode, our dreamer is Ivan Michael Blackstock. A South-London born multidisciplinary artist with a background in contemporary dance, Ivan has made his mark from Sadler’s Wells in London to Paris’ Vilette Theatre, and even worked with Beyoncé on the choreography for Black Is King and the Grammy award-winning music video Brown Skin Girl.

For over seven years, Ivan Blackstock has been developing TRAPLORD, a project co-commissioned by Factory International. Created in an abandoned East London leisure centre, TRAPLORD explores themes of masculinity, mental health, and race, recently winning an Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production.

Join us in this episode of the Dream Space podcast as Ivan Blackstock shares his visionary journey and creative insights.

Music from Traplord: Torben Sylvest - Producer
Kaaris - Chargé (Mr. Carmack Remix)

About the Series

What does art have the power or potential to do, when we allow ourselves to dream?

Gemma Cairney poses this questions to some of the world’s most exciting artistic minds in a new podcast from Factory International.

In each episode we get to know our guest, find out what makes them tick, what brings them joy and inspiration. Together we create a new vision, pushing the boundaries of what is possible and ask what kind of art the world needs now.

Contributors

Gemma Cairney (she/her)
Host
Gemma Cairney is a multi award-winning broadcaster, author and activist. Gemma’s documentary radio series include The Leisure Society for BBC 6 Music and The Sound Odyssey for BBC Radio 4. Previous radio credits include: Island Sounds, Dolly, Dylan or Daft Punk, and Mali Music (BBC 6 Music). Tempted By Teacher and Bruising Silence (BBC Radio 1) garnered two Sony Golds and her interview with Grace Jones, Amazing Grace, (BBC 6 Music) won the Best Music Show Rose d’Or. Her latest book, The Immortal Sisterhood, will soon be published by Canongate.
Kit Callin (they/them)
Producer
Kit is a senior audio producer at Reduced Listening, making music radio for the BBC, and arts podcasts for organisations like Serpentine and Factory International. They are the founder of MOOAR Residency, and run a variety of workshops and audio open mic nights to support others getting into audio. Kit won Best Music Producer at the Audio Production Awards 2023.
Tess Davidson (she/her)
Producer
Tess is an award-winning freelance audio producer and writer with a background in broadcast and print journalism, working across long-form narrative documentaries, and arts and culture features. She has produced for organisations such as the Tate Britain and the Serpentine, as well for BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and RTÉ in Ireland. She recently won bronze for Best New Producer in the UK’s Audio Production Awards and was awarded the Prix Europa Ake Blomström Award in 2023.
Femi Oriogun-Williams (they/them)
Sound Designer
Femi Oriogun-Williams is a sound designer, composer and musician based in London, England. They work on a diverse range of projects scoring theatre, dance, film and radio while writing and performing their own compositions. They also teach radio production at Goldsmiths University.
Carmel Smickersgill (she/her)
Composer
Carmel is a Manchester based composer working predominantly within electronic DIY, classical and theatre music. She released her debut EP We Get What We Get and We Don’t Get Upset in 2022 with PRAH recordings. She was a 2021 recipient of the Jerwood Live Art Award, a 2020 nominee for the Ivor Novello Rising Star Award and a 2019 recipient of the Rushworth Composing Prize with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
Dan Jackson (he/him)
Exec Producer
Dan is the Head of Production at Reduced Listening with twenty years' experience making TV, Radio and Podcasts at ITV, the BBC and indies. He works across all Reduced Listening productions, to support directors, staff and freelancers and takes care of business affairs, contracts and production planning. Dan is also an Executive Producer working in factual and video content with visual oversight of Pod Save the UK.
Scott Smith (He/Him)
Head of Digital Content
Scott heads up the Audiences department at Factory International, where he leads dynamic teams across multiple departments to drive engagement both at Aviva Studios and on Factory International’s digital platforms.
Alex Mannion-Jones (he/him)
Digital Content Producer
Alex is the Digital Content Producer at Factory International where he produces video and audio content.

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