Talks, short films, exhibitions and theatre: What’s on in June at Brixton House

Brixton House, a theatre and creative arts space in the heart of Brixton, has just released its jam packed line-up of events for summer.

Spanning talks with prominent climate activists to exhibitions, short film screenings and theatre, June and July at Brixton House in Coldharbour Lane, will be a hotspot for entertainment.

Starting off strong on June 12, one of the most forceful voices in climate activism, Nemonte Nenquimo, of the Waorani tribe in the Amazon rainforest will grace the stage of Brixton House to share her harsh and vital life story.

Ms Nenquimo spearheaded the alliance of indigenous nations across the Upper Amazon and led her people to a landmark victory against Big Oil, protecting more than half million acres of primary rainforest. 

She won the Goldman Environmental Prize for Central and South America, was named one of the BBC 100 Women, TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World and the top Defender in TIME 100 Climate list.

In an evening organised by Brixton House and Round Table Books, Ms Nenquimo will discuss her recent memoir – We Will Not Be Saved – with her husband  Mitch Anderson, co-founder of Amazon Frontlines.

The couple joined together to create the book, digging into generations of oral history, uprooting centuries of conquest, hacking away at racist notions of Indigenous peoples to reveal a life story as rich, harsh and vital as the Amazon rainforest herself.

Ms Nenquimo will discuss the book with her husband Mr Anderson at Brixton House on June 12. She will have the support of a Spanish interpreter for the event.

Next up, an exhibition, dance performance and film screenings telling the stories of Black and Afro women’s cultural practices will run from June 15 until June 16.

RECLAMA: Harnessing Afro-Ecuadorian Women’s Heritage, an art exhibition and live dance performance from London-based Somos Chibchas Arts, will accompany Ecuadorian activists Juanita and Lorena in discussions about how to create positive narratives that contest Black women’s portrayal as victims, on June 15. 

The event will be one hour and 30 minutes, presented in both Spanish and English.

For the second part of the event on June 16, six films all produced by women in Latin American-British collaborations will be shown.

The short films, curated by the Latin America Bureau, showcase the crossover between independent filmmaking and academic research. 

They centre women telling their stories of resistance, with art often used as a tool for healing and expression.

Jumping into July, How I Learned to Swim, a witty and deeply heartfelt play exploiting what lies beneath the surface of Black people’s relationship to water will hit the stage in Brixton before it heads to Edinburgh Fringe festival.

Running from July 24 to 26, How I Learned to Swim is written by Somebody Jones and produced by Prentice Productions in association with Brixton House.

Somebody Jones’ searing debut follows the story of 30-year-old Jamie, who can’t swim. 

Fuelled by guilt and a need to mend her broken family, Jamie takes on her biggest fear. The ocean.    

With the help of a chipper swim instructor, a shady spiritual guide and one cathartic crab sandwich, Jamie questions, “How many lengths does it take to wash away regret?”

To buy tickets and find out more about what’s on at Brixton House this summer visit https://brixtonhouse.co.uk/whats-on/

Pictured top: RECLAMA: Harnessing Afro-Ecuadorian Women’s Heritage (Picture: Briana Barrios)