Capawa for All CIC is launching its "RiseUp Rebel Rebel Voices" program, a year-long initiative offering emerging black and global majority creators in Liverpool essential skills, mentorship, and a platform to break into the creative industry, with a specific focus on audio drama.
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That was Gregory Abbott with Shake You
Down. One of my favorite favorite
tracks. I know I say this all the time,
but I genuinely love the music on this
show. I love it. Now, today on UK
Blackway spotlighting an incredible
opportunity for black and global
majority creators of Liverpool. We have
Capawa for All CIC who just secured a
second round of audible funding for
RiseUp Rebel Rebel Voices. Now, it's a
year-long writer program helping
emerging talent break into the industry
with real skills, mentorship, and
platform. Now, joining me is actor,
writer, and social entrepreneur Michael
Horsley, whose own journey from positive
impact to stage film and TV shows.
Exactly what happens when talent gets
support. He's here to tell us about the
new program, the 30-day application
window, and why now is such an exciting
moment for black creatives in this city.
Welcome, Michael.
>> Thank you so much. That was a mouthful.
>> It was. Yeah. I felt like uh I felt a
bit uh like blushing a bit there when
you were talking about me. Is that me?
>> It's always you. Always you. And it's so
nice to have you in the studio.
Honestly, because I mean I've known you
for years
>> and you've worked so hard.
>> You know, you and the team have done,
you know,
>> honestly, I just don't know how you did
it. Yeah.
>> I really don't know.
>> Yeah. It's been a long journey. So it's
I think we had our 10y year anniversary
of capa for all last year and it was me
and Akquil Morgan who's one of the
founding directors and it was literally
me and him um obviously done capa for a
number of years and we were talking the
other day remember the days when we were
in your mom's top room just business
planning just thinking about the change
we could make through capawa for all and
what was really interesting is uh we
look back at the business plan you know
business plan inverted comes it's just
scraps on paper isn't it you know what I
mean but you look back on And then we
were doing all the work that we said we
were going to do, you know, and that's
the kind of marker of, you know,
something's working. Then
>> I need to look at my business plan. So I
think we all kind of started around the
same time, didn't we? It's mad. I've got
a picture and you know of you and it's
my little boy. >> Okay.
>> Okay.
>> And he's got his Spider-Man costume on
>> at one of the classes.
>> It was No. Do you remember when these
morning Gloryville?
>> Oh yeah.
>> At like 5:00 in the morning.
>> I remember that. I remember very clearly
cuz I was thinking why are we getting up
so early to do handstands and
cartwheels. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was amazing.
amazing.
>> Oh god. And he must have been I think
three or four. >> Wow.
>> Wow.
>> Copying is doing and I was like oh my
why am I awake?
>> The thing about capo it's so engaging
especially for young people. Obviously,
we use it with like a range of different
groups, but for young people, it
captures them, you know, and something
that you see someone doing a handstand
or or or doing a cartwheel and it's
like, you know, Spider-Man, I want to be
able to do that. You know what I mean?
So, yeah, it's good, man. It's good.
And, you know, obviously with the ethos
and values and and its rich history is
what really drew me in. But the other
side of it, you know, the music, you
know, I've been lucky enough to work
with some amazing masters from Brazil
and from around the world that are
teaching us the musicality, starting to
learn some of the language and stuff
like that, but also seeing some of the
work that's happening further the field
in Brazil. And we connected with this
one organization that's doing some
amazing work in um in some of the
favllas in Rio and using it um and and
and they call it like a social
technology. That's how they describe it.
described capa as a social technology
and that blew me mind. I was just like, "Wow,
"Wow,
>> love that. I love words like that. I've
just been I've been literally stealing
words everywhere."
I'm telling you, put it in.
>> I love that. So, Rise Up Rebel, Rebel Voices.
Voices. >> Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Number one, where did that title come from?
from?
>> So, um, we started Rise Uprebel about
two years ago. Yeah. and um one of our
partners, acclaimed writer Morris
Bestman, uh he was my writing mentor as
well. And I was I'm new to writing over
the last three three or four years. Uh
and I stood in for him uh um doing a
talk at an event and as part of the
event, we were talking about writing
programs and opportunities that were
happening. I'm sitting um on a stage and
I'm looking out into the crowd and um
the question was, you know, why are we
having a a a diverse writers program?
And I looked in the room and said, "How
many people are black, brown, and of the
global majority in this room?" And it
was silent. Yeah, it was silent. And
that for me, you know, proved a massive
point. You know, I've been talking with
different institutions uh over the last
couple of years about how they're
engaging with people from our community,
you know, um and I talked to one that
had done these programs for 10 years,
and he said between three and 5%
um have been black and global majority.
And for me, it just screamed alarm
bells. Yeah. You know, like what what is
it that um they're creating that means
that our black creatives are not feeling
like they can engage with programs like this?
this?
>> And for me to step out as a new writer,
it found it felt quite rebellious.
>> Yeah. It felt like, you know, one of
them movements and I thought, you know
what, Rise Uprebel feels really
powerful. It feels like a statement. And
what was interesting is um when we put
it out on social media um I just opened
it to to anyone that can engage with it
and we got some kickback. We got some
>> of course of course
>> from the amazing um people behind the
the the the keyboards on Facebook.
>> We're used to that.
>> Yeah, we are. We are. And you know what?
It was really interesting because I
wasn't upset. Not I say I say I didn't
expect it. I expected some but there was
80 comments. I'm not one of them were positive,
positive,
>> but some of those 80 are the same people.
people.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So,
>> and that's what I've learned.
>> I uh I replied to everyone.
>> Well done.
>> Yeah. I sat and reply to everyone. And I
wasn't trying to give hate. What I was
trying to do is tongue and cheek with
some of it. But what I was trying to do
uh is, you know, just talk to them about
the program. You know, what what uh
where there's a need. You know, we've
been working for two years talking to
local writers, working with our
community, working with different
projects, and we found that, you know,
there are clear barriers. We know in
writing it's challenging. You know, it's
like um there's a small amount of people
that make it, but when that's, you know,
intersecting with stuff like race, um class,
class,
>> geography, you know, we're in the north,
you know, we're in Liverpool and we
we're not as further ahead as as London
at the moment, you know, so it is more
challenging, but if we're not creating
these spaces and giving opportunities uh
for our young black creatives to shine,
then, you know, I think we're doing them
a disservice. So that's part of what
drives me is is creating these spaces
for people like myself, but you know
with the people that I see real talent
>> that um if we can like move if we can
move uh a door like slightly open a
little bit more for me that's a massive success
success
>> and that's all we need. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> And that's all we need. I always
remember saying when before I joined the
BBC, I remember saying,
>> "All I need is to get in
>> and I'll never leave." And literally, I didn't.
didn't.
>> Part of the furnace, you know?
>> I mean, that's amazing. That's amazing.
Some people it's like they'll say, "Oh,
you only got in there because diversity."
diversity." >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> But I hate that.
>> Do you mean? But I'm here 20 years later
because all I needed was that
opportunity. And there's so many black
and brown creatives that just need that
little door slightly open >> 100%
>> 100%
>> and that's it.
>> And sometimes maybe that is the worry.
>> Yeah. And the thing is is like you know
we're really lucky to work with some of
our partners like Morris and and Barbara
Phillips as well
>> who have been in the industry. I mean
I've known Barbara since I was in me PI
days. you know, you mentioned it before
and I was like, what were you going to
say about this like photograph of me
with like braids and two bunches at the
back or something like that? Yeah. Like
I was like, no, you know, but I've known
Barbara for for for years now. And, you
know, for that to come full circle and
then to be doing some of the work that
she was doing, you know, back when I was
16, 17
>> for me is powerful. You know, it's
really it's really it's really amazing.
And you know I can't go without talking
about Miam Musa you know
>> who just has really supported me to kind
of bring these ideas to the front and
you know not let things like these
comments or you know lack of engagement
with our community stop me from just
saying you know we know there's a need
for this um let's try and find some
money. I'm really lucky enough, you
know, to have built what we've done in
Capa for all, which gives me the
opportunity to go to go, okay, I see
that there's a funding opportunity here.
Let's try and get some money. Let's try
and start a program. Let's see what
happens. And with Rise Uprebel uh one,
we got uh 12 young people involved. This
was 16 to 25. So 12 involved um all from
different backgrounds
>> and eight of them completed uh and that
culminated in a a writer showcase at the
Royal Court.
>> Amazing. us and you know what it was it
was brilliant and you know we got the
word out and you know we got people down
to to to see and for a lot of them it
was the first time that they had the the
work on stage
>> and the and for and you know what even
the people coming to see them
>> it's the first time in a theater
>> you know and sometimes we take that for
granted because for us going to theater
is like our second home
>> you know but for so many people even adults
adults
>> you know theater is
>> it's foreign it's alien It's like I
don't belong. And you know what? It's
nice to bring that know bring them into
a world that they belong in and feel,
>> you know, feel that they should be
there. How does the program run?
>> So, um, as you've said before, we've got
a 30-day period where it's open. So,
it's open between 18th of November. This
is for the application process to the
18th of December. And then we've got a
bit of a decision process. So for the
people that have applied, we'll let
people know um who've been successful.
And then what I want to try and do is
try and if people aren't successful at
this point, try and keep them involved
in the network to say, you know, this
one's for emerging creators. So people
that might have a credit um people that
might have been writing for a number of
years, but kind of not took that next
step or people that have maybe took that
next step but took a step back.
>> That's it.
>> And that's what this one's about. So you
know, they have to submit 10 pages of
their own work. Wow. and they have to
submit a unique idea for the audio drama.
drama.
So, this one's focused on audio drama or
radio drama.
>> H So, they'll have to write um onepage
treatments and then we're going to
support them to write maybe a series
outline or a story outline, you know,
help them with that first episode and
then the top two will be picked and
produced down in Toxiff TV.
>> Oh, I love it.
>> I know. I know. I'm like that rattling.
You'll have to bring them in.
>> Yeah. It's so exciting. So, it runs for
12 months. Yeah.
>> And what we usually do is we usually do fortnightly
fortnightly
>> and with that we bring in like um
specialists like writers. Last we had
Ash Nent who came in he taught this
amazing workshop which is based around
hero hero's journey and his and his
locks book and it was
>> one of the most inspiring workshops that
I've seen as a writer. Yeah, it was
really cool
>> and he's so captivating as well, isn't
he? Brilliant. So when does So
>> applications open now? Applications are
open now until the third to to 18th of December.
December.
>> Oh my goodness.
>> I know. I know. So get them in, please.
And if you're struggling, if you've got
your 10 pages, but you're struggling,
please contact us. You know, we've been
really lucky as well to create to to
link with the race equality hub. >> Fab.
>> Fab.
>> And as part of me as a freelancer, um
I'll be putting on an event which is
going to be coming soon, hopefully not
far from here. Nothing's confirmed yet.
And that's going to be a networking
event which is going to bring all the
black writers in the city together. Uh
give them an opportunity to talk about
where some of the barriers are, what are
some of the challenges, what are some of
the wins, you know, where are people
saying actually I'm succeeding here. I'm
doing really well.
>> And then uh give a bit of information
about what is expected from a one-page
treatment from an industry standard
>> and then um talk to them about what's
what's going on. You know, in the city
we've got the Black Actors Collective
which is smashing it. you know, they're
doing really well. There's other
opportunities and other black writers
program. And what we want to do is not
say we've we've got this is to say this
is what's out there.
>> Collaboration. Collaboration.
>> This is what 2026 is all about collaboration.
collaboration.
>> 1 million%.
>> So, Michael, how do we get in contact?
How do we apply? Give us the the the
lowown. Yeah. The lowown.
>> Okay. So, um on our website www.capawaforall.org
www.capawaforall.org
or um you can go and it says rise up
rebels, rebel voices. Click the link,
you'll be forwarded to a page which will
give you an outline of what we plan to
do. Uh and then you can submit your 10
pages of your um the work that you've
already done to showcase that that that
that you're a writer.
>> H and then below that as well, you can
submit your onepage treatment. But
again, if before you know maybe you're
having some challenges, please contact
us and we can support you. The earlier
you contact us, the better because then
we can support you to to get it in
before the deadline.
>> Love it. Michael, it's been an absolute
pleasure talking to you. Thank you so
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