Earlier in 2020, we shared the good news that CAN has embarked on a partnership with The University of Manchester to offer a fully-funded PhD opportunity, Listening to the voices of Refugee-Heritage Artists, which is possibly the first of its kind in the UK. Now, we’re delighted to announce the appointment of Ambrose Musiyiwa as our PhD candidate.
Ambrose is a Poet, Journalist, and Photographer. His poems have been featured in many anthologies and his journalism, short stories, and essays have been published in newspapers and magazines in the UK, Zimbabwe, USA, and South Korea. His poem The Man Who Ran Through The Tunnel has been translated into over 12 languages. Ambrose has an enduring interest in the intersection between arts, activism, migration, and community action. He has organised numerous creative projects, including the Leicester Human Rights Arts and Film Festival and Civic Leicester, a community media channel highlighting conversations taking place in and around Leicester.
Ambrose Musiyiwa:
“I am absolutely delighted about being appointed as a PhD candidate and am looking forward to the research. Over the years I have met a good number of people from Manchester and have heard many great things about the city and am looking forward to discovering the city as well.”
Ambrose’s research will address the barriers and opportunities refugee-heritage artists experience here in the UK to shine a much-needed light on their contributions to offer new insights for the arts and academic sector with the potential to influence future cultural policy.
This unique partnership between The University of Manchester and CAN connects two organisations with a significant track record and reputation in the sphere of arts and migration in the North West and nationally. This study launches at an extraordinary time in global history, in the midst of the international COVID crisis and as the UK leaves the EU. Both the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit will have a significant effect on artists, the arts infrastructure, and practices. Ambrose’s research will explore how this is affecting refugee heritage artists.
“We’re really excited about Ambrose joining us at CAN. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to deepen our relationship with The University of Manchester and work with Ambrose to contribute to new thinking in arts and migration.”
Stella Barnes, Creative Director, CAN
“It is fantastic to be able to work in collaboration with CAN on this unique and important research project. We’re delighted to be working with Ambrose and we look forward to considering these important questions about arts and migration.”
Alison Jeffers, School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, The University of Manchester
The collaborative doctoral programme is funded by the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council) via the North West Consortium Doctoral Training Programme.
Ambrose will begin working on his PhD in October 2020, until then, we hope you will join us in sending our warmest wishes and a hearty welcome to Ambrose as he prepares for his move to Manchester.
