Towards Spaces of Belonging: My Creative Path
Tuesday 27 October 10:30 until 11:45
University of Sussex Campus : Conference Centre
Speaker: Tarik Elmoutawakil
Part of the series: Black at Sussex Conference
poster
When: Tuesday 27 October, 10:30–11:45 Led by: Tarik Elmoutawakil, Creative Director, Marlborough Productions
Description: Join Tarik Elmoutawakil, co-founder of Marlborough Productions and University of Sussex undergraduate, for a candid and galvanizing exploration of his journey to his current leadership role in the arts.
Reflecting on his time navigating student societies and the realities of being Black, queer, disabled, and neurodivergent - identities that shaped his path even before he had the language to describe them - Tarikshares how his early search for happiness and direction evolved into a career centered on activism and community building.
Drawing on the complexities of leading from these intersections, this lecture offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, the necessity of community, and how we might collectively reimagine what radical,spiritfulleadership looks like for the future.
Bio:Tarik Elmoutawakil is a visionary artist, programmer, and creative producer, serving as the Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Marlborough Productions. This Brighton-based organization is the UK’s only performing arts body dedicated to intersectional queer arts.Tarik’s groundbreaking public work, 'Brownton Abbey,' is an evolving Afro-Futures Performance Party.
This immersive experience playfully deifies disabled QTIPOC (queer, trans, and intersex People of Color), powerfully reclaiming QTIPOC spirituality and ritual to create an otherworldly, accessible celebration.Tarikis currently in R&D for a new collaborative project exploring Amazigh Futurism.
A passionate community builder,Tarikco-founded Radical Rhizomes, a vital Brighton-based creative social hangout for Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ individuals.Deeply connected to a global network of disabled QTIPOC artivists,Tarikactively contributes to a dynamic movement reshaping access and leadership within the arts. As a spirited public speaker,Tarikemploys a joyous brand of activism to transform perceptions and treatment of marginalized QTIPOC communities worldwide.
By: Bud Johnston
Last updated: Wednesday, 30 September 2026