On a mission to bring our communities together

Oct 5 2009 By Christopher Knox, The Journal

A NIGERIAN-born missionary aims to showcase the North East's diverse cultural mix by urging communities to share their arts, literature, drama, fashion and cuisine.

Peter Adegbie has launched community interest company Culture Parade to organise exhibitions by artists, craftspeople and businesses.

Mr Adegbie, 49, has already become a highly regarded figure in his own community after setting up a multi-faith church, the Sunderland Chapel of Light, in 2005.

He is now committed to spreading religious and racial tolerance through art and culture and hopes to operate his own dedicated venue in the region within four years, which would create a series of permanent jobs.

He plans to operate the business by charging entry for a host of events, from ethnic fashion shows and cooking lessons to art exhibitions and film screenings.

Mr Adegbie said: "Culture Parade will be a rolling interactive exhibition of cultures from different parts of the world.

"One country’s culture at a time will be showcased to the wider community in the form of art displays, dance acts, movie screenings, cookery lessons and storytelling.

"Local people who originate from these cultures will be involved in the exhibitions. For example, if we do an American exhibition then any local person who comes from America will be encouraged to get involved by making their favourite pumpkin pie recipe.

"The business model as a community interest company with potential for huge profits through restaurant and gallery sales as well as revenue from television programming will use all of the profit for capital development, creating employment and a healthier and wealthier community."

As well as hoping to secure a number of capital grants over the coming months, Mr Adegbie is looking to build up relationships with schools through the local education authorities and engage with pupils in workshops where they can learn about different cultures as part of their Global Citizenship classes.

After 10 years working in Africa’s TV and advertising industry, Mr Adegbie became a Christian missionary with the World Mission Agency in 1996 and served in East, Central and West Africa.

He came to the North East with his wife and business partner, Nkechi, in 2003 to study for a MA in creative writing at Northumbria University and has since headed a series of projects.

This included the Changing Perspectives cultural participation programme in 2007, which evolved into a multimedia archive documentation of African families living in the North East of England.

"It’s all about spreading a sense of community participation," said Mr Adegbie, who is also working on his PhD.

"I want to bring people together through art."

Culture Parade scooped the top prize at Newcastle University’s Enterprise Challenge, and the idea has won him a place as a finalist for the Creativity and Design Award at the North East Universities Business Planning Awards 2009 on October 20 at the Newcastle Gateshead Hilton.