Creative Producer Jafar Iqbal and BBC Content Producer, Hannah Loy, have created a four-part podcast series focusing on a recent British Council scoping trip to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Featuring interviews with the other creatives that joined them on the journey, Breaking Boundaries: From Wales to South Africa to Zimbabwe & Back Again, recounts their personal highlights, the invaluable lessons they've learned, and how this experience has transformed their creative practices.
Here we ask the duo about the visit, what makes a good podcast and why Welsh creatives should listen in…
Can you explain to us why you decided to take part in the scoping trip?
Jafar: I always thought that at some point I would end up going to Africa and this visit just kind of landed in my lap. At the time, I was working on GALWAD with National Theatre Wales and Artistic Director, Gethin Evans, had already been selected for the trip. It felt like too much of a coincidence not to be part of it. The idea that that you're going to get the chance to represent Wales and tell people about your work and the arts scene here felt like this huge opportunity. It really was a no-brainer.
Hannah: Like many of us I hadn't been abroad since before the pandemic and had just had a baby in 2019. At the time, I was really worried about leaving my little boy, but I knew I had to do it. I want to be the kind of mum that takes up these opportunities and is adventurous. It’s good to do things that scare you, and once I had this internal thought process, I jumped at the opportunity.
What was the biggest learning outcome for you – and what surprised you the most about the visit?
Jafar: I think we learnt a lot, especially in Zimbabwe. The country is going through a difficult time now with a tense political situation, and yet, amongst this, you have these people making art – and its art which is political. It’s made because it’s in front of people and they feel they have no choice. It made me really think about the art that I make and my attitudes towards it. I worry about if only 20 people will turn up to a show, and in the grand scheme of things, does that really matter? What matters to these artists is saying what needs to be said and the importance of speaking their truth. As a producer and an artist, the visit showed me that while there is value in entertainment, the real value is in the people that you're trying to reach and the communities that you represent. That was huge.
Hannah: I've been at the BBC for 17 years, and I felt and still feel, massively institutionalised. This visit was a chance for me to see who I was, and how I can be outside those walls. Working for the BBC in a lot of ways is extremely positive as it’s a very recognisable brand and it automatically gives you this sort of credibility. Often you can hide behind that a little bit. This trip was a chance for me to stop hiding and really consider who I am as a person. I still don’t think of myself as an artist, but I certainly now think of myself as a creative, which I didn’t before this trip. What this leads to next, I’m not sure, but it’s given me the confidence at the BBC to change roles and work on new projects. This podcast in itself is proof that there is life outside the BBC and I can do something different.
How do you think your own practice has changed since the visit?
Jafar: A key part of my work has always been about platforming underrepresented artists and working with communities that are historically excluded – and a big part of the visit was meeting those different kinds of communities. I’m of South Asian heritage and finding artists in my community and giving them the same opportunities that I have been lucky and privileged to have is important. On a day-to-day level, I’m now looking at projects and asking myself if it’s just a glorified vanity project or if it’s actually worth doing, and if I should prioritise work that benefits and helps people. I still want to do the big fun stuff, and there’s room for both of course, but sometimes you have to choose one. That's a choice that I make every day and I think that's been partly formed by this experience.
Where there any particular highlights for you?
Hannah: In Zimbabwe, the highlights to me were seeing theatre and live music. I felt a little more immersed in the culture there than in South Africa. One night we went to this theatre performance, and at the end, the elders of the community gave their honest feedback and they certainly didn’t hold back! I was amazed (and slightly surprised) at the process, but it was fascinating to see. We also went to see lots of live music, including a marimba band, which was really fun.
What do you hope audiences get from the podcast?
Hannah: Being an artist can be quite an insular thing and you can become very protective of your work and your ideas. However, sharing your ideas and saying what is on your mind just galvanises you, and other people can chip in and make your idea even better. The visit for me was such an important reminder about collaboration and the sharing of ideas and concepts.
Jafar: I did know about the British Council before the visit, but I didn’t really know what my role was in relation to the British Council – but I know now! It’s easier than you think to make things happen, and I now have the confidence to apply for international grants and funding or go to partners with an idea or a new project. The podcasts I guess are a way of saying; ‘This is what we learnt in five days, and what we achieved – and you can do the same.’ Even if it’s a tenuous link with another country, you should follow up on it and do something about it, and if nothing else have the conversation with the British Council. It’s about making that first step and trying.
Finally, can you tell us what you think makes a good podcast?
Jafar: I think a podcast should draw out the personalities of the people you are talking to, and for us, capturing the spirit and characters of the people on the trip was really important. People also need to be able enjoy the company of those that they are listening to, and with these podcasts, I genuinely think that audiences would be entertained for half an hour by people who have come to love and admire each other.
Hannah: There’s two different types of podcasts I enjoy – the heavily and impeccably produced true crime podcasts, and then there’s the other kind, where you feel like you’re eavesdropping on a conversation. In this instance, I hope the podcast is just like that - you’re overhearing a chat amongst friends, and that whoever listens can take something away from it.
The podcast series will include interviews with celebrated Welsh creatives and features acclaimed playwright, dramaturg and theatre director, Branwen Davies, who recently adapted Phoebe Waller-Bridge's award-winning comedic play Fleabag into Welsh; Gethin Evans, Artistic Director at Frân Wen, a Welsh language theatre company based in North West Wales; Patrick McGuinness an academic, critic, novelist, and poet, also Professor of French and Comparative Literature at the University of Oxford; and Cat M’Crystal- Fletcher, a multi-media creative, who also works as Publishing Account Manager with Rowanvale Books.
Listen to the trailer now – The series will launch tomorrow, Monday, 11 September 2023. Find out more