A look back at an inspiring evening exploring African mythology, folklore and culture
- Written byStudent Communications
- Published date 08 April 2026
UAL’s Black Creatives Hub hosted a thought-provoking event at Central Saint Martins, bringing together students, staff and members of the wider community to explore the representation of African mythology, folklore and culture in contemporary art and media. Held on Thursday 5 March, the session welcomed audiences for an evening of storytelling, reflection and dialogue led by the creative duo behind Adeche Atelier.
About Adeche Atelier
Adeche Atelier are contemporary artists and storytellers reimagining African mythology, folklore and spirituality for modern audiences. As a multi-award-winning creative duo, they are recognised for championing overlooked narratives through art, education and cultural storytelling.
Working collaboratively on each piece, their practice blends fine art with community engagement, helping audiences reconnect with heritage while challenging misconceptions surrounding African spiritual systems. Guided by a commitment to representation and cultural knowledge, their work continues to shape how African stories are understood in contemporary art and media.
Speakers:
We were joined by:
- Adwoa Botchey – artist, storyteller and co-founder of Adeche Atelier
- Solomon Adebiyi – artist, storyteller and co-founder of Adeche Atelier
Exploring mythology, identity and cultural storytelling
Through a powerful and engaging presentation, the speakers shared their creative journey and reflected on how their work reimagines African mythology and folklore for contemporary audiences. Drawing on their experiences as multidisciplinary artists, they explored the importance of representation, challenged misconceptions surrounding African spiritual traditions and highlighted the role of art in preserving cultural heritage and shaping future narratives.
The session also provided an opportunity for attendees to participate in a lively Q&A, where thoughtful questions sparked meaningful discussions. The evening concluded with networking and informal conversations, allowing guests to continue building connections across the UAL community and beyond.
Adwoa and Solomon’s talk on African mythology was incredibly insightful and informative, but also really fun! It was great to hear from two young creatives who have clearly really nurtured their craft and are now sharing their journey and process with others – especially inspiring for our UAL community.
African mythology is such an important part of African culture. Being part of an event that shares these stories with a wider audience in such an impactful way and gives them the recognition they deserve is incredibly powerful. UAL’s Black Creatives Hub hopes to continue telling stories from the Black community and highlighting those that have long been overlooked.
Bunmi Ekundayo, Black Creatives Hub Project Lead
Speaking at UAL was an incredibly meaningful experience for us. Our work is centred on making African mythology and culture more accessible, so being in a space where the audience were so curious, engaged and open to learning felt really powerful. It reinforced just how important it is to create platforms where these stories can be shared, explored and reimagined by a new generation of creatives. We really appreciated the level of curiosity and openness in the room, it’s what makes spaces like this so important.
Adeche Atelier
Catch the event highlights from the evening in the video below.
The Black Creatives Hub continues to grow as a space to explore, collaborate and champion Black representation in the creative industries.
Want to get involved or collaborate?
Get in touch via blackcreatives@arts.ac.uk.