Living Black at University: Book Launch and Conversations

Is an anti-racist university possible?

To celebrate the release of Living Black at University: Anti-Racist Praxis Beyond the Curriculum, we will be holding a book launch and conversation with editors. Alongside book readings and panel discussions, we invite further reflections from staff and students on how the themes present in the book apply to student life at UAL.

Join us for an afternoon exploring the possibilities and challenges of building more anti-racist universities.

About the book

Living Black at University: Anti-Racist Praxis Beyond the Curriculum will be published by Manchester University Press in December 2026. Building on the 2022 Living Black at University report and Commission, it brings together more than 15 contributors from across higher education to examine the realities of anti-racist practice in universities today.

About the event

Drawing on the book’s contributions, we’ll explore themes including universities’ civic responsibilities to Black communities, Black students’ wellbeing, white spaces in art and design education, student accommodation and activism. Together, we’ll consider how anti-racist praxis can be embedded beyond the curriculum and across university life.

We welcome the whole UAL community to this event, including students, academic staff and professional services colleagues.

The first half will offer space to reflect on the book’s ideas, share perspectives and consider how universities can better support Black students and develop anti-racist practice across higher education, with a particular focus on institutional approaches and practice.

From 5pm, UAL students join Osaro Otobo for a conversation exploring how we can work towards an anti-racist university.

Everyone is welcome to stay for the relaxed social afterwards, featuring light refreshments and live music.

Alongside the programme, you’re invited to contribute to the GEMS community quilt, celebrating 30 years of the GEMS staff network; explore our pop-up library; and try out the UAL Black Creatives Network’s deconstructed colouring book.

Schedule

Readings and conversations begin at on the hour, each hour from 3-5pm. The event concludes at 6.30pm with time to connect over light refreshments and live music.

3-4pm: Structural violence and racialised harm in higher education

4-5pm: Lived experience and embodied knowledge

5-6pm: Praxis and possibiity - towards an anti-racist university

6 - 6.30pm: Social, refreshments and live music

Who should attend

This event is welcome to the entire UAL community, and may be particularly relevant to UAL academic and professional services colleagues interested in anti-racist practice, student experience and creative education. Students are also welcome to attend any or all of the event.

Where

Archwood House, Eagle Wharf, 90–96 Peckham Hill Street, London SE15 5JT

Time: 3–5.30pm, with the wider event continuing until 6.30pm.

Hosted by: UAL Learning and Teaching Directorate, Engagement Team

Book editors bios

Teleola Cartwright is a researcher, consultant and co-editor of Living Black at University: Anti-Racist Praxis Beyond the Curriculum (Manchester University Press, 2026). She was Research Lead for the 2022 Living Black at University report published by Unite Students, and her research and consultancy explore the experiences of Black students and staff, institutional culture and the structural barriers to meaningful inclusion. Her work combines lived experience, qualitative research and institutional insight to support organisations in moving beyond symbolic commitments towards more accountable and genuinely anti-racist cultures.

Osaro Otobo is a strategic consultant, speaker and founder of Make Diversity Count, working across organisational transformation, governance, equity and leadership development. As a Senior Associate Consultant at Huron, she advises boards and leadership teams on strategy, culture and organisational change, connecting institutional performance with people and lived experience. With a background spanning student leadership, higher education governance and national charity leadership, she speaks internationally on leadership, identity and building more inclusive organisations.

Dr Nick Cartwright is Associate Professor in Law and Director of Education at the University of Leeds, where his work focuses on critical race praxis, education reform and social justice. With over 25 years' experience in higher education, he specialises in inclusive and anti-racist education, designing learning environments that centre belonging and challenge systemic barriers. A National Teaching Fellow, he is also Visiting Professor at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and co-editor of Living Black at University: Anti-Racist Praxis Beyond the Curriculum (Manchester University Press, 2026).

Extra information

Registration Instructions

Please only register for yourself, if you wish to share with others please refer them to the event listing.

Event booking confirmation and reminders

When you book your place, you will receive a booking confirmation email and reminder emails. Please check your spam/junk folder if you do not receive them.

Tickets can be booked up to 30 minutes before the event.

Cancellation

If you can no longer attend this event we’d appreciate it if you could cancel your place within the booking system. This gives others the opportunity to take your space.

We reserve the right to cancel this event if we do not get enough numbers, or due to other circumstances outside of our control. You will be notified via email if this happens.

Accessibility

The Learning & Teaching Directorate strives to make both our physical and online events accessible for all our participants. If you would like to discuss your needs prior to booking please contact us: learningandteaching@arts.ac.uk.

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Questions? Contact us at learningandteaching@arts.ac.uk

Image credit: Chloe Nantongo, 2025 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, UAL School of Pre-degree Studies