Association of British Calypsonians

IDENTITY STATEMENT AREA

Reference code(s):

Title: Association of British Calypsonians

Date(s): 1991 - present

Level of description: Fond

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CONTEXT AREA

Name of creator(s): Association of British Calypsonians

Administrative/Biographical history: Formed in London in 1991 the Association of British Calypsonians (ABC) is the only representative body for calypso and soca music in the United Kingdom and Europe. Since its inception ABC has been based at the Yaa Asantewaa Arts and Community Centre (Paddington, London) and is responsible for the production of educational programmes and cultural events that convey information about the history and tradition of calypso. Some of the Association’s annual activities include: The London Calypso Tent; the Calypso Youth Exchange Programme (organised in association with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago); the Calypso Monarch Competition (organised in association with the Notting Hill Carnival Trust); and performances at the Notting Hill Carnival in association with the Yaa Asantewaa Carnival Group and the African Caribbean Music Circuit.

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CONTENT AND STRUCTURE AREA

Scope and content: This collection comprises the following resources relating to the work of the Association of British Calypsonians:

• Constitutional documents and minutes of meetings held by the Association since its inception in 1991
• Promotional posters, flyers, event programmes, invitation cards and other publicity materials reflecting the main activities and events organised by ABC over the past decade - including the annual London Calypso Tent event which precedes the Notting Hill Carnival every year, the 'Calypso Youth Exchange Programme' run in association with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, the ABC's newly established 'Junior Calypso Monarch' event, and the long-established, national 'Calypso Monarch Competition', organised by representatives of the Notting Hill Carnival Trust in association with ABC and Yaa
• Copies of CDs and audiotapes recorded by ABC for sale, but also non-commercial recordings of past, live performances by calypsonians affiliated to the Association.
• Reports on the ABC's 'Calypso in Schools Project' funded by the City of Westminster Arts Educational Fund
• Original sheet music and song lyrics written by members of the Association
• Cuttings of newspaper articles and in-house reports by staff members at the Yaa Asantewaa Arts and Community Centre about past calypso tent events and Monarch competitions, etc.

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CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE AREA

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Language/scripts of material: English

Physical characteristics: Printed documents, sheet music and manuscripts.

Finding aids: None

ALLIED MATERIALS AREA

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DESCRIPTION CONTROL AREA

Recorder's note:

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: April 2002

Interest: Caribbean, Black

Specific group: African-Caribbean peoples

Subjects

African-Caribbean peoples

Music

Arts

Carnival arts

Festivals

Cultural events

Personal/Corporate names

Association of British Calypsonians

Yaa Asantewaa Arts and Community Centre

Places

London, United Kingdom

Caribbean

Trinidad and Tobago