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Ctrl.Alt.Shift was an initiative politicising a new generation of activists for social justice and global change. It was a project of UK aid and development charity Christian Aid.


Magazine and Website

Ctrl.Alt.Shift was founded by Katrin Owusu and published the first issue of its magazine in June 2008. The magazines continued until 2010 and the website until mid-2011. It has published issues focusing on 'HIV & Stigma' and 'Gender & Power'. The magazine was edited by blogger and columnist Chantelle Fiddy who also helped edit the website. The website featured regular columnists and staff writers such as Dwain Lucktung, Eva Baker, Russell Myrie and Bibi van der Zee alongside user-generated content.


Direct Action

In November 2008, Ctrl.Alt.Shift launched the 'Nothing to Declare' project – a series of demonstrations with the intention of exposing the stigma created by HIV travel bans. The project was co-organised by activist pressure group Plane Stupid, with grime star Tinchy Stryder lending his support outside the Russian embassy. The protests targeted the London embassies of Russia, South Korea and Saudi Arabia, and were covered by CNN. On 8 March 2009, International Women's Day, Ctrl.Alt.Shift marched through Guildhall in London to raise awareness of the 50 million women missing in India due to female foeticide.


Cultural interventions

Ctrl.Alt.Shift garnered widespread media attention for its involvement in a number of arts-based cultural interventions, each of which has focused on a different area of social injustice in developing countries.


Sadler's Wells 'HIV/Aids and Stigma' Dance Event

In November 2008, it held a showcase of dance, film and music based on the stigma surrounding HIV/Aids at Sadler's Wells, London. Nitin Sawhney and Carlos Acosta were mentors and there was a performance by JME of Boy Better Know.


VICE 'Gender, Poverty and Power' Photo Competition

In early 2009 a photo competition run in conjunction with VICE magazine focused on Gender, Poverty and Power. Nan Goldin acted as an ambassador and Alexa Chung, Alex Sturrock, Ben Rayner, and Andy Capper were mentors. The winners were exhibited in February at the Association of Photographers in London.


BALTIC 'Conflict: War & Peace' Art Exhibition

In March 2009, Ctrl.Alt.Shift launched an art exhibition at BALTIC which focused on war and conflict in Colombia and Latin America as a whole. The exhibition took place over two floors of the building and featured work produced by 12 students and recent graduates from Newcastle University's LifeWorkArt programme. It also featured specially commissioned works from south London photo-artist Matthew Stone and installation artist Graham Hudson, who acted as project mentors. Urban sculptor and photographer T-Magic, street artist Benjamin Wachenje and BALTIC freelance artists, Alison Unsworth and Paul Merrick also featured, and David Shrigley was Creative Ambassador.


Short Film Project

On 14 May 2009, Ctrl.Alt.Shift premiered five short films: "1000 Voices", "HIV: The Musical", "Man Made", "No Way Through" and "War School". The films were directed by 7 young, talented, up and coming film makers; Tim Travers Hawkins, Joe Patrick & Tim Woodall, Fern Berresford, Ben Newman and Shelia Menon & Alex Monro who were helped out by established directors Aoife McArdle, Chris Harding from
Shynola Shynola are a directing team who have worked across live-action and animation for over twenty years. Gideon Baws, Chris Harding, Richard Kenworthy and Jason Groves formed Shynola while at art college and immediately earned recognition for their i ...
, Kinga Burza,
Paul Andrew Williams Paul Andrew Williams (born 1973 in Portsmouth, England) is a British film writer and director. He won the New Director's Award for his film ''London to Brighton'' in the 2006 Edinburgh International Film Festival. Career Williams began his c ...
and
Jim Threapleton James Edward Threapleton (born November 8, 1973, Wharfedale, West Riding of Yorkshire, England) is an English film director. Threapleton has worked as an assistant director on many films, including ''Hideous Kinky''. Career His first work as a ...
. The films were scored by the likes of Young Knives, The Thirst, Chipmunk,
Shy Child Shy Child were an American electronic music duo from New York City, United States, consisting of Pete Cafarella on vocals and synthesizers and Nate Smith on drums. History Shy Child formed in the summer of 2000, when former college friends Pete ...
, Metronomy, Denis Jones, and Jesca Hoop, and featured performances from Adam Buxton, Julian Barratt, and Martin Freeman. The poster art for the films was featured in Creative Review.


''Ctrl.Alt.Shift Unmasks Corruption''

''Ctrl.Alt.Shift Unmasks Corruption'' is a comics anthology edited by Paul Gravett, which features short graphical stories looking at examples of corruption in the real world. It includes contributions by such creators as Pat Mills, Bryan Talbot,
Dave McKean David McKean (born 29 December 1963) is an English illustrator, photographer, comic book artist, graphic designer, filmmaker and musician. His work incorporates drawing, painting, photography, collage, found objects, digital art, and sculpt ...
, Woodrow Phoenix, Peter Kuper, Dylan Horrocks, and
Dan Goldman Daniel Sachs Goldman (born February 26, 1976) is an American attorney, politician, and heir, who is the member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 10th congressional district. A progressive politically and member of the Democr ...
. An exhibition was held at the Lazarides Gallery in London in 2009 — in conjunction with Gravett's Comica festival — to mark the launch; the exhibition included examples of misguided previous attempts to produce worthy comic books.


References

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External links


Ctrl.Alt.Shift Website

Ctrl.Alt.Shift: Steps Against Stigma photo gallery - The Guardian
Political youth organisations based in the United Kingdom Communications and media organisations based in the United Kingdom