We met earlier today at Gallery II, Bradford University, to experience Shabina Aslam’s sound art installation Bussing Out.

The bus

Bussing refers to an educational policy impacting South Asian, West Indian and African children who migrated to Britain in the 60’s or 70’s from former British colonies.

The Education of Immigrant Circular 7/65 policy at that time said that no school should have more than 30% immigrants on roll, or they had to be dispersed. In practice this meant many children were bussed across towns and cities to and from schools far from home each day.

The installation is based on research with children who experienced Bussing and gives an insight into why Bradford is still ‘brown in the middle and white on the outside’

The installation itself is ain two parts. The first is a reproduction of an old bus which you sit in and then experience an audio visual journey with a cast of characters telling their stories.

The second is reproduction of a 1970’s school classroom. Work is in progress with a group of young people to create artworks that will sit inside the desks, and reveal their delights when you lift the lids.

It’s a pretty amazing thing, and you should definitely go and experience it.

Shabina organised, and hosted the viewing for us, so we also got a look behind the scenes to see the technology that makes it all happen.

You can book a viewing, and see behind the scenes on the Bussing Out project website.