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Art Not Evidence

@artnotevidence.bsky.social
18 followers 4 following 36 posts

Campaigning to stop the misuse of rap music as evidence in criminal trials. Link in bio to sign our open letter calling for law reform 🤝 lnk.bio/artnotevidence

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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
Concerns were also raised about the reliance on so-called “experts”, often police officers, rather than independent specialists with genuine cultural expertise.
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
During the debate, peers warned of the risks inherent in treating artistic expression as literal confession: “Much of the bragging and the boasting is simply that...to present that in court as some kind of evidence… is a slippery slope.”
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
Peers from across the House supported introducing safeguards for admitting music lyrics and videos as evidence. This is all good news - the issue will be pursued at the next stage of the bill.
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
Good news from the House of Lords 💛 On Wednesday, peers debated the use of creative expression as evidence in criminal trials, which demonstrated clear and unchallenged cross-party concern about the current approach of creative expression as evidence in criminal trials.
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
We urge the government to reform the law, to prevent the misuse of creative expression.
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Art Not Evidence flying the flag - literally - for Kneecap and in solidarity with Bob Vylan. Read our full statement below...
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
➡️ Come with us to Parliament to talk to MPs in about the use of rap music as evidence in criminal trials… #artnotevidence #rapontrial #rap #rapmusic #drill #drillmusic #jointenterprise #law #parliament #portcullishouse #westminster #debate #freedomofexpression #ukmusic
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
Even bigger thanks to @kimjohnsonmp.bsky.social for speaking about us and our bill in last week’s debate on the Crime and Policing bill, highlighting how rap music is so often used to produce ‘gang narratives’ and introduce racist stereotypes into the courtroom.
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
ANE back in Parliament! Huge thanks to the APPG on Music and APPG on Miscarriages of Justice for coming together to support our cause and bill, specifically @kimjohnsonmp.bsky.social, @petewishart.bsky.social, our day 1 @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social and @ukmusic.bsky.social for facilitating.
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
✨ WE'RE HIRING ✨ Campaign Coordinator (Part-time) Deadline: Monday 23rd June More details and apply here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
‼️ “How parents regulate their childrens lives and how the state regulates our creative expression are two different things” ‼️ Our very own Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah joins Nkem Ifejika on BBC R4’s ‘Hip-Hop Homework’ navigating the varying opinions and aspects of the genre...
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Thursday 1st May in Manchester: Jailed for 8 Years Over a Group Chat? Challenging Institutional Racism in the Courts. In this year’s annual lecture at @uomsoss.bsky.social University of Manchester, Keir Monteith KC, Honorary Senior Lecturer, breaks down Ade’s case — one of the Manchester 10
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Wednesday 30th in Bradford: Know Your Rights Workshop: The Criminalisation of Music and Young People with Adèle Oliver, the author of 'Deeping it - Colonialism, Culture and Criminalisation of UK Drill' ahead of ‘Public Interest’ the new immersive show from Common Wealth
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Tuesday 29th in Leicester: The Stephen Lawrence Research Centre Annual Lecture 'Race, Respectability & Disproportionality: The Use of Music in the Criminalisation of Young Black People' - Keir Monteith KC will be keynote speaker, followed by incredible panellists
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
David Letterman’s reaction to Jay-Z here shows the problem with using rap as evidence ‼️ Imagine 12 David Letterman’s on a jury, being told that lyrics by a Black teenager are literal and amount to a confession…
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Not sure we believe in coincidences anymore…the same week we visit the US for the first time at SXSW we have also officially aligned with our sister campaign in the US 'Free Our Art'
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
The more signatures, the stronger the message to policy makers! ✍️ Add your name at artnotevidence.org
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Thank you for 1000 signatories on our open letter!!! Learn more about what we’re campaigning for and add your name via the 🔗 in our bio or on our website 💛
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
We're SO PROUD of our co-founder Keir Monteith KC who is @thetimes.com Lawyer of the Week after his incredible work quashing his client Ade Adedeji's conviction in the Court of Appeal.
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
The Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley went on Nick Ferrari’s @lbc.co.uk show yesterday morning, commenting that he agrees with the former commissioner Cressida Dick and ‘supports’ controls on drill rap and lyrics...
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
On Tuesday we were in Portcullis House running an Art Not Evidence “drop-in session” sponsored by our number 1 @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social This was an opportunity for MPs to come and speak with the team and ask questions about the campaign and we were delighted with the turnout 💛
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
We had a little gathering to thank our team and supporters over what has been a crazy first year of campaigning to stop the use of rap music unjustly against young Black people in UK courts. Here’s to making bigger and better moves in 2025! 💛
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Art Not Evidence @artnotevidence.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
A whole year of campaigning to stop the unjust use of rap music as evidence in criminal trials. We’ve got a lot more work to do but we’re proud of how far our scrappy lil team has come and what we’ve managed to achieve and learn in 365 days. Next year we’re levelling up 📈
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