Rider Shafique

Rider Shafique is a multidisciplinary artist from Gloucester, working nationally and internationally. He is a prolific MC, performing live events and recording with several EPs and albums released, and countless features on tracks from dub, hip hop, drum & bass and more. Rider grew up in Barton and knew the Picturedrome as a child, watching its renovation on Challenge Anneka in the 2000s and going to comedy events there. Years later, Neil would ask him to become involved in The Picturedrome and took on a studio in the building. Rider used the building as a photo studio and did projects in the building- with a background in youth work, he made a conscious effort to make his workspace inspirational, wanting young people who visited to feel pride in the area they live in. Rider then started Black Cinema Monthly, a programme of film screenings - shortly after this, Georgia became involved with Rider mentoring her. He finds Gloucester frustrating at times,  ‘The infrastructure isn't there, every time you do something, it's from scratch. Where is the proof of progress in Gloucester? People stop working because they can't afford to, they’re not getting support, not getting respect.’ Rider enjoyed working from the Picturedrome and the people he worked with. He continues to produce creative projects, now working on primarily in Bristol.