TAXI!

Sometimes the most extraordinary stories are hidden in the places we pass every day.

Taxi! was a year-long community arts project developed with filmmaker Geoff Brokate that explored the lives, experiences and relationships of taxi drivers working across Calderdale. Although taxi drivers are among the people we meet most frequently, their lives, cultures and experiences often remain unseen. Verd de Gris Arts wanted to change that by creating opportunities for genuine curiosity and conversation.

Working patiently over many months, Geoff spent time on taxi ranks and travelled alongside drivers from White British and Pakistani communities as they carried out their daily work. Rather than interviewing people in a formal setting, he became part of the everyday rhythm of life on the road—listening to conversations, sharing stories and observing the humour, challenges and quiet moments that shape life behind the wheel.

The project also explored how migration, identity and culture influence people's working lives. Geoff's previous experience travelling in Pakistan encouraged questions about the different status and traditions associated with taxi driving in different parts of the world. These conversations opened up wider reflections on belonging, work, family and community, revealing both the differences and the remarkable similarities between drivers from different backgrounds.

The outcome was a thoughtful twenty-minute documentary accompanied by a photographic exhibition capturing the solitude, camaraderie and shared experiences found across Calderdale's taxi community. Together they encouraged audiences to move beyond stereotypes and encounter taxi drivers not simply as service providers, but as neighbours, parents, migrants, storytellers and valued members of local communities.

The project toured libraries throughout Calderdale, creating opportunities for local audiences to engage with stories that might otherwise never have been heard. Its impact extended beyond the district when the film was presented nationally at a conference on hate crime as an example of creative practice supporting community cohesion and understanding.

As with so many Verd de Gris Arts projects, Taxi! was never simply about documenting people's lives. It was about creating the conditions for curiosity to replace assumption, conversation to replace division and everyday human encounters to become opportunities for connection. By listening carefully to ordinary stories, the project revealed something extraordinary: that understanding often begins with taking the time to see the person in front of us. The project was very kindly supported by The National Lottery Community Fund and Community Foundation for Calderdale.