Category Archives: Community Activities

African Art Masks

Celebrate and remember Black History at the International Slavery Museum

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source: The Voice Online
published: October 2018

While the UK celebrates Black History Month in October, the International Slavery Museum (ISM) uses every day to remember and celebrate black history.

The International Slavery Museum is the only national museum in the world to cover the Transatlantic Slave Trade and modern slavery, as well as celebrating black African culture.

A visit to the museum can be a powerful and moving experience, as we remember the past and think about a better future. A visit to the International Slavery Museum is an essential education.

Entry to the museum, and all our events and activities throughout the year, are free.

During Black History Month alone you can take part in African dance, drumming, craft activities, and a special Capoeira youth event.

Join the ISM to celebrate and remember >

Article Image Credit : Lynn Davis at www.FreeRangeStock.com

50 years of Reggae - The BASS2018

50 years of Reggae – The BASS2018 from Punch Records

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Punch Records will be hosting 4 Film nights as a part of their BASS 2018 festival. The theme for this years BASS is celebrating 50 years of the word Reggae. In celebration they will be holding art, film and music events across the whole of period of October.

2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of reggae. This year BASS will pay homage to the Music, Arts, Culture and Heritage of a genre that has enriched the cultural fabric of the world over the last five decades.

What Is BASS?
BASS is the UK’s biggest Black arts commissioning festival, having been actively bringing innovative themes, original events and internationally renowned artists from all over the world to the UK for over a decade.

BASS2018 features live music, visual arts, film debate, education and much more.

Reggae 50 film night – The Mockingbird; 7pm-9pm:

  • 4th October- Rocksteady

  • 11th October – The harder they come

  • 18th October – Lovers Story

  • 26th October – Homelands/Brukout

See more details here >

Furnace Community Theatre Project 2018

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Caroline and I were over the moon to be asked by the Birmingham REP Theatre, to be part of their ‘Furnace’ programme. Five theatre makers are working with community groups across Birmingham, to create original pieces of performance, which will be shared in July this year. This exciting project hopes to build long lasting relationships between Birmingham Rep theatre and communities who have previously not had much experience with the theatre.

Our project will be a collaboration with the women of Birchfield Big Local at Grosvenor Road Studios and women at two other hubs in Ward End. We want to create a safe place to come together, with other women to find new ways of sharing our stories. Through spoken word, art, voiceovers and music we will work together over the months to create a ‘sharing performance’. Also, as part of the project the REP will be arranging backstage tours and theatre trips for our participants.

We strongly believe in the importance of storytelling, shared experiences and giving unheard voices a platform. We will meet roughly once every two weeks and very much look forward to meeting you all. This project is accessible to all women regardless of experience.

The next workshops will be 10.30am – 12noon at Grosvenor Road Studios, 16 Grosvenor Road B20 3NP on the following dates:

Thursday 7, 21 and 28 June

Tuesday 3 July (performance day at The Dolphin Centre)

Thursday 5 July (performance at Grosvenor Road Studios)

Rachael Mainwaring, Women in Theatre

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre ‘Furnace’ Project is funded by Arts Council England

Furnace 2018: Creating New Theatre in the Community

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Artist, Rachael Mainwaring, is running a series of workshops at Grosvenor Road Studios starting Thursday 15th March as part of Birmingham REP’s Furnace project. Furnace brings artists and communities together to create theatre, tell new stories and give unheard voices a platform. Through spoken word, art, voice-overs and music we will work together over the months to create a ‘sharing performance’. Also, as part of the project the REP will be arranging backstage tours and theatre trips for our participants.

The Furnace project is open to all women in the local area and will involve a series of workshops with Rachael at Grosvenor Road Studios, 16 Grosvenor Road, Handsworth B20 3NP starting Thursday 15th March: 10.30 – 12 noon.  

Please contact Birchfield Big Local – 0121 448 5594 (Mobile: 07421 994752) for more details.

African Arts Weekend

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AFRICAN ARTS WEEKEND

24 – 26th November at Barton Arms, Grosvenor Road Studios and The African Village
Re-imagining Africa through the arts with Music, Dance and Storytelling

Friday 24th at Barton Arms, Aston B6 4UP – Storyteller, Pyn Stockman; Steve Ajao Blues Giants; and Lekan Babalola Sacred Funk Fourtet (Doors open 7.30pm)

Saturday 25th at Grosvenor Road Studios, Handsworth B20 3NP – Journey of Drum with Ray Prince and Lekan Babalola (Doors open 2.00pm)

Sunday 26th at The African Village, Birchfield Road B20 3JE – Family Friendly performances and workshops with Usifo Jalloh; Kazoumba Dance Workshop; Paul Nalambana; African Roots Fusion Band and DJ Stoneboy (Doors open 5.00pm)

 

Black History Month – Question Time

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As part of Black History Month, Birchfield Big Local are holding a Question Time event (1 – 3pm) at Grosvenor Road Studios, 16 Grosvenor Road B20 3NP.

Panelists include:

  • Jadieal Millwood – Senior Youth Worker at the Lighthouse Centre
  • Councillor Waseem Zaffar – Lozells and East Handsworth Ward
  • Paulette Hamilton – Handsworth Wood Ward and Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care
  • Dr Carl Harris – Psychological Consultant

For more information please contact Russell Green – Email: russell@birchfieldbiglocal.org Phone: 0121 448 5594 Mobile: 07419213430