A selection of Black History Month events taking place across the UK in 2005.
- Friday 30 September, Africa Friday Late, an evening themed around the contemporary culture of Africa. The highlight will be a ‘Fashion in Motion’ where the work of leading fashion designers from Africa will be shown. There will also be an African bar , DJ and food. Dilom Prizulike , the V&A’s artist-in-residence, will present a live performance responding to the V&A’s textile collection, while a spoken word poetry performance with audience debate with be hosted by Beyonder and Tuggstar at the Victoria and Albert Museum (Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. Tel: 020 7942 2211) For further details please see the V&A web site.
- Saturday 1 October, Africa Fashion Day, including Nigerian Head Wrapping workshop; Re-cycled Fashion Workshop; African Portraits; Face Painting; 100% Big: West African Cloth and clothing in London (talk); Africa Fashion Presentation, at the Victoria and Albert Museum (Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. Tel: 020 7942 2211) For further details (and booking for some events) please see the V&A web site.
- Sunday 2 October, 11-5pm, Drawing Together: Big Draw meets Carnival, the V&A celebrates the Big Draw and Carnival with events including: Draw a design for a carnival costume, help make a costume, mask making workshops, face painting, steel bands and a carnival procession. at the Victoria and Albert Museum (Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. Tel: 020 7942 2211) For further details please see the V&A web site.
- From Thursday 6-Saturday 8 October, 8pm, Qabuka, based on the true-life testimonies of Zimbabweans in exile. Created by Full Frontal Theatre and developed in workshop performances at London’s Oval House Theatre. At Soho Theatre + Writers‚ Centre, 21 Dean Street, London W1. (Box Office: 0870 429 6883 – 24 hours). Or online at the Soho Theatre web site. Ticket prices: £10/£8 (concessions), under 18s £5, Groups: buy 10 get one free. For further information please contact Nancy Poole on 020 7478 0142 or e-mail: nancy@sohotheatre.com.
- Friday 7 October, 4-7pm, SERTUC Black History Month Event, a keynote lecture on ‘What history should tell us about the future’ by Willie Madisha (President of COSATU – the Congress of South African Trade Unions). At Congress House, Great Russell Street, London. If you wish to attend the event please register by contacting Darren Lewis on 020 7467 1220 or email: dlewis@tuc.org.uk
- Saturday 8 October, 11-5pm, African Bazaar, for one day the V&A garden will be transformed into a spectacular African Bazaar. Artists inspired by Africa will showcase their original work from fashion to home furnishings at the Victoria and Albert Museum (Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. Tel: 020 7942 2211) For further details please see the V&A web site.
- Wednesday 12 October, 6.30-7.30pm, Africa Though a Lens, (talk), assistant curator Anne – Marie Eze gives an overview of photographs of Africa and Africans in the V&A’s collections. She charts the changes in representation of the continent and it’s people from ethnological photographs of the 19th Century to works by contemporary African photographers at the Victoria and Albert Museum (Free but booking advised). 2-4.30pm, Textile printing and decoration workshop, design and decorate your own textile inspired by African designs. Try out printing, embroidery and appliqué to create a unique cloth for use as a hanging or cushion cover. With textile artist Ruth Singer. This workshop is particularly suitable for people aged 50+. (Free but booking advised). At the Victoria and Albert Museum (Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. Tel: 020 7942 2211) For further details please see the V&A web site.
- Thursday 13 October, 2-4pm, African Thread, workshop with Maureen Mckarkiel using artefacts and textiles from the V&A’s collection to explore a brief history of Africa and it’s cultures., particularly suitable for mental health services users. (Free but booking advised). At the Victoria and Albert Museum (Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. Tel: 020 7942 2211) For further details please see the V&A web site.
- Saturday 15 October, a free screening of Pressure, the first ever Black British feature film, plus a Q&A with the director, Horace Ove. As part of Hackney’s celebration of Black History Month at the Rio Cinema, 107 Kingsland High St, Dalston, E8. (See Black World and Loud Minority)
- Saturday 15 October, 2-5pm, a family event organised by the French Caribbean Association to celebrate the richness of Caribbean culture through the Creole language, featuring dances, songs, poetry and food. Held at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1. (See Menm Biten Menm Bay – French Caribbean Association)
- From Tuesday 18-Saturday 22 October, 7pm, 3 Days in July, during the G8 summit this summer, South African and British school children documented their day-to-day lives through diaries, poems, essays and letters to each other. The three days turned out to be far different to what anyone could have imagined with the London children celebrating winning the Olympic bid then experiencing the effects of the 7 July bombings. The diaries are weaved together with newspaper reports into a unique piece of theatre highlighting the differences, similarities and struggles of both cultures and exploring the effects of global politics on young people worldwide. The project was developed and directed by Soho Theatre’s Suzanne Gorman, who runs the Young Writers programme at the theatre. At Soho Theatre + Writers‚ Centre, 21 Dean Street, London W1. (Box Office: 0870 429 6883 – 24 hours). Or online at the Soho Theatre web site. Ticket prices: £10/£8 (concessions), under 18s £5, Groups: buy 10 get one free. For further information please contact Nancy Poole on 020 7478 0142 or e-mail: nancy@sohotheatre.com.
- Saturday 22 October, all day, Africa Music Day, including Juwon Ogungbe (Nigeria) – performance and workshop; Spoken Words with Nick Makoha; Ezra Ethiopian Dance Group (Ethiopia) – performance; Hassan Erraji (Morocco) – performance and Doreen Thobekile – performance and workshop. All performances and workshops on the day are free. (Free but booking advised). At the Victoria and Albert Museum (Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. Tel: 020 7942 2211) For further details please see the V&A web site. This day is produced in collaboration with Africa-Europe Forum.
I am really disappointed in this supposed selection of events around the UK. I did manage to find one reference to an event in Nottingham, but everything else is in London. There’s a lot going on here in manchester – only one example of a city where interest in black history is high, not just among BME groups but throughout the whole community.
I am really disappointed in this supposed selection of events around the UK. I did manage to find one reference to an event in Nottingham, but everything else is in London. There’s a lot going on here in manchester – only one example of a city where interest in black history is high, not just among BME groups but throughout the whole community.
Apologies for sending earlier comment twice. I have since noted that the Alvin Alley dance troop will be touring elsewhere, not just Nottingham. There is also a note of an event in Bradford. But virtually everything else is in London.