The latest news, updates and events in Birmingham
A 100-year-old poet and book lover from London is walking 100-laps while fasting during Ramadan to raise money for those affected by coronavirus. British Muslim centenarian Dabirul Islam Choudhury has raised a staggering £75,000 so far for over twenty different charities which help people affected by coronavirus in the UK and Bangladesh, and those delivering aid…
An exciting arts event which includes painting, spoken word, and video projection, comes to the Paradise Circus multi-storey car park in Birmingham this month. The event – titled ‘Re-imagining the Opposition: The Art of Empathy’ – will include a performance by futurist storyteller Mark Gonzales and include original artworks by prominent Brummie street artist Mohammed Ali; alongside award-winning…
A Birmingham based artist has created a powerful spoken-word piece illustrating the need for change in North Birmingham. Titled “Communities Breathe”, local artist Tarju Le’Sano has collaborated with Punch Records to spotlight some of the north of the city’s area’s best features, while highlighting the places which need improvement and arts funding.
‘Sigh of the Musaafir’ – an exciting new theatrical experience comes to Birmingham Repertory Theatre this month that weaves music, dance, poetry, and visuals to tell the story of the Indus Valley as part of the ‘Transforming Narratives‘ project.
Beatfreeks, the city’s art collective focused on increasing creativity amongst young people, has been celebrating six years of its monthly spoken word gathering Poetry Jam. Over 800 tickets were sold for the event in Birmingham Town Hall, where the main hall became a lounging chill-out zone for much of the night as spoken word performances and…
Poet and activist Hussain Manawer has released the video for his recent work ‘Mamma’s Kitchen’, the third piece in his ‘Homemade’ poetry cycle. ‘Mamma’s Kitchen’ explores Hussain finding the everyday paraphernalia of his home and recalling memories of his mother, as he deals with the grief of her loss.
Poet, writer and LGBTQi activist Yrsa Daley-Ward is in Birmingham next week to discuss her latest book ‘The Terrible’. Of mixed West Indian and West African heritage and born to a Jamaican mother and a Nigerian father, Yrsa was raised by her devout Seventh Day Adventist grandparents in the small English town of Chorley.
A Birmingham spoken word poetry night organised by city arts collective Beatfreeks celebrates its fifth birthday next month. Launched in 2013, Poetry Jam has been giving young people a safe space to express themselves, perform, and build relationships.
Three-time world champion spoken word artist Buddy Wakefield will make a rare appearance in Birmingham this month, on 20th August, when he performs at the city’s upcoming ‘Hubb Debates’ event in Sparkbrook. The Hubb Debates is a novel event format that combines open public debate on contentious issues with spontaneous performances from musicians and performance artists…
The following poem about the city of Birmingham has been written by Rob Punton: