Birmingham Festival 23 Reveals Full Programme

Following the announcement of its opening event, newly titled One City, A Thousand Memories, Birmingham Festival 23 has announced the full programme of events for the 10 day festival which takes place from 28 July - 6 August in Centenary Square.

 

A packed programme will run daily from 11am - 9pm* catering to all ages and interests, each day beginning with welcoming participatory activities, including a regular morning slot hosted by Games Mascot Perry. Back-to-back live and on screen performances throughout each day including projects commissioned through the Made In Brum open call; and each evening a strand under the umbrella title Twilight Takeovers will feature new partnerships, collectives and artists creatively collaborating to bring each day to a fabulous close. The 6pm Power Hour sees a range of fun workouts and easy-to-follow classes that you can make the most of in that post-work diversion from the gym. There's masses of music, a deluge of dance and a plethora of performances. With just 1 month to go til it starts, Birmingham Festival 23 looks forward to welcoming audiences, artists, local communities and volunteers, reflecting the diversity of the city, to come together to watch, listen, relax, dance and play. It will be a joyous, fun and heartfelt celebration to mark the one year anniversary of the Commonwealth Games in 2022, and is another bold showcase of Birmingham's talent, character and reputation as a world-class destination for major events.

 

Commissioned and supported by Birmingham City Council to celebrate the city's creativity, Arts Council England and University of Birmingham were previously announced as Principle Partners and Hollywood Monster as Presenting Partner.

 

Councillor Saima Suleman, Cabinet Member Digital, Culture, Heritage and Tourism at Birmingham City Council said: 'This is a real legacy from the Commonwealth Games, continuing the fantastic celebration of all that is great about the culture and creativity of the city. Birmingham City Council is proud to have commissioned and funded Festival 23, showcasing the creativity across our communities and the city's rich cultural offer through programming committed to diversity, inclusion and homegrown talent.'

 

Raidene Carter, Creative Director of Birmingham Festival 23 said: 'I am immensely proud of the Festival. Through the hard work of all the team, our partners and all the talented artists featured, we have pulled together a programme that highlights the breadth of talent in the city. All that's missing is the amazing Brummie turn-out - last year we saw that audiences in Birmingham are the best - they're relaxed, up for fun and so welcoming to visitors from outside the city. As the month-long countdown begins, the excitement is building, and we hope the warm weather will hold so that people can really make the most of the creative and welcoming site. Either way, we think the Festival will bring joy to audiences and participants alike.

 

 

DAY ONE: Friday 28 July - Opening Event

 

As previously announced, the Festival will open on Friday 28 July with One City, A Thousand Memories. DJ Echo Juliet and BBC Asian Network's Bobby Friction will build  excitement on the square with live VJs from 6pm ahead of the show which will start at 7pm. The event will be hosted by award-winning BBC presenter Ayo Akinwolere and DJ and Radio 1Xtra presenter Kaylee Golding in a line up that includes: B2022 Mascot, Perry with the Dhol Blasters, a host of Commonwealth Games medal-winning athletes from Team England. Opening Ceremony  Mezzo-Soprano Samantha Oxborough will perform with The Choir with No Name supported by community BSL choir Music in Motion (Made in Brum).  Drawing from Birmingham Music Archive's On Record album the final part of the evening will feature an eclectic mix of Birmingham's musical talent including Bambi Bains, SANITY and Friendly Fire Band. The Festival site on Centenary Square will feature a big screen where audiences can expect to see newly-commissioned short films, B2022 highlights and messages from a few familiar faces which will be kept a surprise until the night. 

 

 

Paul Ramírez Jonas / FIERCE: PUBLIC TRUST - 29 Jul - 5 Aug

How serious are the promises we make to one another, the vows we take, or the pledges made by our civic leaders? This interactive artwork by the New York-based artist behind 2022's brilliant 'Key To The City,' asks everybody to examine the value of their word. Over nine days, anyone can contribute pledges to a stunning installation (beneath the Library of Birmingham canopy) exploring what is important to us. 

 

DAY TWO: Saturday, 29th of July – SAMPAD TAKEOVER DAY

 

Get ready for some amazing South Asian dance and music from Festival Partners Sampad and friends. At 11am a Relaxed Welcome and Stretch starts the day with mindful movement accompanied by soothing South Asian melodies. At 12 noon join Perry's Picnic with Eternal Taal, a local, all female Dhol drumming and dance group, for an explosive start to the day. Young local poets Anam Hussain and Sana Rashid (1pm) will be reading extracts from their own work and  Sampad's book My City My Home. Three local dance groups Bengali Midlands Association, Roji Sarkar, and Rhythm Group (1.10pm) come together to create a large-scale dance piece celebrating Indian and Bangladeshi dance and culture. Local group with Pakistani origins Midday Mantra: Chand Ali Khan Qawwal & Party (2pm) perform fiery and compelling Qawwali music full of sufi soul. All-female Bhangra group Vakhri-Tohr (3pm) will be celebrating their regional Indian culture through dance. Dharmesh and Jaya (3.15pm) hosts a South Asian dance party where you get to join in the fun. Renowned opera singer  Abigail Kelly (3.30pm) will be performing the Jamaican Suite reimagined for voice and piano by Peter Ashbourne. One of the most exciting and versatile musicians in jazz and hip-hop, award-winning saxophonist and MC Soweto Kinch (4pm) is back in his hometown. Versatile young singer Natasha Rose Seth (5pm), who has performed with Arianna Grande and as part of The Voice, presents a programme of  popular English and Hindi songs. Chitraleka Dance Academy (5.20pm) will be performing Bharatanatyam, one of the most spectacular and ancient Indian Classical dance styles. Devika Rao and her dancers (5.30pm) will be performing Yakshagana, a retelling of the story of good overpowering evil. Join India Island Academy (5.45pm) as they dance their way round an epic journey through South Asian film. Get your heart pumping as Ultimate Bhangra (6pm) lead audiences through a Bhangra workout. Join the Queer-Side community and special guest solo artists in a colourful dance and music extravaganza No Place Like Home (7pm) , exploring the true meaning of home in Birmingham. spotlighting Queer and South Asian voices in a celebration of pride and togetherness. And finally Apache Indian (8pm) will be returning home from a worldwide tour to close Sampad's day with pure 90's magic.

 

DAY THREE: Sunday, 30th of July – FABRIC TAKEOVER DAY
 

A day of dance for 'every body' from festival partner FABRIC, the Midland's strategic dance development organisation. www.fabric.dance  Celebrating Birmingham, Poet Laureates Casey Bailey and Iona Mandal have been commissioned by FABRIC to accompany and respond to Birmingham's diverse dance community throughout the day.  Warm up in an inclusive workshop led by Sense, Relaxed Welcome and Stretch (11am) offers calming movement and sound for all bodies. Perry is joined by special guests LYNNEBEC with their infectious and energetic disco-inspired routines (12 noon).  Experience the captivating realm of Bollywood with Aspire Dance's  (Made In Brum) dazzling costumes and lively Bollywood music (1pm).  What the Eye Sees by Linden Youth, a weekly training programme for young people aged 11 – 21 years, specialising in Contemporary and Afro-Fusion movement styles, alongside supporting positive physical and mental wellbeing,  (1.15pm) explores the impact that visual perception or cultural stereotypes can have in the struggle of fighting against the tide of mass judgement.   The Twelve by Future Shift and FABRIC Centre for Advanced Training (1.45pm) sees 12 dancers unite for a celebratory performance showcasing individuality and the power of togetherness.  UNBOXED by Linden Dance Company (2pm) is an explosive outdoor duet in which the dancers set themselves in opposition to two giant wooden cubes in a physical representation of their battle with prejudice and judgement.   Autin Dance Theatre uses their unique blend of contemporary storytelling, striking physicality and innovative large designs to transport audiences and communities along a carefully choreographed procession Parade - The Giant Wheel (2pm). Hip Hop theatre company O'Driscoll Collective (Made In Brum) brings live music and a multigenerational all-male cast in a raw, authentic breakin' and hip hop performance that showcases the power of movement (2.45pm).  In Where All Paths Lead by 2FacedDance (3pm) 6 male dancers and a live drummer embrace the powerful possibilities of different journeys as they navigate their way across a series of pathways. In You're Out of This World by LYNNEBEC (3.30pm) - with their infectious energy and special space disco dance routine, the Astro Groovers train up eager recruits to help them in their quest to discover the greatest party of all time! 4 - 5 pm is Power Hour, featuring Dance Battle, your chance to join a dance battle with a twist; and the premiere of  Big Gay Disco Bike by FATT Projects with cabaret superstar and vocal powerhouse, Fatt Butcher, because anywhere can be a dance floor!  Enter the world of SOLARA by ZoieLogic Dance Theatre co-created with inclusive and integrated company Critical Mass Dance Collective (5pm) and feel the power of connection, community, and dancing together. The Big FATT Dance Party by FATT Projects (5.45pm) is performed by a larger-than-life team of the UK's leading drag, cabaret and nightlife entertainers, voguers and dancers - audiences will be guided through a range of accessible interactive dance moments including disco line-dancing, square dances, and soul trains. 

 

 

DAY FOUR: Monday, 31st of July 

 

The day begins with a Sense Wellbeing Sound Bath (11am) before Perry's Party Picnic with Creative Active Lives – Bubble Disco (12 noon) with expert bubbleologist Rachel of Spinsonic and friends. Bollywood Dreams Dance Company (1pm, Made In Brum) brings the magic of Bollywood screen to stage with a spectacular Bollywood-style performance before GEM's Dance Academy (1.15pm Made In Brum) will lead a fully inclusive up-beat and fun dance class. Got 2 Sing Choir Harborne (1.45pm Made In Brum) will sing chart toppers to golden oldies for everyone to join in and RCCG Instrumental Hub (2.15pm Made in Brum) are putting on a multi-instrumental, multi-lingual, multi-disciplinary showcase from around the world. THE COMMONS (3pm) is a sanctuary for safe, playful yet challenging discussions about our connected past, present and future. Come along to this gathering of minds and hearts led by Festival Artistic Associate, Zeddie Lawal. At 4pm refugee and migrant support group Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham presents: the 'Sunshine Afro-roots' music of TwoManTing (Sierra Leone / UK) plus Easternm European contemporary folk band Iryna Muha & Dmitry Fedotov (Ukraine / Latvia). BIMM Birmingham Choir (4.15pm Made In Brum) are a fresh, energetic group bringing a contemporary sound to traditional Gospel before a Birmingham 2022 Volunteers reunion, Commonwealth Collective Party (5pm) invites everyone to dust off their balti-orange and blue uniforms for a Birmingham 2022 Volunteers reunion. Dance along to some classic tunes with Urban Line Dancing (6pm) before an Irish music and dance extravaganza with Birmingham Irish Association and Ceol Agency (7pm Twilight Takeover) who will throw a ceilidh the likes of which Centenary Square has never seen before!

 

 

DAY FIVE: Tuesday, 1st of August

 

Beginning with the daily Sense Wellbeing Sound Bath (11am), at midday Perry's Party Picnic with B'Opera is a classical music experience for the under 5s where they can soar with the birds, buzz with the bees, march with the animals, and help Incy Wincy get back up again. This is followed by more music from a capella choir Voices Entwined (1pm Made In Brum) who performed at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.  Journey of Light by The Seekers (1.30pm Made In Brum) brings the colours of Sufi tradition presented by Rubaya Pirzada, fused with jazz keys by Dominc Scohy, exotic rhythms played by Richard Kensington, live poetry by Rango, and an enchanting dance by beautiful Aruna. Warm, reflective, open-hearted and lyrical jazz, 5 piece band A Hologram Maze (2pm), led by pianist/composer David Austin Grey, who navigate different moods and emotions. THE COMMONS (3pm) is a sanctuary for safe, playful yet challenging discussions about our connected past, present and future. Come along to this gathering of minds and hearts led by Festival Artistic Associate, Zeddie Lawal.  BIMM Birmingham Showcase (Rock & Metal 4pm) features  Insurgent  with their blend of soaring vocals with crushing instrumentation; and untamed, Alternative-Rock disruptors SANTU. Neighbourhd (5pm) showcases some of the best emerging Artists and Musicians the city has to offer and  Sharon Brown Fitness (6pm) will get your body moving and your energy up for a dance fitness session Sofunk.  The unmissable Birmingham Repertory Theatre concert performance of Grimeboy, (7pm Twilight Takeover)) from Casey Bailey, former Birmingham Poet Laureate and winner of the Greater Birmingham Future Face of Arts and Culture 2020 is directed by The Rep's Associate Director Madeleine Kludje and featuring Keiren Hamilton-Amos, Corey Weekes and Alexander Lobo.

 

DAY SIX: Wednesday, 2nd of August

 

Sense Wellbeing Sound Bath (11am) precedes Perry's Party Picnic with Creative Active Lives (12 noon) that has all the excitement of the circus. SHE Choir Birmingham (1pm – Made in Brum) a community choir for women, non-binary people and those who identify as female based in central Birmingham,sing original arrangements of pop, rock, indie, R&B and more. Natty Ola (1:30pm, Made in Brum) will perform a showcase from her new album Stories, performing her crazy live jazz original scatting accompanied by her amazing band.  Wi Deh Yah By Moving Tu Balance (2pm Made In Brum) is an intergenerational dance performed by local women which encourages self-expression and liberation and will be accompanied by African rhythms performed by master drummers. What is it to be a girl? By Amplify Sounds (2.45pm) explores themes around the female experience as creatives share their experiences through poetry, song, dance and live electronic percussion. Shine Girl Shine by IAM West Midlands (4pm) is a celebration of Black female talent in the underground music scene, right here in the West Midlands. Three artists will be paired with our live band and share their gifts with the city and Selextorhood DJ Set (5pm) will be presenting a 1-hour DJ set with a bk2bk, bringing the energy up with some of their top selextors! All About The Fight by Flexus Dance Collective (6pm) is an empowering, innovative Grime Dance Theatre project, embracing the culture and spirit of Boxing, Grime Music, and Dance.  And the day ends with What If (7pm Twilight Takeover) led by visionary individuals, international recording artist, songwriter, and founder of Girl Grind UK, Namywa Hutchinson, dancer and founder of Eloquent Dance Company Romanah Zhane, and Bianca Passelle-Reid, vocalist and founder of Vocal Nova Academy. What If is an untold street musical, exploring the journey of three women: Petta-gay, who took a gallant leap to travel on the HMT Empire Windrush ship and later arrived in Birmingham; Jada who has a life-changing decision to make; and Blessing who needs to dig deep and take a leap of faith despite the naysayers. There are nods to Birmingham's music, nightlife, economy, and culture throughout, with references to places, sounds, food joints, and events that give you that true Brummie pride.
 

 

DAY SEVEN: Thursday, 3rd of August

Following the daily Sense Wellbeing Sound Bath (11am) Perry's Party Picnic with Capoeira – The Music Movement Martial Art (12 noon)  will be a Brazilian morning of dance and martial arts. Birmingham based band Forró Tempo (1pm,  Made in Brum) will bring the rhythm, beats, and melodies of Forró, an art form from the Northeast of Brazil before Wan Sheung Chinese Cultural Dance Group (1.30pm Made In Brum) perform a traditional Tibetan mountain dance and a dragon dance.  Mughal Miniatures: Animal Paradise by Sonia Sabri (2 & 4pm)  is a fun and upbeat outdoor performance event for all the family, which takes inspiration from the exquisite traditional art of Indian and Persian miniature painting.  Cog in the Wheel (2.15pm) is a street dance storybook unfolding on stage, revealing the impact on our lives of the constant use of mobile technology and hustle culture. The piece is conceptualised by self-taught dancer and teacher Billy Read and choreographed & performed by Def Motion, a mixture of deaf and hearing dancers. For the Eastern European Showcase (3pm) the Czech & Slovak Club UK takes us on a journey through folk songs and dance performed by Slovak Ensemble BREZA, Latvian Community Sakta and R.U.D.A. Romanian and Moldovan Community. Yaram Arts (4.15pm) will bring an exciting lion masquerade dance performance accompanied by an assortment of drummers before the spiritual folk songs of Azad Kashmiri Folk Group (5pm) take inspiration from Sufi wisdom to relay universal messages. Drum N Bounce (6pm) is Brum's very own uplifting dance fitness class to drum & bass music, created by Emma Smallman. Part of the University of Birmingham's Culture Forward initiative, Soul City Arts will create an indoor installation entitled NOMAD within the Assembly Rooms in the University's Exchange building.  Artistic Director Mohammed Ali brings a specially made 'nomadic reflection booth' for the public to step inside and scribe and record their most cherished thoughts and du'as (prayers). Filmed recordings of the hopes, prayers and du'as expressed through the day will be gathered in a same-day-edit and shared on the Festival screen (6.45pm). Day six comes to an end with Languages Between Strangers by Amerah Saleh (7pm Twilight Takeover). Journey through a collision of poetic verses, harmonious melodies, pulsating RAP beats, and electrifying dance moves. Behold the tale of global kinship, meticulously crafted by a triumphant triumvirate of Birmingham storytellers. Co-written and performed by Raza Hussain and Sipho Ndlovu with music by Czafari.

DAY EIGHT: Friday, 4th of August

 

The daily Sense Wellbeing Sound Bath (11am) is followed by Perry's Party with Picnic Creative Active Lives (12 noon),  the biggest parachute party Birmingham has ever seen! ZeroG (1pm & 3pm) is a spectacular new dance show for two dancers from Corey Baker Dance that uses a specially constructed, counterweighted lift that allows the dancers to move as if in zero-gravity and is part of a collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA).  Tell it to the Music (1.15pm Made In Brum) is a monthly poetry open mic featuring live improvising musicians run by poet Leo Dragstedt and musicians Amy Coates and Vato Klemera. Joined by drummer Rochaé Stephens-Morrison, the band presents a piece featuring poets Bradley Taylor, poet in residence at The Bookshop on The Green, and Memory Bhunu, 2019 Unislam winner! GAP Entertainment (1.45pm Made In Brum) will be showcasing a dance performance from the Creative Collective and the Simmer Dance team made up of some of the best young dancers in Birmingham. Vanessa Sinclair VNS Productions brings you The Live Vibe Takeover (2pm Made in Brum) - an incredible visual and auditory experience bringing established and emerging artists, singers, MCs, and dancers together. Sharing skills and passing the baton from one generation to the next. Five-piece emo band with a message of strength in diversity, Second Cities (3.30pm Made In Brum) blend metal and pop punk for sad teens with happy faces. At 4pm, BBC Asian Network takes over the stage showcasing the best of new and upcoming British Asian talent from Birmingham before BBC Asian Network Motivations (6pm) present an hour of motivational workouts. There will be plenty of high energy and mood boosting Bollywood, Bhangra, and Asian Beats to get you motivated! 93:00 Collective (7pm Twilight Takeover) take us to a post-apocalyptic 2093; Birmingham has fallen into disarray after a catastrophic event, “The Blackout". In an effort to reclaim their voices, the city's resilient communities use music, fashion, and dance to promote unity and express their aspirations for a better world.

 

DAY NINE: Saturday, 5th of August

Join Rosie for Cool Carnival Vibes with Black Rose Yogini (11am) a morning of relaxation mixing yoga and movement with upbeat, uplifting soundtracks then at midday Perry's Party with Oya Batucada creates Saturday Samba beats. Join Perry's parade, try some percussion, and party like it's Rio!  5-piece Sweetpan SteelBand (1pm), with members from the ages of 10 to 60 years old, will play a host of genres, from Calypso to Classical, inviting everyone to revel in the sounds of the steelpan. At .130pm come have a taster of the fitness class Fitzelles (Made In Brum)  by award-winning fitness instructor Ellie Hooper and dance along to Zumba with her crew!  Carnival of the Animals (2pm) a family Garage special featuring DJ GeeZee. Cutch-I and his band, The NuChaptah (3pm Made In Brum), perform multi-genre music, bringing uplifting positive vibes that will make any crowd get up and dance. Stay around for the end of the performance with dancers joining on stage for a truly special moment. ACE Dance & Music (4pm) brings a collage of colour, dance, and the pulsating rhythms of Trinidad as vibrant costumes soar, amidst the backdrop of a vocal community mass choir led by Black Voices and Dutch marching band, Eternity Percussion, as they fill Centenary Square with the magical energy of melody and song. Prepare to sweat in a fiery dance-party by Boxout (6pm) UK DJs and dancers fresh from their regular night in Digbeth where community-spirit and good vibes rule. With easy routines and fun instructions, getting it wrong just adds to the party! And bringing the day to an end from 7pm,  experience the awe-inspiring Mast Qalandar (Twilight Takeover) Dancehall Mashup (MQD Mashup!), a mesmerising intercultural fusion of music and dance directed by Associate Artist Mukhtar Dar with music by Simon Duggal and featuring international guest artist Arieb Azhar from Pakistan. This international extravaganza celebrates solidarity and resilience in Birmingham's communities, blending diverse genres to create a unique "Glokal" experience.

 

DAY TEN: Sunday, 6th of August – Closing

 

The day starts with Rainbow Voices (12 noon), the West Midlands' community choir for LGBTQIA+ people and their friends, are united by their love of song. A School's Out Disco (12.30pm) celebrates the summer holidays with moments of joy and cabaret. Made in Brum act, Headquarters of Groove (12.45pm) will bring a selection of feel-good Acid Jazz, Neo-Soul and dance tunes, ahead of two of the city's finest and established talents in a back-to-back celebration of music and spoken word. At 3pm, fresh from a national tour, an enhanced edition of Dancing to Music You Hate by Jasmine Gardosi (Birmingham's poet laureate) returns to Birmingham, adapted for the festival with special guests. Expect explosive dubstep bass-lines and soaring folk violin blowing apart the boundaries of gender and musical genre alike.

 

We close the festival from 5pm with B: Music: NEXT TRACK

 

Following 2022's Beyond the Bricks of Brum, Next Track sees former poet laureate Casey Bailey working alongside Musical Director, Ashley Allen, and a range of regional music, poetry and spoken word artists bringing Birmingham Festival 2023 to a close. Celebrating the city as it is now, where it came from and where it might be in future, this performance will take audiences on a journey looking at acceptance, arrival and appreciation.

 

Steven Knight CBE, and former gold-medal winning Team England Netball Captain, Ama Agbeze, are Patrons of the Festival, signifying the city's cultural and sporting ambitions.

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