BlackFest LTD
BlackFest is an award winning festival over the years we have been bringing together an inclusive programme celebrating theatre, film, spoken word poetry, music, dance and visual arts, providing a safe space for experimentation, excellence and connection within arts. Our collaborations with artists, organisations and the community has encouraged the creation, appreciation and access to this celebrating and centring Black Arts and Culture!
BlackFest Opening -Granby Residency Visual Arts Exhibition
Monday 23 September 2024
BlackFest 2024 Grand Launch is kicking off this year at Granby Winter Garden
This Solo Visual Arts Exhibition is part of our Granby Artist Residency Featuring Oke Ugonna
Oke Ugonna is leading a visual arts workshop exploring the process of creating landscapes and teaching you his methods and techniques. He would categorise his art practice into three parts: landscape, portraits and the work he does on African masks and sculptures. Oke’s practice has moved from very couched in the abstract expressionism of 1950’s New York to a more figurative style.
He is interested in the buildings of Liverpool and the more suburban feel of the Wirral. Born in Nigeria, Oke also draws inspiration from his background and culture.
We have a range of exciting traders, DJ and opportunities to participate and enjoy a bite to eat. Food: Bismillah Bites by Kamila Lynch + Stalls
Granby Winter Garden
BlackFest 2024 FULL Festival PASS
Monday 23 September 2024
Join us for an unforgettable experience at BlackFest 2024! Get ready to immerse yourself in a celebration of Black culture + arts.
We are back despite the state of the country we are moving!
With the BlackFest 2024 Festival Pass you'll have access to a variety of events, including captivating music concerts, inspiring art installations, engaging panel discussions, and much more.
An exciting Visual Arts Programme spanning from 1st Oct - 31st Oct!
🔥16 BIG EVENTS 🔥 A WHOLE VISUAL ARTS EXHIBITION AND PROGRAMME!
🎉 Our award-winning festival programme spans iconic venues community spaces across Liverpool that will showcase music, spoken word and poetry, new works theatre and BlackFest Fashion Fest finale!
This pass will grant you entry to all festival venues and activities throughout the event. SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. You will receive an email with all events and you will need to RSVP
VARIOUS VENUES
BlackFest 2024 Book To TV Series at Granby Winter Garden
Tuesday 24 September 2024
Book to film discussion with Ashleigh and Panel Member Yasmin Ali.
Meet Award winning Author, playwright, writer, rapper and poet Ashleigh Nugent founder of RiseUpCIC, after being published by Picador for his award-winning debut novel, he also received a TV deal with 2LE media, want to hear more on the process ?
Yasmin is a TV industry, currently working in scripted TV development. She also has experience on documentaries, factual entertainment and children’s programming, working on a range of productions including Waterloo Road (BBC One), Tan France: Beauty and The Bleach (BBC Two), Say Yes To The Dress Lancashire (TLC), & CBBC
Join us for this fantastic event to hear more from Ashleigh + Yasmin Ali revealing how to break into the TV industry! Followed by Ashleigh’s company RiseUp Creative Writing workshop own on the hero’s Journey where he gives you a formula to turn it all around and own your destiny! Suitable for ages 12+
Granby Winter Garden
BlackFest 2024 + The Tung Concert - Elodie Chousmer-Howelles (CANCELLED)
Wednesday 25 September 2024
BlackFest 2024 Lunch time concert presents an afternoon of melodic connection, featuring Violinist Elodie Chousmer-Howelles and Pianist Stella Marie Lorenz.
A varied programme of works will be performed in this lunchtime recital, including Beethoven, Coleridge-Taylor, and Amy Beach.
Elodie Chousmer-Howelles, rose to prominence as a BBC Young Musician 2018 string finalist. Elodie made her debut as a soloist with The BBC Singers in 2019 in an arrangement of Vaughan Williams’ 'The Lark Ascending' for solo violin and mixed choir.
Stella Marie Lorenz is a German chamber musician and song accompanist who has performed on international stages in Germany, Austria, France, Spain and the UK.
Stella is passionate about juxtaposing the known and unknown in classical music, encouraging listeners to engage in and discover new music.
The Tung Auditorium
BlackFest 2024 Spoken Word Poetry Night
Thursday 26 September 2024
Come on a poetic journey with us at our BlackFest 2024 spoken word poetry night!
Our spoken word poetry night will feature an exceptional line up of emerging and established poets and spoken word artists an immersive and experimental.
Featuring Spoken Word artists: Shak Introspection, Lucia (Lustraction), Angela Burnell, and Fauzia Adetokunbo Agbonhin.
Meet the line-up:
Angela Burnell's poetry pulls from personal experience, shedding light on womanhood, motherhood, disability, queerness and blackness.
Lucia (Lustraction) is a spoken word poet and writer. Lucia's work is inspired by political and personal beliefs, emotions, relationships, and the external world.
Shak Introspection studied theatre since he was 4 years old started scriptwriting at 21, this developed into poetry.
Fauzia Adetokunbo Agbonhin is a 19-year-old inspirational poet and writer. Her crafts include spoken word and slam poetry.
Closing with an open mic featuring wordsmiths from the audience.
Sign up on the evening.
Hope Street Theatre
BlackFest 2024 Jazz Concert with Courtney Pine
Friday 27 September 2024
Join us for a night of Jazz excellence.
Courtney Pine is one of the Worlds leading Jazz Musicians.
No one has better embodied the dramatic transformation in the British Jazz scene over the past few years than Courtney Pine.
The saxophonist heads a new generation of exciting and innovative musicians who have chosen to turn their talents to the demanding requirements of jazz music, in all its shapes and forms.
In this special concert, BlackFest partners with the Tung Auditorium, with Courtney Pine celebrating his 60th birthday year.
This award-winning show, House of Legends, celebrates the influence and contributions to the UK from the many varied people of the Caribbean and the re-release of Courtney's ground breaking debut album Journey To The Urge Within.
The Tung Auditorium
BlackFest 2024 Riddims night - More Music
Saturday 28 September 2024
Join us in another rendition of our iconic Riddims Night 2024 celebrating local artists CopDat, Immidish, Nazeem and ManlikeMally with DJ PAPU RAF Founder of Choplife + Finite band. With panel– discussion followed our our lit artists of 24.
Finite is an innovative music collective: Duo Terhile and Rub
CopDat is rap artist from Liverpool 10 yrs of being in music having number of radio plays including BBC INTRODUCING, BBC 1XTRA, KISS FM, CAPITAL XTRA with DJ Semtex. Seen on BBC INTRODUCING TOUCHDOWN TOUR with DJ Target on 1Xtra, BBC INTRODUCING TRACK OF THE WEEK / BBC INTRODUCING STEP UP ARTIST on BBC 1extra.
Manlikemally is an artist/ producer from the Wirral, he has been involved with the local scene for over 10 years
Immi Dash is an Alt RnB artist from Stroud based in Liverpool
Supported by BBC introducing, Immi was part of Jess Iszatt’s Radio 1 FFO Billie Eilish in 2024
Nazeem -Nazeem is a prolific singer-songwriter, guitarist & founding director of Dole Ndawi NGO in The Gambia!
District
BlackFest 2024 - Race, Religion, Riots
Sunday 29 September 2024
Join us and the award-winning Liverpool academic and poet Malik Al Nasir, author of the memoir ‘Letters to Gil’.
Malik will discuss his lived experience growing up in Liverpool and the north west during times of racial tensions in the 1970’s.
Malik traced his ancestry through his father Reginald Watsons line back to the sugar cane fields of Demerara in British Guiana. He uncovered new epic tales of enslavement and colonialism within the British Empire. He is currently researching this history for a PhD in history at University of Cambridge where he has received numerous awards for his work.
Islamophobic attacks shot up to 6000% a record high after the recent riots which engulfed many city’s across the UK in the wake of far right domestic terrorism. Migrant and minoritised communities are feeling unsafe and have expressed a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of racist marches of the 70s and the 80’s riots which came as a response.
+Malik's Memoir will be available to buy on the day!
Granby Winter Garden
BlackFest 2024 Visual Arts Exhibition Programme Launch
Thursday 3 October 2024
4 visual artists will display their work on exhibition at the Smithdown social arts hub.
Meet the line up:
Cara Walker is a visual artist dedicated to cultural liberation and the advocacy of creativity, with a particular focus on amplifying the Black voice.
Ridwa Horreh is an aspiring artist and PhD student passionately focused on exploring Black femininity through her ongoing artistic project.
Kassessa Gandara is a self-taught visual artist from Angola.
He creates different concepts and translates them into different artistic expressions, whether it’s through live events, stages and exhibitions or through printed digital, sculpture and painted mediums.
Mary Jasmine, a visual and multidisciplinary artist who creates painting rooted Vibrant African Arts Culture. Her roots are Nigerian and she draws from her culture and her main inspiration comes from Kenyan Masai tribal art.
Smithdown Social Arts Hub
BlackFest 2024 Endless Crescendo with Heather Tomlinson
Thursday 17 October 2024
Endless Crescendo – with Heather Tomlinson.
Heather Tomlinson is a Liverpool artist, skilled in theatre, singing, and street dance. Beginning at just 15 with a role on Channel 4’s Brookside, Heather refined her skills at Liverpool Theatre School and more recently at Kingdom Drama
School in London. Her musical talents have led her to portray figures
like Scary Spice and Diana Ross, and she has shared the stage with
legends such as Take That, Seal, Bon Jovi, and Russell Watson,
performing at celebrated venues including the Royal Albert Hall and the
Barbican.
"Endless Crescendo" is a poignant exploration of identity, acceptance,
and the complexities of navigating the intersectionality of race and
heritage. Through the lens of a mixed heritage girl's journey, this
one-woman + choir show, delves deep into the struggles of never quite
fitting into societal moulds.
The Capstone Theatre,
BlackFest 2024 Visual Arts Workshop - Kassessa Gandara
Saturday 19 October 2024
Join Kassessa Gandara a self-taught visual artist from Angola. He creates different concepts and translates them into different artistic expressions, through live events, stages, exhibitions, digital prints, sculpture and painted mediums.
He will be sharing his practice part discussion led on your creative identity, processes in he diaspora, inspiration. With an arts workshop.
Smithdown Social Arts Hub
BlackFest 2024 Visual Arts workshops – Ridwa Horreh
Saturday 19 October 2024
Ridwa Horreh - Reclaiming Black Femininity: An Exploration of Identity, Beauty, and Empowerment.
Ridwa is a student at the University of Nottingham's Cultural, Media, and Visual Studies Department. As a passionate photographer, Ridwa has collaborated with social media influencers, an experience that sparked her interest in exploring identity and representation.
Ridwa’s session will combines discussions, interactive activities, and artistic expression to challenge societal stereotypes and celebrate the multifaceted nature of Black femininity. Participants will explore key concepts such as intersectionality and controlling image, examining how these theories illuminate the complexities of Black women's identities (as well as women of colour). Through engaging presentations and group discussion The workshop includes a showcase of evocative photographs and videos excerpts from the reclaiming Black femininity series alongside famous photographs that explore similar themes.
Smithdown Social Arts Hub - Gallery 455
BlackFest Visual Arts Workshop - Cara Walker
Wednesday 23 October 2024
Cara Walker is a visual artist dedicated to cultural liberation and the advocacy of creativity, with a particular focus on amplifying the Black voice.
Her workshop - The Clean slate – her exhibition will be discussion led looking at portraiture and the exhibition developed from a 3 month artist residency at the Wales Millennium Centre. Through avenues like poetry, visual arts and storytelling, explore the Black identity through a historical Welsh lens, focusing on the duality of being Welsh and Black whilst also uncovering the hidden history of Wales’ connection to the Slave trade.
Smithdown Social Arts Hub - Gallery 455
BlackFest Sustainable Cooking – Land and cultivation
Thursday 24 October 2024
Join BlackFest for another sustainable cooking workshop with Michelle Odwyer – Bay Tree Cooking.
Explore our roots and tap into ancestral wisdom during this eco-friendly cooking workshop.
Sefton Park Palm House
BlackFest 2024 Fashion Fest Finale – Closing ceremony
Wednesday 30 October 2024
BlackFest Fashion Fest Finale features various local and UK national designers, models, poets and musicians. It is the first time we are collaborating with FutureYard an award-winning music venue in Birkenhead. We are going over the water to bring BlackFest to the Wirral.
Featuring Bluboy, Kingfast, Lu, Angela, Shak, Betty Salvan, Conduit, D Rebal, John, Satin, Fauzia, Cherrelle Gabriel, Leetz, Yilly, Remee Manlike Mally, Satin Beige, Nazeem, Fraya, Immidish
Fashion Designers: Cultureville and Dionne DaCosta, Janice House and of Charles, MAVAZI, Heritage Design, Meeyah Creations
Come celebrate creativity, community & culture at our final stance on centring Black Arts.
Future Yard CIC
BlackFest 2024 Launch - Granby Market
Saturday 7 September 2024
Join us for a day of networking, creativity and celebration of Black art, businesses and culture!
We are presenting our opening at Granby Market - Liverpool's most original and friendly community market, run entirely by volunteers is open on the first Saturday of every month from 10am to 3pm, showcasing the talents, spirit and diversity of the community. It has become a much loved event for local residents as well as the wider L8 region, attracting crowds from across the city. Our festival could not have been launched in a better venue or space.
We're delighted to welcome back artists from our collective as well as some new emerging artists giving you a flavour of what to expect for BF24!
Acts include Bluboy, Kingfast, Lu, Angela, Fauzia, Shak, Betty Salvan, Conduit, D Rebal, Remee, Leetz, Satin Beige, Fauzia, Man LikeMally, Nazeem, dance, poetry, music and DJ set from DJSoulfultiz
Featuring: Wavertree Community Gospel Choir led by award winning Hayli + Katumba drumming
Granby Market