Hot on the heels of BlackFest artistic director, Jubeda Khatun, being named Merseyside Woman of the Year 2022, the festival is set to launch at Sefton Park Palm House on Thursday 1st September, 12noon – 5pm.
The free, family-friendly event will feature poetry, dance and yoga workshops, music and other live performances, to mark the start of an exciting month celebrating Black arts and artists.
Launch Schedule
Poetry – 12noon – 1pm
Five amazing local poets will kick-start the event. Naami Jane Soya will take you through journey of self and love authenticity and discovery, Addae G will bring cultural bilingual pieces and poetry of rich heritage and masculinity, Gerry Clarkson will share powerful words of activism and truth, Lizzie Lumenates will luminate you with her sass, grit, fire and sensuality, and Cassius will delight and challenge with his thought provoking quirky pieces of brilliance.
Dance and Yoga Workshops – 1pm – 2pm
Afrodance Nation is set to bring high energy ampiano beats and afro fusion street dance, so audiences can get involved in learning cultural dance, rhythm, technique and structure – while also having fun and meeting new people. Suitable for families and young people and children to move to the rhythm of highly skilled authentic Black dancers.
Weather permitting, there will also be opportunities to experience zen and mindfulness, through Yoga with Nu an authentic South Asian Yoga instructor bringing flavours of calm and tranquility. Please bring your own mats. This yoga is suitable for all ages.
Empowering Women’s Project Performances – 2pm – 2:30pm
A celebration of some of our Alumni of the Empowering Women’s Project we ran earlier this year, bringing Queen vibes with creative writing pieces featuring Samira covering themes of strength, motherhood and Persian culture and Iranian pop star Mahsa who will share her singing talents and works on migration and her journey into Liverpool.
Music – 2.30pm – 4.20pm
Enjoy performances from Starkey The Messenger, an alternative hip hop producer and artist, with a focus on social and political issues, but a deeply personal and unique perspective; LeeTz, an expressive artist from Berkley, Toxteth who voices her thoughts and feelings through writing, rapping and singing, creating impactful music that people can connect with and learn from and singer-songwriter Nicaise, who uses his talents to thank his adopted home in Liverpool and to raise money to support the city’s rough sleepers.
Also taking the stage are Kanga, a popular recording artist in his home country who was forced to leave after producing the song ‘El Mutino’ that was critical of the country’s leaders following a military coup and prolific singer-songwriter, guitarist, peace ambassador and founding director of Dole Ndawi NGO in the Gambia, Nazeem. He uses the transformative power of music to build resilience and positive change within communities and amongst young people. First-time appearances at BlackFest will include Angolan rapper, Yilly Ruel, known for telling his story through his music and spreading positive messages, as well as Andre Jahnoi and Keith Cocker.
Choir – 4:20pm – 4:40pm
As the day draws to a close, Wavertree Community Choir – masterfully headed up by the award-winning choir director and vocal coach Hayli Kincade – will bring our local community and audiences together through a host of uplifting gospel songs.
Batala Mersey – 4.40pm – 5pm
Bringing the day to a thunderous finale, Batala Mersey – an upbeat and energetic community drumming group – will bring the rhythms of Afro-Brazilian samba, with light and dark illuminating each other in an exciting fusion of samba, reggae and funk grooves.
Throughout the day there will also be a Family Fun Workshop in Creative Writing, Story Telling through African Fabrics and a mini fashion show from Seven Streets Fashion by Tayamaeca Hughes. Local Traders will also be selling jewellery arts, crafts and artisan goodies for you to buy and enjoy.
Following the launch event there will be a week-long series of events running from 24th September to 2nd October, with performance, film screenings and conversation taking place in venues such as the Pier Head, Unity Theatre, Philharmonic Hall Music Room, Hope Street Theatre, Granby Winter Gardens, FACT and more.
To register for the event visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/blackfest-2022-grand-launch-at-the-palm-house-tickets-395858853487?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
For information on all of BlackFest’s events and latest projects visit: http://linktr.ee/blackfest
