In March 2014, award-winning novelist Courttia Newland launched The Almasi League Writers’ Programme with the Newham New Deal Partnership. Over 12 months, Newland mentored 10 emerging London writers from African, Asian, Caribbean and Oceanic backgrounds through group workshops and one to one tutorials, with access to established writers and editors such as Ella Allfrey and… Continue reading Courttia Newland and The Almasi League
Write your own future
Talking future change: Sathnam Sanghera, Dreda Say Mitchell and John Athanasiou. Spread the Word and Words of Colour Productions presents Writing the Future Saturday 12 September 2015 10.30am-5pm @ Waterstones Piccadilly Tickets: from £10 – £15 (concessions available) – TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE MORNING SESSION, SO BOOK NOW! The experience of BAME writers in… Continue reading Write your own future
Diverse author day on Twitter
Rosie Canning, creative director at Greenacre Writers, and award winning author Alex Wheatle, are the people behind a new hashtag #diverseauthorday which will launch on Thursday 24 September 2015.
The Etienne Sisters
After the huge success of the critically acclaimed Klook’s Last Stand (The Park Theatre), writing duo Chè Walker and Anoushka Lucas, bring the premiere of their new play to Theatre Royal Stratford East. The all-female cast features London talent with MOBO award winner Allyson Ava-Brown, Jennifer Saayeng (Ghost the Musical, Hairspray) and Nina Toussaint-White (EastEnders,… Continue reading The Etienne Sisters
Baila Brazil
Baila Brazil is a musical journey into the heart and soul of the African and urban roots of acclaimed dance company Balé de Rua, which premiered at Sydney Opera House in January 2015. Inspired by North American street dance, capoeira and samba, the company’s energetic, yet elegant style is born from the everyday lives of… Continue reading Baila Brazil
East End Boys, West End Girls
Spora Stories announce its latest production, East End Boys, West End Girls, which tours across four venues this summer. Following the highly acclaimed and sell-out shows of Pandora’s Box last year, writer and director Ade Solanke returns with a vibrant story about adolescence, friendships and unfamiliar territories. In conjunction with the play, Spora Stories will also… Continue reading East End Boys, West End Girls
Africa Utopia line-up announced
Africa Utopia – a four day festival dedicated to celebrating arts and culture from modern Africa and the African diaspora – returns to the Southbank Centre for its third year. Bringing together creatives across music, dance, literature, fashion and visual arts, the line up includes legendary afro beat musician Tony Allen and star guests Toumani… Continue reading Africa Utopia line-up announced
The Last Ship
Book: The Last Ship Author: Jan Lowe Shinebourne Publisher: Peepal Tree Press Price: £8.99 Review by Ronke Lawal The Last Ship is a poignant novel which spans three generations of a Chinese family who settle in Guyana after arriving on one of the last ships from China to the Caribbean.
Culture under scrutiny
Photo credit: Henna Decoration by Sarah/Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Groomsmen in turbans, women in saris, the happy gay couple in sherwanis. The stage was set for a vibrant, colourful civil partnership that looked straight out of a Bollywood movie. However, those featured in the photograph don’t appear to come from… Continue reading Culture under scrutiny
London’s newest theatre launches summer season
Hackney Showroom is a new community arts venue which introduces four experimental shows as part of their summer season. Offering their space to emerging new production companies Fit to Burst, pluck, Ste & Dav and Boom Shakalala, each piece of theatre attempts to blur the boundaries and challenge the form of performance. Date: Monday 6 – Friday 31… Continue reading London’s newest theatre launches summer season