When

Where

Summary

Saturday 21 October 2o23
11am–4.30pm
Free – book via Eventbrite

Join us at the Migration Museum for a free, day-long festival featuring book readings, dub poetry, dance workshops, performances and more.

11am – 12pm: Children’s book reading of The Most Exciting Eid with Zeba Talkhani
Join author Zeba Talkhani for a reading of her children’s book The Most Exciting Eid. Take part in a word search activity after the reading and have your books signed by Zeba herself.

12pm – 1.30pm: Migration Mixin’ creative workshop led by BORN::FREE collective poets.
Join the BORN::FREE collective for a for a special one-off creative workshop exploring the Windrush Generation’s use of music and spoken word – and gain a deeper understanding of that generation’s impact on British culture and society. The workshop will explore themes around ancestry, spirituality and the natural, complementary relationship between music and poetry; tracing the evolution of ‘spoken word’ as pioneered by dub poets including Linton Kwesi Johnson and Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze. Be inspired to craft your own poems using your voice, learn how to use the power of language to explore complex themes and emotions – and how to use poetry for personal and societal change. The session will culminate in guest performances from Afro-diasporic writers experimenting with text and sound. This workshop is free, but places are limited, so please book via the Eventbrite link to secure your place. Ages:14+

1.45pm – 2.30pm: Dub poetry performance with Tobi Adebajo and mandisa apena from BORN::FREE
From Tobi “I am constantly inspired by nature and the unique amalgamations of sound that can be heard in her voice.  A lot of my practice is informed by how much my mother tongue, Yoruba, is a melodic language – for me, this has permitted an instinctive ease with fusion of text and sound.”
From mandisa ““I play with repetition and voice manipulation to create sonic dreams. I enjoy artists like Saul Williams and FKA twigs who lean into the abstract and afro-futurist.”

3pm-3.30pm: Colombian dance workshop led by School of Talentos dance collective.
Learn about the history, traditions and rhythms of Cumbia, Colombia’s most famous musical genre. This workshop is free, but places are limited, so please book via the Eventbrite link to secure your place.

3.45pm- 4.15pm: Closing performance by School of Talentos dance collective
A performance that will transport you to the Carnaval de Barranquilla, Barranquilla’s Carnival, one of Colombia’s most important folkloric celebrations and one of the biggest carnivals in the world. Barranquilla’s Carnival slogan is: Quien lo vive, es quien lo goza (Those who live it are those who enjoy it).

Plus more free drop in activities to be announced soon.

Click here to book your free ticket (opens in Eventbrite)

About Zeba Talkhani
Zeba Talkhani was born in Sirsi, South India and grew up in Saudi Arabia’s expatriate community before moving to India, Germany, and ultimately the UK, where she works in publishing. My Past is a Foreign Country was her first book and it’s received praise in The Times, British Vogue, Stylist Magazine, The Scotsman and even by Hillary Clinton. The Most Exciting Eid is her first children’s book.

Image: Chris Boland 

About BORN::FREE
BORN::FREE is a literary arts agency founded in 2014 for established, young & emerging writers of all narratives, with a special interest in African/Afro-diasporic & experimental writing. Having presented work in the UK and internationally, partnering with venues including the V&A, ICA, British Council, Southbank Centre and Somerset House, as well as festivals including We Out Here and Brainchild, BORN::FREE is a staple in the UK poetry scene. Their education work spans workshops and half-term programmes with organisations like Royal Museums Greenwich, Deptford Literature Festival and the Serpentine Gallery– as well as an annual Writers Collective for Black artists experimenting with text on the page and stage. BORN::FREE Radio, broadcast on Threads Radio, features soundscapes, interviews, poetry and music; their passion for the latter has seen BORN::FREE recently launch their new club night platforming Afro-diasporic bass and dance music, GET::FREE.  BORN::FREE is led by Belinda Zhawi and malakaï sargeant and is powered by a team of freelance artists, volunteers, audiences and community.

Image courtesy BORN::FREE

About School of Talentos
School of Talentos is a dance company based in London that offers Latin American performing arts and cultural activities to all. We are a group of dancers, actors, and musicians, united by a shared passion for promoting Latin American culture and traditions. Talentos focused on Colombian folklore and traditional dance; however, we are continuously expanding and now include popular music such as salsa and bachata. We seek to contribute enrichment through artistic expression bringing joy, pride, and a piece of home to the community in London. We provide a safe environment where adults, teens, and children can celebrate and share the roots of their own regions as well as explore the rich diversities of the whole continent. Our aim is to share our talents and the amazing potential of our beautiful countries.

Image: Bartek Ziolkowski Photography

Top image: BORN::FREE