From 13 June to 27 June the Bernie Grant Arts Centre is bringing the spirit of the Windrush to Tottenham with their first ever Windrush Festival, a two-week long programme of artistic activity highlighting the vital contribution the Windrush Generation and their descendants have made to the cultural landscape of the UK. There will be a packed calendar of performance, literature, music, cinema, workshops, food, talks, debates and much more, all culminating in a day of free outdoor events on Windrush Day – Saturday 22 June.
This is the first festival programme from BGAC’s new Artistic Director Hannah Azieb Pool. “The Windrush Festival is a chance to highlight the vast contribution of the Caribbean community in this country, while also creating space to explore what led to the injustices of the recent Windrush scandal. It’s a privilege to be able to create this in Tottenham which has benefited hugely from the art and creativity of the Windrush generation and their descendants.” says Hannah.
MP for Tottenham, Rt. Hon David Lammy has been at the heart of the campaign for justice for those wrongly deported and detained as a result of the Windrush scandal. He will discuss politics, activism and why a hostile environment affects us all. New Daughter’s of Africa – Margaret Busby’s major new global anthology of writing by over 200 women of African descent, is also coming to the BGAC stage with an evening of literature, poetry and prose by women of Caribbean heritage, including Andrea Stuart, Dorothea Smartt and Zadie Smith. Award-winning composer Shirley J Thompson OBE and guest artists will bring the compelling narratives and memories of Women of the Windrush experience to life. For anyone inspired to perform themselves, Reggaeoke – a unique mix of Reggae, Bashment, Dancehall and Soca Karaoke, featuring a live band, comes to north London for the first time ever.
BGAC will celebrate Windrush Day – Saturday 22 June with a FREE packed programme of music, dance and talks, including a workshop with dance legend Namron OBE, Black Book Swap and performances by Arts Bridge and the award-winning Steppaz, a local street dance crew.
To close the festival, on Saturday 27 June, we have a very special National Theatre LIVE screening of Small Island at BGAC, the epic new theatre adaptation of Andrea Levy’s Orange Prize-winning novel.
