Join us for Black History Month this October, as the UK joins together to celebrate the culture and history of Black communities.
As part of the University of Leicester, the Black Lived Experiences Steering Group (BLESG), which comprises Black students and staff studying and working at the university, have chosen this year’s BHM theme which is ‘Beyond Representation: Commitment to Change’.
This theme seeks to raise awareness of and harness a University wide commitment to improving the lived experiences, progression, representation, outcomes and satisfaction of Black students and staff by pro-actively addressing the systemic racial barriers and inequities they frequently encounter. This call to action will help to ensure that the University holds itself to account for committing to genuine and effective change which supports its Black students and staff to advance within the institution and will help to promote feelings of belonging to the university.
“We’re proud to spotlight initiatives like the Black Student Experience Programme, the Black Excellence and Leadership Programmes, and the Len Garrison MA Scholarship, each designed to uplift, empower, and create real opportunities for our Black community. These efforts are just the beginning of our long-term commitment to equity and belonging. Black History Month is more than a celebration, it’s a call to action. We all have a role to play in building an anti-racist university where every student and staff member feels seen, heard, and supported.” – University of Leicester President and Vice-Chancellor, Nishan Canagarajah
“Black History Month is a time of celebration and awareness that the Students’ Union looks forward to every year. This October, we, in collaboration with the University, have settled on a theme that reflects our investment and desire for equality: Beyond Representation: Commitment to Change. Although a month dedicated to awareness is extremely valuable and necessary, it is imperative for us to consistently make efforts towards making our campus inclusive to black students and staff. And this goes beyond representation, so we are committing to change. Change to offer a welcoming environment now and in the years to come, to ensure black students and staff feel like they belong within our community, and to support black students to succeed by making their experience fair and enjoyable.” Students’ Union Communities Officer, Cleo Cornou
Across Leicester incredible organisations are hosting events throughout the month that you can take part in. This includes Serendipity who pioneer creativity, opening minds and changing attitudes across Black arts, culture and heritage, and Opal22 who work to preserve Black history and heritage through delivering creativity and passion to communities.
At Attenborough Arts Centre we have a range of performances ready for the month for you to join in on.
Taylormade Studios presents ‘Infectious: Part One: Mad About The Boy’ and Directors Q&A
Saturday 11 October, 7:30pm – 10pm
Pay What You Can Tickets
‘What do they see when they see you?’ – the question asked by Vidal Montgomery’s debut short film ‘Infectious’.
Inspired by the poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks and the artistry of Allesandra Seutin, Infectious is a jazz soul poetry film about emotional wellbeing and sensually transmitted dependency in diaspora.
The film is a soulful collection of tone poems featuring amazing artists Lacey Adigwu, Caroline Archer, and Randolph Matthews who bring a Nubian aesthetic to the issue of emotional wellbeing in diaspora, and explore the relationship between art, collectivism and therapy, to make a work of art about the healing power of art.
The film will be followed by a Q&A with the Director and cast and crew, exploring perspectives of culture as the immune system of a people and the transformations that happen to people when they share their stories with strangers.
BAKUYARD Productions presents Whoodoo You Come From?
Sunday 19 October, 11:30am – 3:30pm
£30 / £15 / £7
BAKUYARD presents a transformative journey into ancestral connection, through creative expression, art, music and communal ritual.
Every one of us has roots that go back to a people who lived with grounded practice, in harmony with the Earth and with beautiful cultural traditions. These can be (re)connected to in memory, imagination, creative envisioning and conversation.
Facilitated by multi-heritage/Caribbean ancestry artist Mellow Baku, we discover our many roots through ceremony, immersive music, meditative writing and art.
This half day workshop concludes with harmonising soundscape, voice and sound affirmation in a performance-sharing: blending ritual and music, with co-created words, group storytelling, and song from Mellow, with a gentle invitation to contribute your voice to a powerful collective offering.
This multidisciplinary event in Black History Month gives us all opportunity to honour heritage, connect with land and lineage and awaken ancestral memory, no matter Whoodoo you come from.
WORD! and Renaissance One Present: A Black History Month Special with John Agard
Thursday 30 October, 7pm – 9pm
£10 / £5
Join us for a very special evening celebrating the poetry and words of international poet John Agard and local poet sensations brought to you through a collaboration between Renaissance One and Word! We’ll offer a space for conversation, performance and a Caribbean-style lime.
John Agard is a poet, playwright and short story writer who grew up in Guyana, where his love of language stemmed from listening to cricket commentaries on the radio. He has won many prizes, including the Smarties Book Prize and the Queen’s Gold Medal and in 2021 was awarded the prestigious BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award for an outstanding contribution to children’s literature. John is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and his work appears in an AQA anthology for GCSE English Literature. With his wife, the poet Grace Nichols, John has edited the Walker anthologies A Caribbean Dozen and Under the Moon and Over the Sea, and he is the author of the Carnegie-longlisted My Name Is Book. John lives in Lewes, East Sussex.
Get involved today with all the Black History Month events in Leicester!