Refugee Week Festival ‘24 Family Takeover at MAC

Name: Refugee Week Festival ‘24 Family Takeover at MAC
Start: 2024-06-15T12:00:00+01:00
End: 2024-06-15T21:00:00+01:00
Location: Midlands Arts Centre - MAC

Schedule

Sat Jun 15 2024 at 12:00 pm to 09:00 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

Midlands Arts Centre - MAC | Birmingham, EN

Refugee Week Festival 15-22nd June 2024.
Birmingham’s annual festival of music art from around the world 🙌 showcasing the work of highly acclaimed refugee and migrant artists, plus refugee and community groups.
With live music, information stalls, arts and crafts and workshops we promise you will leave happier and more inspired than when you arrived.
To kick the week off, you and all the family are invited to The MAC for a lively day of dancing lead by Andean Latin band Kausary plus Zirak Hamad & Daholl Kurdish Band.
We'll be announcing more artists as the weeks go on so keep your eyes peeled.
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The MAC Programme...
12-1pm – Hexagon Theatre - Refugee Week Launch event Presentations, spoken word and music
1.10 – 3.25 - Outdoor Arena
Live music from around the world featuring Kausary from Peru
3.30-4.30pm - Hexagon Theatre Film, spoken word and music
4.30 – 6.30pm – Outdoor Arena Headline acts featuring Zirak Hamad & Daholl Kurdish Band

About The Artists
Ukrainian school
Children from the Ukrainian School in Nottingham will perform alongside Ukrainian musician and singer Iryna Muha. Involving violin, guitar, ukulele, accordion, keyboard, bass and singers. We are excited to welcome them to Birmingham for Refugee Week.
Mohamed Osman (Sudan)
Mohamed Osman is a multi-talented Sudanese artist who sings in the Arabic language as well as Tigre. Mohamed has performed for us the last 2 years for Refugee Week with his band and as a duet, and got everyone up and dancing in the Mac Outdoor Arena. We are delighted to welcome him back this year with his band.
Breza (Czech & Slovak)
Formed in 2018, Folk Ensemble "Breza" is now over 25 members strong, performing traditional dance and music in classical Slovak costumes with traditional instruments. �Under the tutorage of professional dance chorographer Petra Dona, "Breza" have performed nationally at wedding ceremonies, community events, The Commonwealth Festival in 2022 & Birmingham Festival in 2023. Also at Centenary Square and Mac during Refudee Week 2023. Breza perform as a large ensemble and in smaller groups and will be presenting a 6 piece ensemble for Refugee Week 2024.
Kausary
Kausary are one of Europe’s best-known Andean bands. They boast an exciting, expressive and talented line-up that will enchant any audience with their sounds of Latin America. Whether it is music for the heart or for the feet. Formed in 1995, in the UK, Kausary has a repertoire of traditional Andean and contemporary Latin sounds. Music of the Andean highlands, coastal lowlands, Amazon basin and forest, Cuban and Latin are all played with a depth of emotion unequalled. “Our passion is to promote Peruvian and South American music, together with raising more awareness of Peru and Latino - America in the UK and the rest of the world.”
Queen Lilas
Queen Lilas, formerly known as Lilas Lafleur, was born and raised in Paris to Congolese parents. Her music is positive and from the heart. She is a gifted and accomplished musician, composer and producer who plays piano, guitar, percusssion and more. Lilas was trained by her uncle and highly respected Zoukous artist, Diblo Dibala, a Congolese musician, known as “Machine Gun” for his speed and skill on the guitar. In recent years, Lilas has performed and recorded with him as a backing singer.
Lilas supported R&B superstar, Ne-Yo at his sell-out North East England After Party in Sunderland in 2009, and has performed at various venues and festivals around the UK such as 'Taste of Africa' (Middlesborough), 'L'Afrique Festival' (Newcastle). She recorded and released songs as a featured artist with Roc Nation / Sony RCA artist K Koke. Having spent the last 3 years producing, writing and arranging her album, “Ntoto” released in October 2023, we are delighted to welcome Lilas to our programme for the first time.
Zirak Hamad & Daholl Kurdish Band
Zirak Hamad is a violinist, drummer and singer who came to the UK in 2002 from Iraqi Kurdistan. A graduate of the Institute of Fine Arts in Iraq, he has a wide range of artistic experience in his home country where he worked as a teacher, festival organiser, broadcaster, television presenter and music critic. During his time in the UK he has worked as a freelance artist delivering Middle Eastern dance and music workshops for schools, community groups and festivals, in the UK and internationally. He performed with eclectic trio Village Well and gypsy/klezmer band Karaj, as well as forming Daholl Kurdish Band. Zirak also performs as a solo artist introducing audiences to a range of Middle Eastern music and drumming.
Daholl Kurdish Band is an energetic blend of Kurdish and Middle Eastern music which ranges from traditional to contemporary popular dance music.

Hexagon Programme
Artists and Community Groups
Stories of Hope and Home - is a story-telling project offering Asylum Seekers and Refugees a space to share their stories and others a space to hear them. They have performed for CSB at Refugee Week a number of times as well as putting on their own productions.

Ahmed Magare - is a Somali born artist, poet and spoken word artist. He spent many years in Holland before settling in the UK and completing his Fine Art BA (Hons) at Birmingham City University. Ahmed has performed his spoken word on many platforms and collaborated with musicians and singers for many events. He has exhibited his artwork and published 2 books of poetry with artwork. In 2019 he hosted his own exhibition and events at Ort Gallery in Balsall Heath. Ahmed is a regular contributor to CSB having performed his spoken word at CSB events, seminars and exhibitions at venues such as Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Ikon Gallery, Library of Birmingham, MAC, Ort Cafe.

Women by Lora Arkhypenko (short film)
WOMEN is a powerful and emotional documentary short film that follows the lives of three courageous women who were forced to leave their home country of Ukraine due to ongoing conflict and war. Through this film, the director wanted to shed light on the experiences of Ukrainian incredibly strong and resilient women. They were forced to leave their homes, their families, and their country in search of a safe place for their children. It wasn't an easy decision, but it was one that they had to make for survival. Through these stories, we will see the struggles they faced in a new country, language barriers, and cultural differences. But we also see the beauty of women's spirit, as they find the strength to rebuild their lives no matter what. Their stories are not just about the war, but also about hope and resilience.

In Her Shoes - are a group of artists who create opportunities and spaces for women and girls to come together, share creative experiences and have fun. They believe in women’s empowerment and personal development.

Writers Without Borders - is a Birmingham-based group of writers from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Some have lived in England for many years and others have arrived in the country quite recently. The group includes professional, semi-professional , new and emerging writers.
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We have plenty more for you to enjoy with events at Birmingham University, Erdington Evening of Creativity and of course Symphony Hall. Stay tuned for more announcements 👀

https://www.celebrating-sanctuary.org.uk