Chair's events
Find out more about our exciting line up of Chair's events.
Tuesday 26 August
Opening event: Introduction to the Chair's theme
6.00pm-7.15pm, location TBC.
To kick off this year's conference, Professor Pat Noxolo, Chair of Conference, will be joined by a range of guests that introduce and celebrate the chair’s theme, Geographies of creativity/creative geography.
After a welcome by the University of Birmingham’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Adam Tickell, Pat will give a short introduction to her chosen theme.
Next there are inputs from two Black influencers who are working creatively with geographical ideas: Anita Shervington, a Birmingham-based community engagement researcher who has decades of experience promoting STEM to Black communities in Birmingham, and Obinna Iwuji, a London-based data analyst and storyteller.
A short film made by young people from Birmingham’s King Edwards Foundation’s African Caribbean Society will display their creative reimagining of Professor Stuart Hall’s archive.
Finally, Professor Parvati Raghuram and Dr 'H' Patten will give several examples of how creativity can be fully integrated into geographical research, through storytelling and dance performed by collaborators from the Decolonising Education for Peace in Africa Project (DEPA).
Wednesday 28 August
Lunchtime session: Blk Art Group and Creative Careers film screenings and discussion
1.10pm-2.25pm, location TBC.
Film screenings and discussion. Our first film, produced by Dr Ian Sergeant, explores the Blk Art Group, which began at Wolverhampton Polytechnic. During the event, a film will be shown featuring interviews with key figures from the movement, including Keith Piper, Claudette Johnson and Marlene Smith.
Our second film, produced by Tyriq Baker, explores what it means to be starting out on your creative career in Birmingham. Tyriq is an early-career composer and filmmaker.
Speakers
- Dr Ian Sergeant (Birmingham Museum Trust).
- Tyriq Baker (Sample The Kids).
Evening event: Outdoor Cinema: Poetry and Protest
8.00pm-9.30pm, location TBC.
The conference's first day will close with a special evening of film and spoken word performance, presented in partnership with Flatpack. An outdoor screen on the campus' green heart will give you a crash course in the local creative scene, from animation and music videos to experimental shorts and archive material.
Speaker
- Juwairiyyah Wali (Flatpack).
Thursday 28 August
Lunchtime session: ‘Queercore in the Second City’ Screening and discussion; Creative practice roundtable
1.10pm-2.25pm, location TBC.
In the first half of this session, we'll hear from colleagues based at Centrala, situated in the Digbeth district of central Birmingham, who have been commissioned to produce and present a documentary about the heavy music scene in and around the city, with a key focus on Queercore. The film will be available to watch online.
Ahead of the conference, some of the bands featured in the film will play in a gig that will launch the film to the public (date TBA, expected to be July/early August).
Speakers first half of this session
- Giulia Cilenti (Centrala event space)
- Lexi Bushell
- Ryley Morton
In the second half of this session, a group of Midlands-based artists will share insights from their creative practice, and discuss how being in the Midlands contributes to their work.
Chair
- Dr Sylvia Theuri (Wolverhampton University)
Speakers second half of this session
- Exodus Crooks
- Beverley Bennett
- Aurella Yusuf
