MWMMusic tour comes to the UK in May!

East flirts with west in a combination of world, fusion, urban, and devotional music. Artists are rooted in Kurdish, Iranian, Moroccan, Palestinian, Banglesdeshi and Pakistani heritage, but also embrace British, Danish and also Dutch influences and identities.

Artists:
Mizgin and Shoreh Shahrzad/Denmark/Folk
Sarah Sayeed/UK/Urban
Bad Brya/Holland/Urban
Simona Abdallah/Denmark/Fusion
Sarah Yaseen/UK/Devotional

MWMMusic is a creation of a new platform for those who are serious in their appreciation of music and crave to experience music that has integrity, is non conformed and not easily defined because of who the artists are.

Tour booking information:

Tickets cost £10 on the door and £8 in advance. For advance bookings and information on artists talks and workshops please contact Roman on 0121 446 4460 or email romana@ulfaharts.co.uk

The tour also visits London and Birmingham

May 12th at 7pm at Rich Mix London
Box Office: 0207 613 7498

May 15th at 7.30pm at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Box Office: 0121 303 1966

MWMM is Muslim women Music makers, a campaign that puts Muslim women at the forefront in music making, innovating, collaborating, pioneering music for all to enjoy. Developed my the Missing Voices Consortium, made up of: Ulfah Arts-UK, Marmoucha- Holland and Tavse Stemmer- Denmark.

Please also see www.mwmm.co.uk
Ulfah Arts www.ulfaharts.co.uk

For any enquiries please call Shahida or Romana at the office on +44 121 446 4460 or +7545 437 307

sampad in association with Concrete and Birmingham Jazz present: Bishi, Friday 10 October

Friday 10 October, 8.30pm Venue: Concrete (Old Boiler Room), The Big Peg, 120 Vyse Street Tickets: £10, £8 concs. On the door or at www.theticketsellers.co.uk As seen on JOHNATHON ROSS chat show (click on to see video)

As seen on JOHNATHON ROSS BBC http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E_pF5kMPzdw

“Bishi is equally comfortable mixing in sitars and tablas as she is beats and breaks, and tying it all together with her own mesmerizing vocal harmonies. She proves herself as accomplished a storyteller as she is a singer.” Playlouder

Singer, multi instrumentalist and DJ, Bishi has a passion for English and East European folk, progressive pop and electronica. Nominated for the Times Breakthrough Award, she has appeared at Jarvis Cocker’s Meltdown, Bestival and a UK, European & US tour with Patrick Wolfe. Bishi explores ancient and modern Britain in her own unique way, the rich tapestry of East London’s folklore, social politics and dramatic history providing a vivid backdrop to her writing.

http://www.bishi.co.uk/

http://www.theticketsellers.co.uk/

The Boy with the Bomb in Crisps - 08 October 2008 - 11 October 2008

Who is the boy, and why the hell has he got a bomb in his crisps?! There are a million stories in the city. These are about 17 and a half of them. Some are funny, some are sad, but they’re all true.

Drawing on personal experiences from all over the world, this fast, funny and physical new play is performed by a highly talented company of international actors and shares the experiences of people who have journeyed here over the past sixty years.

TICKETS: Weds, Thurs & Sat Mat: £6, £8 & £10. Fri & Sat: £8, £10 & £12.
Concessions: £5 & £2 discount (except Sat Eve).

B2: Eves at 8pm, Sat matinee at 2.45pm.

Muslim Women Music Makers (MWMM) International Campaign

Dear Friends

I pray that you are all well, and that you are blessed with continued success and peace.

I am writing to ask for your help. As you know Ulfah Arts has worked tirelessly over the last four years to create opportunities for women in the Arts. We are now looking to develop the Muslim Women Music Makers (MWMM) International Campaign. Our aim is

·Bring Muslim women music makers from around the world together to form a network – to support, discuss and debate issues affecting them.

·To build an online resource of these singers/musicians that can be accessed internationally by audiences, press, agents etc.

·To make these artists available as role models for emerging artists and use this resource to raise aspirations in Muslim communities when it comes to expressing creativity, identity and intercultural dialogue.

·To bring these artists together under a banner to push for space at mainstream festivals and events, radio play, profile etc.

·To develop an audience development strategy so women only events can be supported – e.g. through partnership with an online radio station so world audiences can access this music.

Our first task in achieving the above is to map out how many Muslim women artists are out there and how they need to be supported. This is where I would be
grateful if you could forward to me any details of artists you many know of or if you could send this email to complete the questionnaire by visiting www.ulfaharts.co.uk (the link is on the right hand side of the screen). We aim to launch the campaign at the USA Embassy who are supporting us before we deliver a seminar/showcase at the World Music Expo in Seville in October. This we feel is an ideal platform for us to begin this work, with over 90 countries present and 3,000 delegates we believe we will gain much support for what we are trying to achieve.

Please can you get back to us by 30th September if possible.

I hope we can count on your support.

Salaams, peace

Naz Koser, Director

Poetry Events and Events for Writers at the 2008 Birmingham Book Festival

Dear Friend,

I hope you won’t mind another e-mail from the Birmingham Book Festival, this time to remind you about our wonderful poetry events and writing workshops and other activities for emerging and established writers.


All events are in the Birmingham Conservatoire unless stated otherwise.


Box Office: 0121 303 2323 www.birminghambookfestival.org

Please visit Birmingham Book Festival for more details.



The Poetry Events…



8 October, 6pm – 7.30pm, New Poetry with Roz Goddard: Roz Goddard introduces new work by three other poets based in our region: Meredith Andrea, Myra Connell and Jane Seabourne. Tickets: £7 (£5) – includes a glass of wine



Thursday 9 October, 5.30pm – 6.30pm, Roz Goddard on the poetry of Carol Ann Duffy: A Festival Seminar on some of Carol Ann Duffy’s poems led by poet Roz Goddard, £7 (£5)



Thursday 9 October, Library Theatre, Central Library, 6.45pm – 7.30pm, Birmingham Poet Laureates: The Inaugural Reading by the new Birmingham Poet Laureate and Young Poet Laureate 2008/09, free but please reserve tickets



Thursday 9 October, Library Theatre, Central Library, 8pm – 9.30pm, Writers Without Borders: Writers Without Borders and friends push back the borders of perception in a performance that goes beyond poetry, free but please reserve tickets



Tuesday 14 October, 7pm – 8pm, Poetry Translation Centre Tour: Noshi Gillani (from Pakistan) and Farzaneh Khojandi (from Tajikistan) read their poems in translation, also featuring Farzaneh’s translator, poet Jo Shapcott, £6 (£5)



Tuesday 14 October, 8.15pm – 9.30pm, Sibyl Ruth – Poems of a Survivor: Sibyl Ruth reads her translations of poems written by her great-aunt, Rose Scooler, in Theresienstadt concentration camp, £6 (£5)



Wednesday 15 October, 8.15 pm – 9.30pm, David Hart: A Life in Words: one of our region’s finest poets talks about his life and work, £6 (£5)



Thursday 16 October, 7.30pm – 8.45pm, Ian McMillan: Talking Myself Home: a very funny man and our first possible (national) Poet Laureate contender… Talking Myself Home is Yorkshire poet, comedian and broadcaster Ian McMillan’s life story in poems, £8 (£6)



Tuesday 21 October, 7.30pm – 9pm, Library Theatre, Central Library, Yasus Afari and Friends: Yasus Afari talks about the Jamaican best seller Overstanding Rastafari and performs new poetry, £6 (£5)



Tuesday 21 October, 6pm – 7pm, David Hart on the poetry of R S Thomas: a Festival Seminar on some of R S Thomas’ poems led by David Hart, a poet who shares some of his concerns, £7 (£5)


Tuesday 21 October, 7.15pm-8.45pm, Carol Ann Duffy: another (national) Poet Laureate contender; simply one of the best poets of our time and a mesmerising performer of her poems, £8 (£6 U16s £5)





The Writing Workshops…

Saturday 4 October – Sunday 5 October, 10pm – 7am, Night Writer: The Return: an all-night writing workshop in a secret location miles from Birmingham (transport provided); a treat for sleepless writers of all genres, £30 (£25) including breakfast

Workshop Saturday, Saturday 11th October: South Birmingham College, Digbeth Campus

Performance Skills for Writers, 10am – 3.30pm, an Apples and Snakes workshop for writers who want to perform their work, led by Lorna Laidlaw, £25 (£20)

Animating the Voice: Giles Abbott, 10am – 3.30pm, storyteller and voice coach Giles Abbott leads this intensive workshop on using the light and shade of our voices, £25 (£20)

A New Time, a New Place, 10am – 12.30pm: Michael Thomas leads this workshop on writing directly from your own feelings or filtering them through a newly constructed persona, £18 (£15)

How Unwell Does a Poet Need To Be, 10am – 12.30pm: David Hart leads this workshop on how untidiness and the unpredictable and vagaries of our lives can influence our making of poems, £18 (£15)

Radio Writing, 10am – 12.30pm: Stephanie Dale leads this workshop on exploring radio writing techniques, £18 (£15)

Writing for the Terrified, 1.30pm – 4pm: Chris Hoskins helps new writers overcome their fear of putting pen to paper in a variety of genres, helping you take the first steps into writing, £18 (£15)

Character Building, 1.30pm – 4pm: Paul Dowswell leads this writing workshop on how to invent believable, interesting and rounded characters for your book, £18 (£15)

Writing for Performance. 1.30pm – 4pm: Kaite O’Reilly leads this workshop writing for live performance. What is dramatic? Where do ideas come from?, £18 (£15)


The Writers’ Toolkit…


A Conference for the Writing Industry, Saturday 18 October, 9.30am – 4pm, South Birmingham College, Digbeth Campus: an industry day for emerging and established writers to learn about aspects of the business in greater detail, connect with other writers and those working in writer development, £29 (£23) (includes lunch). For more information or to book call 0121 246 2770 or email sara@birminghambookfestival.org



Please do book tickets as soon as possible: several workshops only have a few places left and other events are selling well.


We look forward to seeing you at the Festival.

Best wishes,


Jonathan

An opportunity to perform in The Corner Shop

The Corner Shop project is currently taking place. We interviewed over 30 shop owners, their families and some customers about their lives relating to corner shops. An artistic team is now using the recorded interviews as a starting point to create new theatre. We are working in a disused retail unit into which we will build multiple shop environments and then take audiences on a promenade journey through the world of corner shops. There are many people working on site: two directors, two musical directors, a designer and team of makers to make the set. There are five professional performers.

In addition to them I am seeking people from the community with little or no experience of performing to work alongside them in the production. I am looking for people aged from 12 - 80 from all backgrounds. Corner shops are places where all from our diverse society intersect, and I would like the show to reflect that. We use people within their means i.e. they do what they feel comfortable doing.

We work rehearsals around people's availability. There will be three rehearsals week commencing 15 Sep and three the week after. The performances start on 26 Sep - 4 Oct, two to three times daily. Please see the attached flyer for further information and all the performance dates and times. Rehearsals will be at Unit 16, Queen’s Square Shopping Centre (opposite The Public), West Bromwich, B70 7PG.

There is an element of adventure working site-specifically (not in a traditional theatre) and as an equal with such a large team. The satisfaction comes from knowing your role is just as significant and meaningful as the full-time actor in taking audiences into another world through the show. And inevitably it is much fun, otherwise none of us would do it.

We can pay travel expenses.

Please get in touch with me immediately if you are interested in this rare opportunity and want to be part of something quite extraordinary, on 0121 552 0014/9103 or 07816 679 369.

All the best.
Bobby

Bobby Tiwana
reSonAte Programme Co-ordinator

Black Country Touring
The Old Courts
Market Street
Oldburyhttp://www.bctouring.co.uk/
West Midlands
B69 4DH

Tel: 0121 552 0014
Mobile: 07816 679 369
Fax: 0121 544 3854
Email: bobby@bctouring.co.uk
Website: www.bctouring.co.uk