Black History Month 2022: All The UK Events You Need In Your Diary
In the UK, Black History Month is celebrated every year in October. It's a time to commemorate and learn about the Black experience, heritage and culture, with a wide range of events taking place across the country.
This year, the theme for Black History Month is Time for Change: Action Not Words, which aims to educate up about the importance of true allyship and of coming together to fight racism. Catherine Ross, editor at Black History Month UK, says of the theme: 'Black people are often given the double burden of experiencing racism and discrimination, and then being expected to fix it.’
'Yes, Black History Month is a time to celebrate Black history, heritage and culture, and the iconic figures that have contributed so much, but this year, let’s make it about so much more. If you’re serious about allyship, it’s Time for Change: Action Not Words.'
There is a plethora of ways to get involved in the UK, whether online or in person. While dedicating yourself to anti-racism involves far more than attending events and workshops, it's crucial to remember that education is the foundation of change.
From movie collections, to colourful fashion shows, to informative workshops, to dynamic exhibitions, these are the dates to mark in your diary for Black History Month 2022:
1) BHM Collection on Disney+
Disney+ is launching an extensive collection of documentaries, TV and film to celebrate Black History Month year. Starting on October 1 and available all year round, viewers can now watch a host of titles, from powerful music documentaries like Summer of Soul, to stories about sporting heroes including the classic Cool Runnings, to award winning films like the Oscar-winning film Hidden Figures.
There are also three new releases coming to your screens; X/onerated (October 7), a profile of Muhammad Abdul Aziz who was wrongfully convicted of the assassination of Malcolm X; Let the World See (October 12), a three-part documentary examining the heart-breaking murder of Emmett Till, and Soul of a Nation: Screen Queens (October 14), a documentary exploring Black actresses in Hollywood and the extensive roles they have portrayed.
When? Throughout October
Where? Disney+
2) Prince of Peckham
The Prince of Peckham, one of southeast London’s most buzzing nightlife venues, has a jam-packed schedule of events this month. With immersive exhibitions centring Black artists, voguing masterclasses, live interviews with industry experts, stimulating workshops and social mixers, there’s a bunch of events to attend. Book your spaces online before they go!
When? Throughout October
Where? Prince of Peckham, 1 Clayton Road, SE15 5JA, London
3) Zanele Muholi: Somnyama Ngonyama (‘Hail, the Dark Lioness’)
The striking work of non-binary visual artist Zenele Muholi comes to Glasgow with a series of self-portraits that seek 'to re-write a black queer and trans visual history of South Africa for the world to know of our resistance and existence at the height of hate crimes in South Africa and beyond'. Creating a dialogue between the past and future, Muholi classes their images as a form of activism, aiming to spark social change. The exhibition is delivered by Belfast Photo Festival in partnership with Street Level Photoworks and The Hunterian, University of Glasgow.
When? October 1 - November 6 2022, open daily 10am–5pm
Where? University of Glasgow East Quad
4) LexTempus: A Multisensory Music Experience
This multi-sensory immersive experience transports you to the iconic era of Black American music from the 1950s through to the 1980s. The smooth sounds of jazz, cool funk and groovy disco are blasted through a 34-speaker system, enhanced by 4D haptic seating that pulsates along to the music, with live dancers joining the party too. Expect all five senses to be tickled, with customised scents crafted for each era paired with delicious cocktails that work together to take visitors on a journey through time. Truly one-of-a-kind, this is an experience music lovers won’t want to miss out on.
When? Throughout October and November
When? Lex Tempus – Aures, 18 Leake Street London, SE1 7NN, Waterloo
5) The Way They See Us at London Lighthouse Gallery & Studio
The Way They See Us exhibits the works of artist Jacqueline Suowari in her first ever UK show. Her portraits are simultaneously bold and tender, drawn with her distinctive marks that have had her labelled 'The Queen of Ballpoint Pen'.
Suowari said in a press release about the exhibition: 'I like to look at each stroke as the human experience. One experience, one stroke - and the gathering, and layering, and falling together creates the person and their character.'
While 10 new portraits are on display, this show also includes performance, poetry and installation art, all contributing to the fictional narrative that runs through the fabric of the exhibition. The Way They See Us follows the story of three protagonists who risk everything to save their villages from tragedy, encouraging ideas around embracing diversity and uniting through love, curiosity and acceptance.
When? October 1 - 31
Where? London Lighthouse Gallery & Studio, 18 Lyell Street, Leamouth Peninsula, London E14 0SZ
6) Poets’ Corner at Canary Wharf
Shining a spotlight on Black poets across the capital, Canary Wharf is putting on a poets’ corner which will take place over four weeks this month. With free performances from spoken word artists, the chosen poems seek to spark conversation about the Black experience. Hear the powerful words of Young People’s Poet Laureate Theresa Lola, winner of the T.S. Eliot Prize and the RSL Ondaatje Prize Roger Robinson, the Barbican Young Poet Alumni Joladé Olusanya, and many others. After the performances, audiences will also be invited up on stage to perform their own poem, rap or story.
Can’t make it? Fret not - all poems performed will also be published in Canary Wharf’s Short Story Stations, the innovative new vending machines in the city that dispense free stories.
When? October 8, 15, 19 and 22
Where? Canary Wharf, Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf, London, E14
7) Leeds Black History Walk
Latest Event: Leeds Black History Walk on Saturday 1th October @HeritageWalker #BlackHistoryMonth https://t.co/0ozRq5q0SZ
— BHM 2022 - Time for Change: Action not Words (@BhmUK) September 27, 2022
Discover the unseen ancient stories and local narratives about the African presence in Leeds with this guided interactive walk. Lasting two hours, during the walk you'll travel back in time to Roman Yorkshire, hear the tales of Nesyamun (AKA the most remarkable Mummy in Britain), learn more about the top Yorkshire artist and dance teacher David Hamilton MBE, as well as uncovering many more stories.
When? October 22, 11am - 1pm
Where? University of Leeds, Parkinson Steps Woodhouse LS2 9JT
8) Ballet Black Tour Tour
For their 20th anniversary, Ballet Black are touring to present two new exciting works in 2022, celebrating their impactful two decades in the business.
The autobiographical Say It Loud is choreographed and directed by Ballet Black’s Founder and Artistic Director, Cassa Pancho, and the BB Company artists. Depicting the struggles and inspiration behind the creation of this pioneering dance company, Say It Loud showcases the bustling energy that led to them being one of the best-known names in the Ballet industry. The soundtrack keeps the audience (and the dancers, quite literally) on their toes; from Flowdan’s grime to the rhythmic calypso of Lord Kitchener to the powerful voice of Etta James.
Black Sun, the second ballet in this double bill, is brought to us by acclaimed South African choreographer Gregory Maqoma (Vuyani Dance Theatre) with an original score by Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante (Boy Blue). The dancers transcend the traditional constraints of ballet as the protagonists voyage on a journey of discovery, taking the audience along for the ride.
When? Various dates throughout October in venues across the UK
9) Vogue Masterclass with Brian Mendez
Brian Mendez, leader of this two-hour open level masterclass, is a vogue dancer who began his training in urban dance. In the ballroom scene, he is a member of the House of Amazon, and is the mother of the House of Campbell Montreal Chapter in the kiki scene.
Voguing originated within the African and Latin American LGBTQ+ communities in Harlem during the 1980s. Imitating model poses, hence the name, and performed to house music, voguing is highly stylised with an influence that can be seen from Madonna’s Vogue, to the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning, to the Netflix series Pose.
When? October 11, 7pm
Where? DanceXchange, Level 5, Birmingham Hippodrome, Thorp Street, Birmingham B5 4TB, UK
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