Birmingham Weekender, the city’s biggest arts festival, which takes place between September 22– 24, is calling for people get involved either through becoming part of the programme or by joining the team of volunteers.
The three-day festival, which is being supported by Retail BID, will feature performances and events from the city’s major arts organisations, independent artists and international artists. Community groups and creative individuals are invited to get involved with two projects Culture Catwalk and Rangeeli – Colours of Birmingham Parade, both of which will transform the city centre.
Culture Catwalk returns following its successful outing in 2015 to celebrate art at the heart of the city. Culture Catwalk is produced by Southside Producers in partnership with The Old Rep and Beatfreeks and will shine a light on Birmingham’s finest community creative talent, capturing the vibrancy and diversity of the city. Artists from across the city are invited to take to the red carpet to sing, dance, slide and perform. Culture Catwalk is a celebration of everything that makes us Brummie!
Rangeeli – Colours of Birmingham Parade will be a spectacular city-wide parade and with the input of the citizens of Birmingham, the parade will celebrate and share the heritage of Birmingham with a South Asian twist – Utsav style! Community groups, dance troupes and marching bands are invited to get involved forming part of the parade.
Participants will meander their way through the city with unique and distinctive flags, hand-held puppets, masks and costumes accompanied by Harminder, an amazing, life-size, mechanical elephant. Colours of Birmingham culminates with a crescendo of sound including dhol and Brazilian beats, exhilarating kathakali, Bollywood, bhangra, bharatanatyam, African and contemporary dance and a colourful kaleidoscope of South Asian patang kites.
Birmingham Weekender relies on an army of volunteers to welcome visitors and audiences to the city. People interested in getting involved can find out more at the next Volunteers drop in event on 19 July at Cherry Reds in Birmingham.
Groups and individuals interested in signing up to strut their stuff on Culture Catwalk, perform as part of Colours of Birmingham or volunteer across the Weekender should visit birminghamweekender.com for more information or email birminghamweekender@culturecentral.co.uk
Birmingham Weekender is brought to the city by Culture Central, the cultural development agency for Birmingham.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BhamWeekender
