East Village's backyard is hosting one of the most significant cultural events London has seen in years.
The Music Is Black Festival launches across Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park this summer, with four free weekends of live music and performance running from June through September. The dates are 13-14 June, 11-12 July, 22-23 August, and 12-13 September.
Events will take place across two outdoor stages, the Waterfront Stage and Mid Terrace, while Sadler's Wells East hosts The Dance Floor Is Black, a dedicated social dance programme with artist-curated nights and family activities.
Each weekend is themed and has its own curatorial team. June's weekend, The Music Is Ours, is curated by Footsie and The King Original Soundsystem, YolanDa Brown OBE, Soul Mama, My Runway Group and Kloé Dean. July's Power and Respect weekend is led by Jamz Supernova, BORN N BREAD, Yazmin Lacey, TYSON and Jade Hackett. August brings Queer Frequencies, curated by Shy One, Donnie Sunshine, Mark-Ashley Dupé, Joel Mignott and Zinzi Minott. September closes with Black to the Future, curated by FLOHIO, The Blues Project and Dannielle 'Rhimes' Lecointe.
The festival grew out of V&A East Museum's inaugural exhibition. The Music Is Black: A British Story traces music descended from African musical practices that has shaped British identity over 125 years, covering lovers rock, Brit funk, 2 tone, jungle, drum and bass, trip hop, UK garage, grime and beyond. The festival takes that story out of the museum and puts it on the park.
UCL is running a series of talks and screenings alongside the live programme, exploring Black British music's relationship with fashion, film and sport, curated by Dr Clive Chijioke Nwonka, Academic-in-Residence for the festival.
All East Bank institutions are involved: V&A East, BBC Music Studios, UAL's London College of Fashion, Sadler's Wells East, and UCL. This is the first time they've put on a combined event programme.
All four festival weekends are free. Registration is open now at queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/themusicisblackfestival.
Comments
Loading comments…
Your account has been blocked from commenting. Contact us via the contact form if you'd like to discuss.
More from E20
The Music is Ours
The Music is Black Festival live weekends kick off with The Music is Ours, a Block Party celebrating London's soundsystem legacy in the birthplace of Grime. With the Saturday 13 June curated by Grime legend Footsie and Sunday 14 June by double MOBO award winning artist YolanDa Brown OBE DL and Soul Mama, The Music is Ours will feature a line-up full of east London and the UK's finest artists and MCs.
Black music as Black fashion culture: panel talk
Join UCL East at London College of Fashion, UAL for an engaging panel talk exploring the intersection of Black British music and Black fashion - part of The Music is Black Festival from East Bank at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Arsenal x Adidas x Black Music: Panel Talk
Listen in to an expert panel discussion exploring the organic connection to Arsenal Football Club that has been forged by Black communities in London, Britain and beyond from the 1970’s to the present day. Part of The Music is Black Festival from East Bank at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, this panel will analyse the powerful convergences between Black British music culture, Black British Identity, sport and fashion.
Black British Music: Outside the London Frame
Discover how Black music has been made, shared and sustained across the UK at this panel discussion at V&A East Museum, presented in collaboration with UCL East for The Music is Black Festival from East Bank at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.