Big Writing for a Small World

English PEN, in partnership with CAN, is providing a programme of free creative writing and reading out loud events aimed at refugee community members (and including migrants and asylum seekers).

The sessions
There will be 8 free workshops which will take place on Friday afternoons from 12.30-2.30pm at:

Venue
Meeting Rooms A & B, 2nd floor, Greenfish Resource Centre, 46-50 Oldham Street, Manchester M4 1LE

Dates
Friday 2 December, Friday 9 December, Friday 16 December, Friday 20 January, Friday 27 January, Thursday 2 February, Friday 10 February.

Tea, coffee, juice & biscuits will be provided.

Expenses
We have a small budget of £3.70 per participant per session to pay for travel expenses. This project is therefore aimed at Manchester residents. Participants from Greater Manchester are welcome to attend but we can only provide £3.70 per session. Receipts must be provided.

We are sorry but there is not a budget for childcare costs.

There are only 15 places for participants. Places will be allocated on a first come-first served basis.

To find out more about the project or to book a place please email Segun Lee French on segun@can.uk.com or call 07533 568 672

You can also download a copy of the flyer here (PDF file)

Exodus, Movement of the People!

On the 30th anniversary of Bob Marley's death, a unique partnership of artists and arts organisations took his vision of freedom and emancipation from oppression to the streets as part of the Manchester Day Parade.

Taking Bob Marley's legendary Exodus song as inspiration, the collective ran 'samba reggae' dance, drumming and costume-making workshops during May & June, celebrating the spirit of hope and the epic 'movement of the people' who have escaped persecution and oppression to make Manchester their home.

We showcased Exodus - Movement of the People within the Manchester Day Parade on Sunday 19 June 2011, celebrating Greater Manchester's amazing diversity. Our performance combined elements of Brazilian carnival, samba reggae, traditional dance from Sudan and China, colourful costumes and international vocalists in an exhilarating and energetic expression of creativity and diversity.

Exodus Onstage Refugee Theatre Festival

Featuring a month of challenging, contemporary work exploring the narratives of war, diaspora and asylum.

You can download a PDF of the Exodus Onstage brochure by clicking here

This year, there's something for everyone with six venues across Greater Manchester playing host to 12 productions (10 new works).

click here to download the brochure

Testimony Nitaishi album launch

Band on the Wall Picturehouse
25 Swan Street, Manchester M4 5JZ

Thur 23 Sept, 6:30-10pm

Tickets: £5/£3 concessions. Buy tickets online at www.bandonthewall.org
Free entry for asylum seekers

Testimony are 3 women singing gospel from Central Africa, featuring Emmanuela Yogolelo (from Beating Wing Orchestra), Mimi Kalumba & Sandra Belezika. A wonderful group of singers with sweet, but powerful voices launch their debut album Nitaishi

Also performing on the night will be WAST choir and St Patrick's African Church Choir.

Check out the Testimony blog: http://testimonygirls.wordpress.com

Testimony is a project originally developed through the Exodus programme of arts activities for refugees & asylum seekers.

Testimony is supported by Awards For All. The Exodus programme has been supported by AGMA, the Big Lottery Fund, Manchester City Council and the Arts Council of England.

For more information, contact Segun Lee-French

click on the image to enlarge

Exodus Festival 2010

Sunday 18 July, 12-6pm
Manchester Town Hall & Albert Square

This year's festivlal featured world music, dance, creative workshops, children’s activities, international food, world crafts and stalls that took you on a journey from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe and many places in between!

Visit the Exodus Facebook page to view the images. If you were there, and have got photos of the day, please feel free to add them to the photo album!

Exodus Live 2009

Tue 10 Dec, 7-11pm
Band on the Wall

Exodus brings you yet another exciting night of live world music from the newly reopened Band on the Wall.

Musicians from Africa, South East Asia and the Middle East. Showcasing & celebrating live world music by unsigned bands from Greater Manchester's refugee communities.

For more information email katherine@can.uk.com or ring 0161 234 2975

Exodus Festival 2009

Sunday 2 August, 12-6pm
Urbis & Cathedral Gardens

A unique celebration of arts and culture brought to you by Greater Manchester's diverse refugee communities. Featuring world music and dance from Afghanistan, Angola, Cameroon, DR Congo, India, Kurdistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Zimbabwe and other countries across the globe.

To be added to the mailing list to find out about future Exodus events please email katherine@can.uk.com

View a slideshow of a past Exodus festival or look at photographs on CAN's Flickr pages

food stall at the 2008 festival

Exodus Shorts Film Festival
16-22 June 2008
Contact, Cornerhouse, Fact, Imperial War Museum North & Urbis

Exodus Shorts is a unique film festival, into its 4th year, that showcased the talents of refugee filmmakers as well as short films that give a fresh and diverse perspective on the lives of Migrant communities.

Venues

Urbis: Films were screened daily during Refugee Week in the Foyer - 10am-6pm
Contact Theatre: Tue 17 June
Cornerhouse: Wed 18 June
Picturehouse at FACT: Thu 19 June & Sat 21 June
Imperial War Museum North: Sat 21 June

Exodus Shorts 2008 flyer

Exodus Live

Exodus Live - Spring '09, Fri 20 March 2009
Time:, 7-11pm
Venue: School of Sound Recording, 65-69 Downing Street, M1 7JE
Tickets: Free

Showcasing & celebrating the music of Greater Manchester's diverse refugee communities from around the globe. For more information contact Katherine Rogers, Exodus Coordinator katherine@can.uk.com / 0161 234 2987.

Refugee Week, Fri 20 June 2008
Time: 6pm-12 midnight
Venue: Contact Theatre
Tickets: Free

To celebrate the launch of the next phase of the Exodus Refugee Arts programme (April 2008-March 2011) CAN hosted an Exodus Live event, showcasing the music of Manchester's diverse refugee communities from around the globe.

Speakers included:
Cilla Baynes -Director of Community Arts North West
Alan Amin - Kurdish Creative Film Centre
Tim Hilton - Refugee Action
Craig Barnett - City of Scantury

Exodus Sparks

Produced by Community Arts North West in partnership with North West Playwrights and Contact Theatre.

Tue 20 November 2007
Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA

A series of short plays by new refugee writers presented as script-in-hand performances. These are personal takes on a range of experiences and from perspectives which are not commonly told. The writers' skills and development have been guided by Sonia Hughes over a considerable period and this will be a chance to take in this fresh material almost straight from the minds of the writers themselves.

For more info visit the Exodus Projects page

Exodus Sparks

GLOBAL ROOTS
In partnership with Oldham CAB
Thu 21 June 2007
The Castle, Oldham

A night of world music featuring Hohodza - high energy afrobeat with musicians and dancing queens in a class of their own.

Also:
Kurdish vocalist Kaywan Emini
Jazz fusion sounds from Cameroonian singer Serge Tebu
And other local talent

Global Roots flyer

Exodus Live Special
with Reem Kelani & the Beating Wing Orchestra

Sun 8 July 2007
Manchester Academy 2, Manchester

Tickets on sale now. Book online: www.manchesterinternationalfestival.com or call 0871 230 1888.

A Manchester International Festival commission, Exodus Live is an incredible night featuring the premier of a composition by the acclaimed Palestinian singer and musician Reem Kelani especially commissioned for and performed by the Beating Wing Orchestra, along with the best of Exodus Live.

Exodus Live is a 'sell out' music event featuring performers from DR Congo, Kurdish Iraq, Angola, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Liberia, Nigeria, Ukraine and Eritrea. This is one of the most unique and lively band nights in the region with electrifying performances from some of our best international musicians, many of whom have exile or refugee status.

The highlight of this outstanding evening is Reem Kelani's challenging new composition for the debut performance of the Beating Wing Orchestra, which consists of ten specially selected musicians from hugely diverse global geographies. The piece will musically explore resonances between the conditions for displaced migrants today and the brutal migrations of the slavery era.

MC for the event: Segun Lee-French

Asian Music Talent Bhangra and Semi-Classical from South Asia
Asian Music Talent is a great multicultural and multinational group (Lahore, Delhi) that has come together to promote racial harmony via music. They are working with western music groups to create a West meets East flavour and play both Bhangra and Semi-Classical. kashifali5@hotmail.com 07900 190512

Heritage Survival Zimbabwean Afro-Jazz
Heritage Survival play a fusion of African Mbira and Afro-jazz. They've played venues like WOMAD, Ocean, Manchester Academy; supported the famous Lagbwaja band from Nigeria, and some of the musicians have worked with international names like Wadada Leo Smith, Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukudzi. www.myspace.com/theheritagesurvivalband

Serafim Bernardo Angolan Afro-Latin fusion
Serafim is an Angolan singer-songwriter who performs a unique fusion of African and Latin sounds with a crisp rhythm, flowing melody and lyrical passion. seffin@hotmail.co.uk  0161 724 7425 / 07961 589905

Lost Melody Music Group Kurdish cultural and folk vibes
Lost Melody is a group of experienced Kurdish musicians living in England. They are Kurdish musicians and singers with a passion for their music. Band members: Sarwat Koyi (violin), Koresh (santour), Talib Rasul (saz & vocal), Jiyan (vocal), Blnd (lute), Hevi Shamzini (vocal), Farhad Husayni (zarb), Hiwa Sharazuryi (daf & vocal), Sarmad (keyboard) www.myspace.com/lostmelodykurdish lostmelody@hotmail.co.uk 07734 157744

Jali N Kuyateh formidable Gambian Kora player with Afro-Mandingjulo Band
From the line of generations of Kora players, Jali continues the tradition and adds some vibe from the world influences of Manchester through his new band. He is also regularly seen busking on the street, yet his considerable virtuosity is truly done justice tonight with full repertoire on stage with his band. 07722 675861

Britannia Rumba unstoppable Congolese Rumba
Britannia Rumba is an exciting, talented dance and music band, consisting of 12 Congolese musicians aged 19-30. Many have played with the best of the Congolese bands in their home country. Their music is a fresh and unique British version of Congolese Rumba. www.britannia-rumba.com

Reem Kelani & the Beating Wing Orchestra

Asian Music Talent

Heritage Survival

Serafim Bernardo

Lost Melody Music Group

Jali N Kuyateh

Britannia Rumba

Exodus Shorts Film Festival 2007

18-23 June 2007
Cornerhouse, Imperial War Museum North & Urbis

Exodus Shorts is a unique film festival showcasing the talent of refugee filmmakers as well as short films that give a fresh and diverse perspective on the lives of refugees and people seeking asylum. In collaboration with Cornerhouse, Imperial War Museum North and Urbis, Exodus Shorts 2007 included screenings, filmmaking workshops, filmmaker residency, and talks with invited guests. Exodus Shorts 2007 was funded by North West Vision and the National Lottery.

Exodus Shorts Film Festival

GLOBAL ROOTS
In partnership with Oldham CAB

Thu 21 June 9pm-late
The Castle, Oldham

A night of world music featuring Hohodza – high energy afrobeat with musicians and dancing queens in a class of their own.

Also:
Kurdish vocalist Kaywan Emini
Jazz fusion sounds from Cameroonian singer Serge Tebu
And other local talent

Global Roots

Exodus Emerge
In partnership with Salford University Arts Unit

Robert Powell Theatre, University of Salford

A night of music, dance and spoken word from refugee artists in Salford
Featuring Nouvelle Alliance - soulful Congolese vocal band.
Plus supporting acts.

For further information please contact Ian at CAN on 0161 234 2986 or ian@can.uk.com

FREE ENTRY

www.arts.salford.ac.uk

EXODUS FESTIVAL 2006

Sat 24 June 2006
Hulme Park

A unique celebration of arts and culture by Greater Manchester's diverse refugee communities.

Featuring world music and dance from Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Congo, India, Kurdistan, Liberia, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe and other countries across the globe.

Plus interactive workshops, children's activities, international food, world crafts and stalls.

Over 2,000 people from both refugee and local communities attended the festival in 2005.

To download the full programme click here.

Hard copies of the Exodus Festival leaflet are available (download pdf here).

EXODUS ARTS FESTIVAL 2006 was part of Refugee Week 2006 (19-25 June), a UK-wide festival that celebrated the great contribution made by refugees to UK life, and to promote understanding of why people become refugees. For more information about other events across Manchester & the country see www.refugeeweek.org.uk

To download and view a 10 minute film of 2005's festival click here

Heritage Survival

EXODUS SHORTS 2006

Wed 21 June 2006
Cornerhouse

A diverse programme of short films giving fresh perspectives on the lives of refugees and people seeking asylum.

Post-screening Panel Q&A supported by the Diversity Exchange Network
Meet the filmmakers and find out about the making of the films.

The event took place as part of the Exodus Festival and Refugee Week 2006 (19 - 25 June).

For more information email: exodus.shorts@btinternet.com

Jesus filming in the city centre

Exodus Live Spring 2006

After the huge success of the last Exodus Live band night in December that was attended by 400 people and the overwhelming demand for the event to continue, Exodus organised another event. This time we moved to a different venue with even more space for dancing!

Thu 23 March
Life Café
http://clubs.ukcn.com/clubs/desktopdefault.aspx?poid=207
23 Peter Street, (off Deansgate, opposite Great Northern), Manchester.
FREE ENTRY (donations welcome)
Over 18s only

For more information on the night's performers visit our artist page