The Migrant Festival 2022

IKON PRESENTS THE FOURTH ANNUAL MIGRANT FESTIVAL (14-17 JULY 2022).

A FOUR DAY PROGRAMME MIXING VISUAL ART, MUSIC, FILM AND PERFORMANCE. THE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES THE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS TO BIRMINGHAM AND THE UK, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE MIGRANT STORIES OF ARTISTS IN IKON’S PROGRAMME.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

TALKS

Off-site/Talk 14.07.2022 / 6.00pm–7.00pm

Hew Locke and Dr Gus Casely-Hayford

Artist’s Talk

Guyanese-British artist Hew Locke discusses his new public artwork, Foreign Exchange (2022), with Dr Gus Casely-Hayford. Together they consider Locke’s reimagining of Birmingham’s city-centre sculpture of Queen Victoria.

Events/Talk 15.07.2022 / 6.00pm–7.00pm

Abdulrazaq Awofeso and Dr Jareh Das

Artist’s talk

Abdulrazaq Awofeso discusses his Ikon exhibition, OUT OF FRAME, with researcher, writer and curator Dr Jareh Das.

Off-site/Talk 16.07.2022 / 7.00pm–8.30pm

Osman Yousefzada and Ian Francis

Artist's Talk

Osman Yousefzada discusses the films that have influenced his interdisciplinary art practice with Ian Francis, Director of Flatpack Projects

Off-site/Talk 15.07.2022 / 12.00pm–2.00pm

A Gift to Birmingham

Exhibition launch

Photographer Vanley Burke is in conversation with Selbin Kabote, a member and ambassador of Migrant Voice, to launch A Gift to Birmingham.

Events/Performance 17.07.2022 / 3.00pm–5.00pm

Soapboxes

Salman Mirza chairs ten quick-fire soapbox presentations and a Q&A from individuals and groups supporting migrants in the Midlands.

MUSIC

Off-site/Music 14.07.2022 / 7.15pm–7.45pm

Germa Adan

Concert

Germa Adan is a Haitian musician, composer and singer songwriter, who creates a tapestry of vocal and string harmonies in her performances.

Events/Music 15.07.2022 / 7.00pm–9.00pm

Lola So DJ Set

London-based DJ Lola So’s set mixes Kwaito and Ampiano music. Dance!

Off-site/Music 16.07.2022 / 7.30pm–9.15pm

Tymoteusz Jozwiak Quartet with Marek Pospieszalski

Concert

Tymoteusz Jozwiak is a drummer who studied jazz at the Birmingham Conservatoire, performing here in a quartet with musicians from the UK and Poland.

Events/Music 17.07.2022 / 5.30pm–6.30pm

Lekan Babalola Trio

Concert with Kate Luxmoore & Tom Ford

To close The Migrant Festival 2022, Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham (CSB) present a performance by some of Birmingham’s finest musicians.

Off-site/Talk 16.07.2022 / 4.30pm–6.00pm

A Joyful Noise with Faisal Hussain

Artist's talk

For this conversation event Faisal Hussain reflects on music and faith, and Balsall Heath in Birmingham as a cultural hot spot.

FILM & PERFORMANCE

Events/Film 15.07.2022 / 4.00pm–5.00pm

Welcome to Woomera

Film Screening

Australian Aboriginal artist Yhonnie Scarce has selected the documentary film Welcome to Woomera to feature in The Migrant Festival.

Off-site/Talk 16.07.2022 / 4.30pm–6.00pm

A Joyful Noise with Faisal Hussain

Artist's talk

For this conversation event Faisal Hussain reflects on music and faith, and Balsall Heath in Birmingham as a cultural hot spot.

Off-site/Talk 16.07.2022 / 7.00pm–8.30pm

Osman Yousefzada and Ian Francis

Artist's Talk

Osman Yousefzada discusses the films that have influenced his interdisciplinary art practice with Ian Francis, Director of Flatpack Projects

WORKSHOPS

Off-site/Events 14.07.2022 / 1.00pm–3.00pm

MA Arts and Education Practices - Takeaways

Workshop

Join students and staff from the MA Arts and Education Practices (MAAEP) course for a workshop involving a walking tour and collective play.

Off-site/Talk 14.07.2022 / 4.00pm–7.45pm

Teacher Twilight CPD

Teachers and art educators are invited to join artist teacher Laura Reid to discuss Foreign Exchange by artist Hew Locke.

Events/Workshop 16.07.2022 / 11.00am–3.00pm

Family Saturday with Haseebah Ali

Join local artist Haseebah Ali in a printmaking workshop including soft lino print and foam.

Off-site/Workshop 16.07.2022 / 11.00am–3.00pm

Drawing & painting with Rafal Zar

Workshop

Join artist Rafal Zar for a drawing and painting workshop on Slow Boat, taking inspiration from Birmingham’s landscape.

Off-site/Events 17.07.2022 / 11.00am–1.00pm

The Mosaic Road photo studio

Visit The Old Print Works and have a professional portrait taken by local photographer Dan Burwood.

Family/Workshop 17.07.2022 / 11.00am–3.00pm

Family flag making

Workshop with Jane Thakoordin

Join artist Jane Thakoordin to create artworks in response to Foreign Exchange by artist Hew Locke.

VISUAL ART

Exhibition 10.06.2022–29.08.2022

Abdulrazaq Awofeso

OUT OF FRAME

Commissioned by Ikon, this solo exhibition by Nigerian artist Abdulrazaq Awofeso features all new work.

Off-site/Events 15.07.2022 / 6.00pm–8.00pm

Adeela Suleman Allegory of War

Exhibition launch

mac Birmingham presents Adeela Suleman’s Allegory of War

Off-site/Talk 15.07.2022 / 12.00pm–2.00pm

A Gift to Birmingham

Exhibition launch

Photographer Vanley Burke is in conversation with Selbin Kabote, a member and ambassador of Migrant Voice, to launch A Gift to Birmingham.

Exhibition 14.06.2022–15.08.2022

Hew Locke

Foreign Exchange

Birmingham’s city-centre sculpture of Queen Victoria is reimagined by acclaimed Guyanese-British artist Hew Locke, presented by Birmingham 2022 Festival.

Downloads

Document Name	Type	Size	Download
FESTIVAL DAY SCHEDULE	pdf	3.2 MB
PRESS RELEASE	pdf	1.7 MB

HISTORY OF THE MIGRANT FESTIVAL

Ikon’s first Migrant Festival took place in 2018 and was co-curated by artist and designer Osman Yousefzada, to coincide with his first solo exhibition.

In 2019 the festival took place during Hew Locke’s exhibition and included a key note talk between the artist and Rt Hon David Lammy MP.

The 2020 festival was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however Ikon and Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham presented Soapbox videos as part of World Refugee Day and Midsummer Festival.

The 2021 festival comprised digital and live events. It was closely linked with Osman Yousefzada’s major public art installation Infinity Pattern 1 at Selfridges Birmingham.