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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251107T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251107T123000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250831T095124Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T082941Z
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SUMMARY:Platforma Festival 2025: Reflections and Next Steps
DESCRIPTION:Join us to reflect on the Platforma 2025 programme in the East of England\, and to consider the impact\, learning and next steps for building partnerships\, capacity and programming.\nOnline – all welcome\, hosted by Counterpoints Arts. \nFree booking via Eventbrite. \nTom Green (Counterpoints Arts Senior Producer) will lead the conversation\, with Daisy Lees (Community Engagement Lead from the Essex Cultural Diversity Project) and Aisha Zia (writer\, curator and producer of Platforma in Peterborough). \nDraft agenda: \nShort presentations from local Platforma programmes \nAttendees to share one or two of their most significant moments  in the Platforma planning and programme. \nLooking ahead: what would be the best possible outcome for you in terms of building partnerships locally and across the region? \nWhat do you think are the opportunities for changing the conversation and building support in this context?
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/platforma-festival-2025-reflections-and-next-steps/
CATEGORIES:Learning,Platforma
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251031
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251103
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20251023T123943Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251023T123943Z
UID:10000583-1761868800-1762127999@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:In Between Meals & Dreams
DESCRIPTION:A new exhibition of work by Yayen & Jessa GY  and Mohammad Noureddini. \nPresented as part of Platforma 2025\, produced and co-commissioned by Counterpoints Arts.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/in-between-meals-dreams/
LOCATION:Artworks and Artspace\, 5 Green's Road\, Cambridge\, CB4 3EF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251029T090000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251029T170000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250716T094252Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T160714Z
UID:10000537-1761728400-1761757200@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination: Creative Exchange 2025
DESCRIPTION:An immersive training day to share insights\, reflections and experiences of how creative practices can expand and enrich how we understand belonging.\nFrom Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination. Supported by the National Lottery Community Fund. Presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nCambridge Curiosity and Imagination (CCI) is an arts and well-being charity founded in 2007. They are a creative organisation that works to inspire and enrich communities across the region. Though children and young people are at the heart of all their work\, they design ways for people of all ages to develop their own curiosity and imagination by inviting them into playful environments and giving them the permission to express their own ideas. \nFull information and free booking \nAbout the event\nOn Wednesday 29th October 2025\, Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination will return to Storey’s Field to co-host an immersive\, creative\, training experience that will build knowledge\, skills and understanding of how elements from Artscaping can help us enrich and expand how we understand belonging across our diverse settings. \nWhat is Artscaping?\nArtscaping is an established arts-in-nature programme\, with a growing body of research-led evidence underpinning it\, that supports creative learning\, mental health and well-being. It places creativity and imagination at the heart of a practice that connects children and communities to their local environments and landscapes. The practice has been co-created with artists\, children and young people\, and those who support them by arts and well-being charity Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination. \nAs we all know\, the prevalence of mental health disorders in children and young people has risen from 1 in 9 in 2017\, to 1 in 5 in 2023\, with the mental health gap between the poorest and wealthiest children increasing. Substantial benefits for well-being are derived from contact with nature\, however children now spend less time outdoors and are less well connected to the natural environment. Artscaping goes beyond traditional forms of arts (e.g.\, drawing) towards an experiential connection with nature\, bringing positive impacts for everyone involved – children\, young people and the adults who support them. \n“Don’t worry about starting\, it’s fun and there are friendly people… And don’t worry about not being good at it\, just try. I’ve been surprised because I thought I wasn’t very good at craft.” Tobias\, 6 years old. \n“I got a lot from this work. I felt like we were really caring for families\, not just showing them a website or putting them on a waiting list.” Lynda\, family support work. \n“This has helped me to take a moment for myself.” Jade\, primary school teacher. \nWork with Fullscope and Cambridge Acorn Project\nArtscaping is an integral part of the work of Fullscope\, a consortium of organisations united by a vision of positive mental health for all\, but especially for children and young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Parts of the programme have been delivered with family therapy charity Cambridge Acorn Project. Since the programme began in 2016\, we’ve learnt how Artscaping can enable communities to become safer and more supportive places for children\, offering an early intervention strategy for emerging mental health concerns and support for children who may not be eligible for other programs. \n“I spend most of my day thinking where am I going to get help for these children. The need is so high. The link between CCI and CAP is really positive. The parents really notice and appreciate it. They come and thank me and say this is just what their children need. It fills me with joy to talk about it.” Stella\, SENCO lead. \nThis day has been planned to explore ways in which the Artscaping practice might be relevant to colleagues in the wider system supporting children\, young people and their communities. \nThe day\n40 delegates will work in small groups with CCI artists and CAP therapists\, receiving support in designing principles and practical steps to act upon in the following weeks. The evidence base for the work will be highlighted by our academic colleagues\, and a concluding plenary will gather reflections from across the day. \nDelegates will experience and reflect on how creative experiences can open up how we understand and support belonging. \nEach delegate will receive an Artscaping reflective guide and be invited to join a series of follow up work-in-progress webinars for ongoing support and learning. In addition\, delegates will participate in the evaluation of the event\, from which findings will be shared with every participating organisation. \nThis Creative Exchange has been made possible through generous funding from the National Lottery Communities Fund. The support allows us to offer each place at a heavily subsidised rate of £25. Bookings can be made on the Eventbrite platform through this link: \nImage (C) Gabrielle Arenge 2024
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/cambridge-curiosity-and-imagination-creative-exchange-2025/
CATEGORIES:Learning,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG-20250714-WA0012-2.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251029
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251109
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250813T085833Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250830T204200Z
UID:10000545-1761696000-1762646399@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Touchstones
DESCRIPTION:Touchstone is a participatory arts project designed and led by artist Gillian Allard and funded by The Arts Council England and Suffolk County Council. \nPresented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nThe project is for anyone who feels ready to explore their feelings towards someone who has passed. Participants will use an unusual creative activity alongside the written word to help you create a personal tribute. There will be an art exhibition of the work for the Platforma Festival in Ipswich \nSt Elizabeth Hospice’s bereavement service LivingGrief\, will be partnering with Gillian for the project\, providing support throughout from trained volunteer bereavement counsellors. Writer Roua Horanieh and film-maker Hossam Fazulla will also work on the project. \nMore information is available from Gillian’s website. \nThe project begins in August 2025 and an exhibition of work created will be displayed at Custom House in Ipswich from 29 October – 8 November. \nFull programme\, including exhibition details\, coming soon. \n \n  \nGillian Allard is a photographic artist and educator from Suffolk\, with a passion for storytelling. Her background is in Photojournalism and she has a Master’s degree from the Royal College of Art. In 2017 she became the winner of Sky Arts Master of Photography – a television contest based in Rome. Her journey has led her to create meaningful connections within communities\, including work with the Ipswich refugee community on the theme of ‘Belonging’ for the PhotoEast Festival. Her art invites participants to share their stories\, blending photography and personal narratives into powerful visual experiences using alternative photographic techniques. Her projects include landscape and still life that help her connect with herself and her own thoughts and feelings. \nImage: Mina by Gillian Allard
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/touchstones/
LOCATION:The Old Custom House\, Key Street\, Ipswich\, IP4 1BZ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Photography,Platforma
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251026T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251026T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250701T153305Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250902T083740Z
UID:10000530-1761476400-1761480000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Sabrin Hasbun @ Norwich Book Festival
DESCRIPTION:Sabrin Hasbun\, winner of the inaugural Footnote X Counterpoints Writing Prize\, will be speaking at the Norwich Book Festival about her book  Crossing: A Love Story Between Italy and Palestine\,\nThe event that is also part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nFull details and booking \nA beautiful and compelling family memoir\, Crossing retraces the love story between Sabrin Hasbun’s Palestinian father and Italian mother\, and the life of her half-Italian\, half-Palestinian family from the 1960s to 2020. After the loss of her mother\, Sabrin tries to renegotiate her mixed identity and understand her mother’s choices which led her from an oppressive childhood in a village in Tuscany to finding love and community activism in Palestine. \nThe book was highly praised by the judges of the Footnote X Counterpoints Writing Prize \n‘Vivid\, compassionate\, captivating\, Sabrin’s writing is both deeply rooted in place and culture\, and transcending borders in its universality and humanity.’\n– Elif Shafak \nThis is a story about overcoming grief and what it means to lose not only loved ones\, but also a place in the world and a sense of belonging.\n‘Sabrin’s writing is captivating\, drawing us warmly into a world that is both different and familiar\, that we want to know about. A special and original voice\, one for our times.’\n– Philippe Sands \n‘A moving and tender story about love and identity\, and a meditation on the people who make us who we are.’\n– Dina Nayeri \n \nAbout the author\nSabrin Hasbun was born in Palestine\, spent her childhood in Palestine and Italy\, and now lives in the UK. She holds a PHD in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and lectures in Creative Writing at Cardiff Met University. \nThe £15\,000 Footnote X Counteproints Writing Prize includes an advance of £5\,000 and a publication agreement with Footnote Press. The prize\, which recognises narrative non-fiction centred around themes of displacement\, identity or resistance\, was developed in association with the Southbank Centre\, and is supported by the John Ellerman Foundation\, Doughty Street Chambers\, Spread the Word and The Bookseller. \nAbout Norwich Book Festival\nNorwich Book Festival (NBF) is a new festival that took place in Norwich\, City of Stories\, for the first time in October 2024. NBF will return 24-31 October 2025\, with eight days of brilliant events. \nThis city-wide festival brings together readers\, writers\, bookshops\, literary organisations\, and other key Norwich institutions to celebrate stories of all kinds. \nNorwich Book Festival is designed to be for every kind of reader\, and brings nationally renowned authors to England’s first UNESCO City of Literature for fantastic events\, readings\, signings\, interactive experiences and much more. The Festival highlights Norwich’s literary heritage\, and contributes to the city’s thriving culture of reading and writing. \nIn 2024\, Norwich Book Festival welcomed 22\,000 visitors across four days\, to six venues in Norwich city centre. For 2025 we will be building upon the successes of 2024\, and expanding the Festival to take place over eight days. \nNorwich Book Festival is presented by The Forum\, alongside key partners National Centre for Writing\, Norfolk County Council – Library and Information Service and University of East Anglia. The Forum is a landmark cultural organisation in the centre of Norwich\, which presents Norwich Science Festival\, Norwich Games Festival\, and coordinates Norfolk Heritage Open Days. The Forum is also home to one of the country’s busiest libraries – Norfolk & Norwich Millennium Library. \nNorwich Book Festival is supported by First Bus East\, and The Hays Travel Foundation.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/sabrin-hasbun-norwich-book-festival/
LOCATION:The Forum\, Millennium Plain\, Norwich\, NR2 1TF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature & Spoken Word,Platforma
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251025T133000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251025T153000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250830T202412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251021T164508Z
UID:10000559-1761399000-1761406200@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:How to Talk About Palestine – with Makan
DESCRIPTION:From 62 Gladstone Street: Join Makan for a practical workshop designed to help you speak more confidently and effectively about Palestine.\nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nMakan is a Palestinian led educational organisation dedicated to facilitating transformative learning experiences centred around Palestinian liberation and intersectional issues through their workshops\, partnerships\, and accessible online resources. They strive to provide a perspective that captures the history of the Palestinian struggle for liberation and the realities on the ground. Their aim is to support advocates as part of a community that is not only well-informed\, interconnected\, and empowered but also passionately committed to cultivating a future for Palestinians built on freedom\, justice\, and dignity. \nFull details and free booking \nAbout Platforma in Peterborough \nPlatforma 2025 in Peterborough is produced by 62 Gladstone Street\, a community-rooted arts space in the heart of Peterborough with a particular focus on supporting South Asian and MENA artists. Through exhibitions\, residencies\, and public programmes\, it provides a vital platform for underrepresented voices and fosters meaningful dialogue between artists and the wider community. \nPartners: Counterpoints Arts\, Landmark Theatres\, Peterborough Cultural Alliance\, Metal Peterborough\, Peterborough Presents\, Peterborough Museum\, HELP Charity & the Aziz Foundation \nDedication: “Our programme is dedicated to the innocent men\, women\, and children who have lost their lives\, those who have been displaced by war\, and all those seeking a safe place to call home.” \n62 Gladstone Street’s Platforma programme is supported by Arts Council England as and presented as part of the wider Platforma Festival across the East of England\, produced by Counterpoints Arts.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/how-to-talk-about-palestine-with-makan/
LOCATION:Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery\, 51 Priestgate\, Peterborough\, PE1 1LF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Learning,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/talking.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251025T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251025T130000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250830T201442Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250830T201442Z
UID:10000558-1761390000-1761397200@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Muslim Girls Fence with Maslaha
DESCRIPTION:62 Gladstone Street presents: Blending sport and creativity\, the session invites participants to reshape narratives with movement and dialogue – led by Maslaha \nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nMuslim Girls Fence is a creative collaboration between Maslaha and British Fencing\, designed to create empowering spaces where Muslim girls and women can challenge stereotypes around race\, gender\, religion\, and identity. \nBlending sport and creativity\, the session invites participants to explore self-expression\, build confidence\, and reshape dominant narratives through both movement and dialogue. \nFree entry | Women and girls only 12+ \nVenue to  be announced. \nFull information and free booking \nMaslaha seeks to change and challenge the conditions that create inequalities and racism for Muslim communities in areas such as education\, gender\, criminal justice\, health\, negative media coverage and a continued climate of Islamophobia. ‘Muslim Girls Fence’ is a project collaboration between Maslaha and British Fencing which aims to facilitate spaces at a grassroots level for Muslim girls and women to challenge assumptions and narratives relating to their gender\, racial\, religious and other identities through both physical and creative methods. \nAbout Platforma in Peterborough \nPlatforma 2025 in Peterborough is produced by 62 Gladstone Street\, a community-rooted arts space in the heart of Peterborough with a particular focus on supporting South Asian and MENA artists. Through exhibitions\, residencies\, and public programmes\, it provides a vital platform for underrepresented voices and fosters meaningful dialogue between artists and the wider community. \nPartners: Counterpoints Arts\, Landmark Theatres\, Peterborough Cultural Alliance\, Metal Peterborough\, Peterborough Presents\, Peterborough Museum\, HELP Charity & the Aziz Foundation \nDedication: “Our programme is dedicated to the innocent men\, women\, and children who have lost their lives\, those who have been displaced by war\, and all those seeking a safe place to call home.” \n62 Gladstone Street’s Platforma programme is supported by Arts Council England as and presented as part of the wider Platforma Festival across the East of England\, produced by Counterpoints Arts.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/muslim-girls-fence-with-maslaha/
CATEGORIES:Community & Participation,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/fencing.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251024T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251024T150000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250914T074714Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250914T074903Z
UID:10000571-1761303600-1761318000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Artist Salon Lowestoft
DESCRIPTION:Essex Cultural Diversity Project’s Artist Salons are free workshop and networking opportunities for creative practitioners and community organisers. Come along to share and develop ideas for art projects which celebrate diversity. There will be hands-on advice about engaging with communities and applying for public funds for community art projects. The day includes a complimentary lunch. \nPresented as part of the Platforma Festival\, produced by Counterpoints Arts\, this Artist Salon will be focussed on intercultural arts provision for migrant\, refugee and asylum seeker communities. \nFree\, but places are limited so booking is essential. \nDate: Friday 24 October 11am-3pm\nVenue: The Battery\, 119 London Road North Lowestoft\, England\, NR32 1LZ \nFull details: https://essexcdp.com/event/artist-salon-lowestoft/ \nWho Should Attend?\nThe event is open to emerging or more established artists/arts organisations\, or representatives from organisations who want to develop creative projects within diversity settings. \nEssex Cultural Diversity Project’s core mission is to energise diversity in arts and heritage. \n“We know that diversity is different for everyone. Diversity for us means: cultural diversity | different ethnic backgrounds | low socio-economic backgrounds | LGBTQ+ | disability | neurodiversity | or an intersection of these. We often support artists and projects that engage with: deprived communities | marginalised voices | communities with little or no access to the Arts | those who are culturally curious or want to connect with where they live in different ways.” \nAbout the Hosts and Partners\nLed by First Light Festival CIC\, the Battery of Ideas Place Partnership is designed to fire up ideas\, enthusiasm and involvement in the new Cultural Quarter development in Lowestoft town centre\, to grow public awareness and engagement in the Quarter and create a step change in creative production and cultural participation in the town. The Battery is a space for inclusive creative participation and engagement\, co-production\, planning and testing out activity as Lowestoft’s new Cultural Quarter develops. Currently we are testing out a programme of creative health activity\, live performance\, visual art exhibitions and installations in partnership with a consortium of local arts organisations and cross sector partners. The Battery of Ideas project has awarded 34 local creatives enterprise bursaries and art commissions\, including to make work that will be shown in the Battery and at First Light Festival.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/artist-salon-lowestoft/
LOCATION:The Battery\, 119 London Road North\, Lowestoft\, NR32 1LZ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Learning,Platforma
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251020
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251025
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250919T085154Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250926T152746Z
UID:10000574-1760918400-1761350399@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:The Butterfly Effect (A Call for Peace)
DESCRIPTION:This socially engaged art piece and poem from Ruthie Collins and friends features beautiful butterflies made with children in Norfolk and objects inspired by movement\, in heritage and nature – across the elements\, from water to air – including a book published during World War II Kitty Come Home\, narrating the journey of children traveling to Britain across water to escape the Nazis. \nPresented as part of Platforma 2025\, co-commissioned and produced by Counterpoints Arts \nFor this project Children in Norfolk explored iconic British butterflies that travel to the UK including the Red Admiral and what flowers to plant to help restore them. You can also plant butterfly friendly flower seeds as part of the piece and an ongoing project to help restore biodiversity locally in Norfolk and encourage connection to the landscape. \nThe art piece also includes a poem written by Ruthie Collins inspired by the need for child wellbeing in current times – conversation with a child talking about missing family\, estranged by war. Selected words from the poem have been put to electronica especially for Plaforma – listen and enjoy The Butterfly Effect (A Call for Peace) which will be shared as part of the festival. \nMore information on how to pick up your seeds and where to read or listen to the track\, will be shared later in October. \nRuthie Collins is an award winning writer and artist based in East Anglia.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/the-butterfly-effect-a-call-for-peace/
CATEGORIES:Community & Participation,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Butterfly-Effect.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251018T120000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251018T170000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250714T132305Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251003T112807Z
UID:10000536-1760788800-1760806800@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Community Takeover @ Jerwood DanceHouse
DESCRIPTION:Platforma Community Takeover at the Jerwood DanceHouse\nA day of sharing and celebration\, giving space to artists and arts made by and with migrant and refugee communities to tell stories and highlight the important role of the arts and the fantastic work that takes place across Suffolk and the East of England. The Jerwood DanceHouse will come alive with performances\, artwork\, films\, poetry\, spoken word and much more. An enriching day of arts and culture not to be missed! \nPresented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts\, supported by Suffolk County Council. \nVibrant. Courageous. Uplifting. \nFrom midday onwards. \nView the full programme \nA day of sharing and celebration\, giving space to artists and arts made by and with migrant and refugee communities to tell stories and highlight the important role of the arts and the fantastic work that takes place across Ipswich. The Jerwood DanceHouse will come alive with performances\, artwork\, films\, poetry\, spoken word and much more. An enriching day of arts and culture not to be missed! \nTheatre\nThe studio theatre will showcase a vibrant programme of dance\, theatre and music brought to you by local Bollywood group\, Dance Folks\, Norwich Theatre’s Being Migrant group\, and Status Creative’s young refugee musicians\, to name a few. There will also be a range of films and presentations\, showcasing some amazing projects from The Hold’s Arrivals project to Addictive TV’s Orchestra of Samples global music project. Ipswich Windrush Society\, Ipswich Romanian Community and This is Ipswich join forces to highlight stories of resilience and migration through film and Hannah Aria will present a virtual gallery for her Window to the Soul exhibition\, sharing artwork\, poetry and creative writing from women and girls from Afghanistan. \nArt\, Textile & Photography\nA range of local artists and photographers will exhibit their work in our Whistler Gallery and throughout the building\, including one of the photographers behind the brilliant Portrait of Norwich Road exhibition. In the Wellbeing Studio\, you will find Colchester-based RAMA (Refugee\, Asylum seeker & Migrant Action) sharing some of the artwork made by the individuals they work with and Suffolk Refugee Support’s Women’s Sewing Group with an exhibition of their textile creations. \nWorkshops & Activities\nCatch Gecko Theatre’s Associate Director\, Helen Baggett\, for a movement workshop in the Ashton Studio delving into the companies practice and work with refugees and migrant groups. The Hold will be running family-friendly arts & crafts activities in the Wellbeing Studio alongside a range of other stands and stalls. Join Future Female Society’s Woman 2 Woman Radio live sessions and listen to the 1SAF podcasts sharing personal stories of migration. \nFood\nWe’re excited to be working with The Hive and their incredible group of community cooks to offer an array of delicious food for all to enjoy throughout the afternoon. \nImage Credit: Norwich Theatre workshop – Credit Malachy Luckie
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/community-takeover-jerwood-dancehouse/
LOCATION:DanceEast\, Jerwood DanceHouse\, Foundry Lane\, Ipswich\, IP4 1DW\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Norwich-Theatre-of-Sanctuary-Malachy-Luckie-5-2-1024x683-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251018T120000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251018T133000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250830T200427Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250830T201712Z
UID:10000557-1760788800-1760794200@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Lunch with the Aziz Foundation
DESCRIPTION:Join the Aziz Foundation for lunch and hear about their support for British Muslim communities in the media\, the arts\, and public life.\nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nJoin the Aziz Foundation for an informal lunch and introduction to their philanthropic work supporting British Muslim communities in media\, the arts\, and public life. Learn about their Masters scholarships\, offered in partnership with leading UK universities\, as well as traineeship opportunities designed to help develop the next generation of cultural leaders and creatives. Enjoy food\, conversation\, and practical insights into how the Foundation is helping to increase access\, representation\, and opportunity in the creative and public sectors. \nFree entry | Young people 15+ \nFull information and booking \nAbout Platforma in Peterborough \nPlatforma 2025 in Peterborough is produced by 62 Gladstone Street\, a community-rooted arts space in the heart of Peterborough with a particular focus on supporting South Asian and MENA artists. Through exhibitions\, residencies\, and public programmes\, it provides a vital platform for underrepresented voices and fosters meaningful dialogue between artists and the wider community. \nPartners: Counterpoints Arts\, Landmark Theatres\, Peterborough Cultural Alliance\, Metal Peterborough\, Peterborough Presents\, Peterborough Museum\, HELP Charity & the Aziz Foundation \nDedication: “Our programme is dedicated to the innocent men\, women\, and children who have lost their lives\, those who have been displaced by war\, and all those seeking a safe place to call home.” \n62 Gladstone Street’s Platforma programme is supported by Arts Council England as and presented as part of the wider Platforma Festival across the East of England\, produced by Counterpoints Arts.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/lunch-with-the-aziz-foundation/
LOCATION:Gladstone Connect Ltd\, 157 Cromwell Road\, Peterborough\, PE1 2EL\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Community & Participation,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/aziz-foundation.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251018
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251019
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250723T160640Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250905T121516Z
UID:10000541-1760745600-1760831999@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Welcome
DESCRIPTION:Welcome is an interactive\, site-responsive performance by Belén Yáñez that invites audiences to reflect on their interactions with people they don’t know in new contexts.\nWearing full-face masks and headphones\, participants are guided through a sound-based narrative that offers a reimagined perspective on their surroundings.\nSet in unconventional locations and facilitated by performers\, Welcome transforms everyday spaces into immersive landscapes\, encouraging participants to engage with their environment and each other in new ways. \nThis is a fully interactive experience. All participants will be required to wear headphones and a full-face mask for the duration of the performance. There is no speaking involved\, but active engagement through movement. \nGreat Yarmouth Beach (2 durational performances)\nSaturday 18th October: 10:00–13:00 & 15:00–18:00 \nCo-commissioned by Counterpoints Arts. Presented in partnership with Yarmonics\, as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. Supported by Arts Council England. \nhttps://www.belenlyanez.com/welcome \nAge Recommendation 12+ (for participation) \nConceived & Directed\nBelén Yáñez \nOriginal Music and Sound Design\nMike de Lis \nPiti Varela \nChris Murphy \nPerformer\nBelén Yáñez \nJosé Gonçalo Pais \nMasks\nCarmen Triguero \nCostumes\nRocio H. Valentín \nBelén Yáñez\nBelén is an interdisciplinary artist whose participatory practice blends performance\, installation\, sound\, and visual art.\nHer work explores how social conventions shape behaviour and perception\, using immersive spaces rooted in everyday experiences to foster shared understanding and collective action. Her pieces are designed to stimulate the imagination of those who engage with them\, fostering a sense of connection and\nco-creation.\nhttps://www.belenlyanez.com/\nhttps://www.instagram.com/belenlyanez/
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/welcome-2/
LOCATION:Original Projects\, Market Gates Shopping Centre\, PRIMEYARC\, Great Yarmouth\, NR30 2BG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Performance,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Welcome_2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251017T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251017T203000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250912T095750Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250930T065455Z
UID:10000569-1760729400-1760733000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:No Direction Home x Platforma
DESCRIPTION:The No Direction Home stand-up comedy collective comes to East Bergholt for one night only!\nA fun night of comedy featuring a fresh collective of stand-up comedians from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Produced by Counterpoints Arts as part of the Platforma Festival 2025. \nHosted by Laith Elzubaidi. Featuring Selam Amare\, Alaa Shasheet and Victor Rios \nOld Hall\, Rectory Hill\, East Bergholt\nFriday 17th October\n£5 entry on the door\nDoors open 7pm\nArrive early to ensure entry\nBar available\n07990802766\neastbergholtglobal@gmail.com \nFundraising for Medical Aid for Palestinians\n(MAP registered charity: 1045316) \nLaith Elzubaidi is a British-Iraqi Comedy and Drama Screenwriter\, Director and Producer based in London. His recent play Insane Asylum Seekers was a sell-out hit at the Bush Theatre in London. \nA proud Ethiopian\, Selam Amare is an entrepreneur and comedian. Selam is the founder of Selam Le Ethiopia and Azmari Bet – an initiative that promotes Ethiopian culture through music\, performance and food. Selam has created a very funny and charming storytelling persona of her own\, sharing experiences of both Ethiopia and England. \nAlaa Shasheet is a newcomer to the comedy scene\, making appearances at open mics and gigs events in London. His material often touches on race and cultural differences\, drawing from his experiences as a Syrian refugee living in London. Through humour\, he shares relatable stories from life. \nNominated for the TV Collective’s Breakthrough Leaders Programme 2025\, Victor Rios is a performer\, artist\, theatre facilitator and filmmaker. Victor is the co-founder of LatinX Actors UK\, a database of Latin-American actors and performers based in the UK. He has worked with organisations including the Royal Festival Hall\, Red Cross\, Young Roots and Brixton House.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/no-direction-home-x-platforma/
LOCATION:Old Hall\, Rectory Hill\, East Bergholt\, Colchester\, CO7 6TG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Comedy,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/0H9A0163.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251017T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251026T170000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250815T154755Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251009T072043Z
UID:10000548-1760695200-1761498000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:MAS(S)
DESCRIPTION:MAS(S) is a new Sound Art Project created by artists Tristan Shorr and Rae Champion (CONCRETE) in collaboration with Scottish artist Lomond Campbell\, exploring migration\, refugees\, war and loss through the human voice. \nA series of generative sound sculptures turn the audio testimonies of refugees into a multi-channel sound experience\, culminating in a voice siren that will call out along the British coastline\, allowing audiences to actively walk the siren call together\, mapping our borders. \nCo-commissioned an presented in Great Yarmouth in partnership with Yarmonics and Original Projects as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nVoice Siren Walks (approx 45 mins):\n– Friday 17th 2pm > free booking\n– Sunday 19th 2pm + 4pm > free booking\n\nMeet:\n\nUnderneath Britannia Pier\, Marine Parade\, Great Yarmouth NR30 2EH\n\n\n\nhttps://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/VIDEO-2025-10-01-21-27-58.mp4\n\nCONCRETE are two artists that come together to create political and social art. Their works look to highlight\, provoke and ignite conversation\, providing ways for audiences and participants to interact and explore the common landscape individually and collectively\, being held within sensory and sonic expansions. \nMAS(S) is an acronym taken from the works orginal title Make A Stand. MAS(S) represents an uprising of people\, voices\, protests\, and the power of song in the form of a choral mass. “The very form of sound itself can be disruptive since it can transgress borders\, barricades and blockades.” Christopher Cox
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/mass/
LOCATION:Voice Siren Walks\, Underneath Britannia Pier\, Marine Parade\,\, Great Yarmouth\, NR30 2EH
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Sound Art
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Main-Press-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251017T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251017T130000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250831T101550Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250831T101550Z
UID:10000562-1760695200-1760706000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Home from Home Poetry Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Join local writer Sue Wallace-Shaddad for a poetry workshop reflecting on the challenges of belonging and consider what makes us who we are\, and how our identities are influenced by others.\nPresented by Suffolk Archives as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nFree booking \nAge 16+ \nBeing part of a community and feeling you belong are foundational aspects of human life; they provide stability and a sense of identity. Too often\, reality is rather different. A person may become separated from their community because of personal circumstance\, conflict or war and have to learn how to belong in a different place. People may have links to more than one community through their heritage and feel they have to negotiate who they are\, where they belong. \nIn this workshop you will read and discuss poems and respond to writing prompts drawing on your own experience and that of others. \nPlease bring a photograph or small object to help stimulate your writing.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/home-from-home-poetry-workshop/
LOCATION:The Hold\, Ipswich\, IP4 1LN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature & Spoken Word,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/the-hold.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251017
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251020
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250914T075757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251015T121705Z
UID:10000572-1760659200-1760918399@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Refugees Welcome Here
DESCRIPTION:Refugees Welcome Here: Cambridge Artworks welcomes refugees and asylum seekers.\nPresented as part of the Platforma Festival 2025\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nFriday 17 th October to Sunday 19 th October\n12 to 6pm\nPreview Friday 17 th October 7pm to 9pm \nThis show brings together the work of studio artists based at Cambridge Artworks and refugees in Cambridge. \nSeveral of the Artworks studio artists have been working alongside refugees and creating art about displacement for many years\, some are migrants or refugees themselves. This exhibition enables us to demonstrate our solidarity and continued\nsupport for refugees in Cambridge and the UK. \nContributing Artists\nJan Ayton\nAnna Brownsted\nRachel Dormor\nJill Eastland\nAli Hunte\nKiarash Khazaei\nSusan Mealing\nIdit Nathan\nMohammad Noureddini\nDell Olsen\nMojgan Rajabpour\nSally Todd\nSarah Wood\nRachel Wooller\nJohn Yayen\nSanam Yousef\nAdditional women refugees attending Cambridge Women’s Resources Centre \nMain image: “Sanam’s Journey”
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/refugees-welcome-here/
LOCATION:Cambridge Artworks and Artspace\, 5 Green's Road\, Cambridge\, CB4 3EF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sanams-Journey.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251016T130000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251016T140000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250830T195240Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250830T195240Z
UID:10000556-1760619600-1760623200@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Food from Home: An Exploration of Food Memories and Identity
DESCRIPTION:From Peterborough Presents: A creative\, participatory workshop exploring connections between food\, memory\, and migration with artist Madhu Manipatruni.\nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nJoin artist Madhu Manipatruni for a creative\, participatory workshop exploring connections between food\, memory\, and migration. Through storytelling we’ll reflect on how food evokes identity\, belonging\, and home. Participants are invited to bring a recipe with personal or cultural significance to share. Together we will create a simple pop-up book that captures memories of food\, recipes and journeys. \nWheelchair accessible room (Howe Room). \nAge 18+ \nFree tea\, coffee and biscuits available \nDelivered by Peterborough Presents and Migrefhealth \nYou can that the opportunity to visit the free Bridging Landscapes II exhibition as part of Platforma Festival \nFull details and free booking \nAbout Platforma in Peterborough \nPlatforma 2025 in Peterborough is produced by 62 Gladstone Street\, a community-rooted arts space in the heart of Peterborough with a particular focus on supporting South Asian and MENA artists. Through exhibitions\, residencies\, and public programmes\, it provides a vital platform for underrepresented voices and fosters meaningful dialogue between artists and the wider community. \nPartners: Counterpoints Arts\, Landmark Theatres\, Peterborough Cultural Alliance\, Metal Peterborough\, Peterborough Presents\, Peterborough Museum\, HELP Charity & the Aziz Foundation \nDedication: “Our programme is dedicated to the innocent men\, women\, and children who have lost their lives\, those who have been displaced by war\, and all those seeking a safe place to call home.” \n62 Gladstone Street’s Platforma programme is supported by Arts Council England as and presented as part of the wider Platforma Festival across the East of England\, produced by Counterpoints Arts.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/food-from-home-an-exploration-of-food-memories-and-identity/
LOCATION:Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery\, 51 Priestgate\, Peterborough\, PE1 1LF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature & Spoken Word,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/peterborough-presents.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251015
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251020
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250902T120721Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250902T120829Z
UID:10000567-1760486400-1760918399@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Back To Where We Came From
DESCRIPTION:Emanuela Cusin & Sarah Wood\nOpen: 11-5pm \nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nBack to Where We Came From is an installation made in response to St Peter’s\, Cambridge – an ancient church whose history is rooted in the idea of sanctuary. The church was not only a site of welcome for travellers arriving in the north of the city but was also\, until the early 17th century\, a site in which a fugitive could temporarily rest\, immune from arrest\, a space apart from the legal process of the state. \nNow in a time of closing borders\, when the idea about who belongs and who doesn’t is at the forefront of the world’s right-wing ideological preoccupation Back To Where We Came From will inhabit this historical space to ask how sanctuary today can operate to provide containment and enable reparation in the wider world. \nTaking the artist Gustav Metzger’s aesthetic response to the aftermath of WW2 deportation as a shared starting point artists Emanuela Cusin and Sarah Wood will create an installation that will offer visitors not only the space to imagine future possibilities that counter exclusionary political rhetoric but also to consider how art itself can model hospitality. \nKey works: \nBREAKING POINT \nEmanuela Cusin \nMixed media\, 2025 \nIn a time characterised by economic crises\, political conflict and natural disaster\, we find ourselves caught in a prolonged state of anticipation where anxiety about the future is born from our seeming inability to prevent further catastrophes. \nBreaking Point not only mobilises but also critically interrogates this dark presentiment and perceived powerlessness. Taking inspiration from the ever-changing nature of materials exposed to physical and environmental processes\, Gustav Metzger’s auto-destructive art manifesto and trauma studies\, the work creates a visual and poetic parallelism between the physical and psychological impact of destructive events.\nemanuelacusin.com \nLAND OF THE FREE \nSarah Wood \nMulti-media installation\, 2025 \nAlmost 3000 years ago the Assyrian empire deployed the policy of deportation for the very first time. 4\,000\,000 people were forcedly resettled over 250 years\, in the service of colonisation. \nFast-forward to the 21st century. In a time of spluttering political soundbite deportation continues to be the most common form of immigration enforcement across the world. It’s a policy that couples a fantasy of origin with the idea that resettlement is an action without consequence for the world’s settled populations. \nOut of sight\, out of mind? Land of the Free – will bring into focus the ethics and aesthetics of this economy of visibility/invisibility. Using family archives\, lessons from history and contemporary stories of forced removal\, Land of the Free will offer viewers the space to think about a process more usually elided from wider cultural view. \nsarahwoodworld.com \nThank you: \nAndrews Nairne\, Guy Haywood\, Tom Noblett and all the team (Kettle’s Yard\, Cambridge) \nKaren Moore (Churches Conservation Trust) \nTom Green and all the team (Counterpoints) \nRuth Campbell – Ekins and Sarah Steenhorst (METAL\, Peterborough)
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/back-to-where-we-came-from/
LOCATION:St Peter’s Church\, Castle St\, Cambridge\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Land-of-the-Free-Sarah-Wood-1-BW-square.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251014T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251014T150000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250914T074617Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250914T074851Z
UID:10000570-1760439600-1760454000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Artist Salon Saxmundham
DESCRIPTION:Are you a creative practitioner or professional working\, or wanting to work\, in diversity? \nEssex Cultural Diversity Project’s Artist Salons are free workshop and networking opportunities for creative practitioners and community organisers. Come along to share and develop ideas for art projects which celebrate diversity. There will be hands-on advice about engaging with communities and applying for public funds for community art projects. The day includes a complimentary lunch. \nPresented as part of the Platforma Festival\, produced by Counterpoints Arts\, this Artist Salon will be focussed on intercultural arts provision for migrant\, refugee and asylum seeker communities. \nFree\, but places are limited so booking is essential. \nDate: Tuesday 14 October 11am-3pm\nVenue: The Art Station\, 48 High Street\, Saxmundham\, Suffolk\, IP17 1AB \nFull details: https://essexcdp.com/event/artist-salon-saxmundham/ \nWho Should Attend? \nThe event is open to emerging or more established artists/arts organisations\, or representatives from organisations who want to develop creative projects within diversity settings. \nEssex Cultural Diversity Project’s core mission is to energise diversity in arts and heritage. \n“We know that diversity is different for everyone. Diversity for us means: cultural diversity | different ethnic backgrounds | low socio-economic backgrounds | LGBTQ+ | disability | neurodiversity | or an intersection of these. We often support artists and projects that engage with: deprived communities | marginalised voices | communities with little or no access to the Arts | those who are culturally curious or want to connect with where they live in different ways.” \nGuest Speakers\nAngie Lee-Foster is Programme Manager for Creative Health at Britten Pears Arts. Britten Pears Arts is a pioneering cultural charity which uses music to transform people’s lives\, to bring communities together and enhance daily life. \nTor Cooke is Programme Manager for The Art Station. The Art Station is a dynamic\, ambitious\, arts charity\, developing and supporting culture and creativity in East Suffolk through a free Arts and Learning programme. \nHosts and Partners\nThis Artist Salon is developed in partnership with Britten Pears Arts and Snape Maltings\, with Angie Lee-Foster\, Programme Manager for Creative Health at Britten Pears Arts. Britten Pears Arts is a pioneering cultural charity which uses music to transform people’s lives\, bringing communities together and enhancing daily life. \nThe Art Station is a charity arts organisation providing a new creative hub in Saxmundham\, a rural market town in coastal Suffolk. Having completed a major refurbishment of the first floor of a former 1950’s telephone exchange and post office\, The Art Station’s unique venue has become a base for a dynamic and engaging arts and community programme. They aim to unlock potential and effect real change – enabling people to come together to form communities around the creative industries and tech. By providing affordable creative space for local artists\, makers and tech developers\, alongside exhibition and event spaces\, The Art Station is developing new networks in the region and provides access to unique creative opportunities. \n \n \n                    
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/artist-salon-saxmundham/
LOCATION:The Art Station\, 48 High Street\, Saxmundham\, P17 1AB\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Learning,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Artwork-625x425-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251014T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251014T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250701T160907Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250902T140404Z
UID:10000531-1760439600-1760443200@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Grow Your Digital Reach
DESCRIPTION:Grow Your Digital Reach: A guide for freelance artists with Samia Malik and the Digital Culture Network.\nPresented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nFree booking via Eventbrite \nSamia Malik is British Pakistani singer songwriter artist activist producer teacher based in Norwich. She recently won a Digital Culture Network Award ‘for her dedication to exploring new digital platforms to engage fresh audiences’ with spectacular and transformative results. \n\nSamia will share details of her latest ACE funded project ‘Azaadi – A Journey To Freedom’ which has a significant and ambitious digital access focus and discuss practical achievable ways in which freelancers can grow their digital reach.\n\nArts Council England’s Digital Culture Network offers free digital skills advice and training to artists\, creatives and anyone working with or for a creative or cultural organisation in England. Their digital experts – Tech Champions – can help you learn new skills\, fix problems\, or grow your audience through areas such as social media\, websites\, ticketing\, data capture and analysis\, and improving the accessibility of your online content. \n\nNicola Barratt – Social Media Tech Champion for the Digital Culture Network – will explain more about their work and how you can connect with them for support. She\, along with Samia\, will also answer questions.\n\nImage credit: Fiona Dale
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/grow-your-digital-reach/
CATEGORIES:Digital,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screen-Shot-2025-07-01-at-17.07.54.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251014T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251014T140000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250922T142355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250922T142808Z
UID:10000575-1760436000-1760450400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Kurdish Cookery
DESCRIPTION:Three excellent home cooks will demonstrate how to make the extremely delicious Kurdish dish of dolma\, which consists many different vegetables stuffed with rice\, lamb\, herbs and spices. \nAfterwards\, you are invited to share the food that has been prepared. \nThe demonstration will begin at 10:00 am on 14 October at the Suffolk Food Hall Cookery School\, and the meal should be finished by 14:00. \nIf you would like to come\, please email rozhgarahmedcook@gmail \nPlaces are limited\, so email as soon as you can. \nPresented with support from Suffolk County Council as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/kurdish-cookery/
LOCATION:Suffolk Food Hall\, Suffolk Food Hall Ltd Wherstead\,\, Ipswich\, IP9 2AB\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Learning,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/47fdd84f-ad23-495e-a82c-1e5e6f8e0b85.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251014
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251027
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250721T141103Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251003T100517Z
UID:10000539-1760400000-1761523199@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Confluence
DESCRIPTION:Confluence: a place where ideas merge or flow together\nAn exhibition curated and co-ordinated by Shathy Bano exploring cultural influence\, identity and belonging in the community with a two-week programme of collaborative artwork\, interactive workshops & conversations. \nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nCommunity gathering 18 October\, 1-4pm \nThis year community artist Shathy Bano has facilitated a series of 20 art sessions involving a total of over 40 participants with experience of migration in various small group settings. The sessions involved conversations exploring cultural influence\, memory\, identity and language\, using visual art as a tool for expression. \nThe exhibition at Anteros Arts Foundation brings all of the artwork together from different sessions and includes a programme of workshop activities that a free and drop-in. \nThe community gathering on the 18th is a celebration of the connections made by everyone who has participated in the projects. \nShathy Bano is a Bengali British visual artist with an extensive background in social work and therapeutic community art. Shathy focuses on cultural identity\, transformation and loss. As a child migrant herself\, her art practice draws on her life experience to create visual expressions of intersectional identity and cultural exchange through the generations\, representing how this relates to the evolving\, yet transitory notion of home and place. \nShathy has worked with Norfolk libraries and other community groups for several years leading art sessions. The creative sessions explores the links between culture\, language and place to explore belonging and connection working collaboratively with groups. \nThe exhibition is a collation of the various artwork undertaken over the past year through different projects and the connections and networks made. There is an opportunity to view the artwork\, and the two week programme provides a variety of art sessions and time and space for creativity and conversation. \n 
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/confluence/
LOCATION:Anteros\, 11-15 Fye Bridge Street\, Norwich\, NR31LJ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/20250620_134133.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251014
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251026
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250818T094751Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250819T082830Z
UID:10000550-1760400000-1761436799@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Gaza Remains The Story
DESCRIPTION:Created by The Palestine Museum: “In loving memory of the late Hikmat Maher Kaddoura\, may his soul rest in eternal peace” \nPresented by Diss Palestine Solidarity as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nGaza Remains the Story exhibits the cause and context of the Palestinian experience\, focusing on the land\, places\, and people of Gaza. The exhibition strives to inform\, educate\, and narrate stories of historical locations and cultural practices in Gaza\, providing a glimpse into Gaza’s arts\, aspirations\, and uniqueness—what remains of it in these harsh times. \nWhile the deafening noise of never-ending bombardment drowns out the daily life\, heritage\, artistic expression\, and creativity of the people of Palestine\, this exhibition strives to look behind the curtains of the theatre of war and conquest. By narrating the stories of Gaza and countering misinformation\, “Gaza Remains the Story” aims to provide a global audience with information and references to contextualise Gaza within Palestine\, the region\, and the world. This exhibition employs text\, drawings\, and audiovisual material to explore historical\, economic\, geographic\, demographic\, and creative aspects of life in Gaza. \n \n \nArtist: Malak Mattar\nTitle: When Family is the Only Shelter\, 2022 \nOil on Canvas\, 60 x 50cm\nCourtesy of the Ghiath and Nadia Sukhtian Collection
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/gaza-remains-the-story/
LOCATION:The Ballroom\, No 8 Marketplace\, Diss\, IP22 4AB\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=application/pdf:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Platforma-Landscape-Artwork-Image.pdf
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251014
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251017
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250902T160615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250924T165759Z
UID:10000568-1760400000-1760659199@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:The Table
DESCRIPTION:THE TABLE \nA new play written by Aisha Zia. \nA version for Platforma Festival directed by Suba Das\, with Musical Direction by Rob Green and Movement Direction by Miguel Hernando Torres Umba. \nWhat does it take to become a refugee\, migrant\, or asylum seeker today? \nDeveloped from real interviews with first-generation economic and war migrants in Bournemouth and Peterborough\, this bold new play is made to change. Every production of The Table is uniquely put together by each performance company using 40 scenes written by Scotsman Fringe First & Amnesty International Award-winning playwright\, Peterborough-born Aisha Zia\, and based on three years of research with migrant communities across the UK. \nThis production as part of Platforma Festival has been made by a company of three professional actor-musicians living in the UK and born in Turkey\, Iran and Zimbabwe. Directed by Suba Das (whose diverse credits include the world premiere production of Ravi Shankar’s only opera Sukanya for The Royal Opera House and London Philharmonic Orchestra)\, with musical direction by Rob Green(an Ivor Novello “In The Making” artist) and Movement Direction from Miguel Hernando Torres Umba (Rumble In The Jungle: Rematch\, Secret Cinema\, Terminal 1 @ Glastonbury); this version of The Table threads together deeply humane scenes about the challenging and joyous shared experiences of migrants in the UK with haunting folk music and songs from across the world. \nWriter: Aisha Zia \nDirector: Suba Das \nMusic Director and Composer: Rob Green \nMovement Director: Miguel Hernando Torres Umba \nStage Manager: Laura Whittle \nCast: Didem Atasoy\, Tara Fatehi\, Taku Mutero \nCasting: Jenkins McShane Casting CDG \nProducer: Matthew Schmolle for Matthew Schmolle Productions \nPresented by 62 Gladstone Street in partnership with Landmark Theatres. \nSupported by Counterpoints\, Arts Council England\, Peterborough Cultural Alliance and The Aziz Foundation.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/the-table/
LOCATION:Key Theatre\, Peterborough\, Embankment Road\, Peterborough\, PE1 1EF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Theatre
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Landscape.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251013T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251013T150000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250922T153730Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251008T073734Z
UID:10000576-1760364000-1760367600@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Embers of Care by Yayen
DESCRIPTION: Embers of Care by Yayen – Online Presentation\n\nPlease email hello@counterpoints.org.uk to receive the online link \nPresented in association with Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \n“Embers of Care” is a 100-artwork series by Yayen\, a nurse\, migrant\, and artist\, dedicated to honouring the journeys\, resilience\, and contributions of migrant healthcare workers in the UK. This project sheds light on the often-overlooked everyday realities within the healthcare system. \nEach artwork tells a unique story. There’s the nurse from Zimbabwe\, who arrived with excitement\, only to be met by Britain’s “summer” chill at 15°C. A Burmese medical student\, a refugee\, adding a layer of loss while losing a loved one to war while striving to rebuild her life here. A Nigerian physiotherapist\, who spent months familiarizing himself with British television\, only to struggle with the many regional accents that left him not understanding anything during his first handover. Similarly\, a mental health nurse from Turkey discovered that the diversity of international accents—such as British-Indian\, British-African\, and British-European among many—made learning a new language all the more challenging. \nAmong these stories are the unsung heroes like Fred\, who answers emergency calls at night. He reminds his colleagues that in countries like Kenya or the Philippines\, they don’t have heaters and its something that most people should understand. \nThis 2025\, Yayen has collaborated with 19 NHS Trusts\, gathering narratives from migrant healthcare workers across England\, informing him and giving inspiration to his artwork. Through these portraits and stories\, he illustrates the ways in which migrants navigate cultural shifts\, isolation\, and personal sacrifices as they cross borders and build bridges to new communities. His goal is to celebrate these experiences\, fostering empathy and solidarity among all.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/embers-of-care-by-yayen/
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Embers-of-Care-3.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251011T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251011T193000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250812T161610Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250831T092925Z
UID:10000544-1760205600-1760211000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Hearts\, Bodies & Words: Migration Stories with Sulaiman Addonia 
DESCRIPTION:A fascinating in-conversation event about writing the refugee experience with Eritrean-Ethiopian-British novelist Sulaiman Addonia\, whose acclaimed novels offer an insider’s view of life\, love\, and language through the lens of displacement.\nIn partnership with the National Centre for Writing. Presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nPay what you wish. Suitable for ages 18+ \nFull details and booking \nDrawing on his darkly poetic novels The Seers and Silence Is My Mother Tongue\, Addonia will reflect on the role of intimacy and agency in narratives of migration\, the healing power of art\, and how writing has shaped his personal journey\, from arriving as an unaccompanied minor seeking asylum to becoming a celebrated author and activist. \nSulaiman Addonia’s third novel\, The Seers\, follows the first weeks of a homeless Eritrean refugee in London. Set around a foster home in Kilburn\, in the squares of Bloomsbury where its protagonist sleeps\, and against the backdrop of the labyrinthine bureaucracy of the UK asylum system\, the novel considers intergenerational histories and colonial trauma alongside the psychological and sexual lives of refugees\, insisting that the erotic and intimate side of life is as much a part of someone’s story as land and nations are. \nAbout the author \nSulaiman Addonia is an Eritrean-Ethiopian-British novelist. He spent his early life in a refugee camp in Sudan\, and his early teens in Jeddah\, Saudi Arabia. He arrived in London as an underage unaccompanied refugee without a word of English and went on to earn an MA in Development Studies from SOAS and a BSc in Economics from UCL. \nHis first novel\,  The Consequences of Love (Chatto & Windus\, 2008)\, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and was translated into more than 20 languages. His second novel\, Silence is My Mother Tongue (Indigo Press\, 2019; Graywolf\, 2020)\, was a Finalist for the Lambda Literary Awards 2021\, the Firecracker (CLMP) Awards\, the inaugural African Literary Award from The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco\, and longlisted for the 2019 Orwell Prize for Fiction. The Seers (Prototype\, 2024) was longlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize 2025 and the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize 2025. \nHis essays appear in LitHub\, Granta\, Freeman’s\, The New York Times\, De Standaard and Passa Porta. He is a contributor to Tales of Two Planets (Penguin\, 2020) and Addis Ababa Noir (Akashic Books\, 2020). A lifelong advocate of the value of creative writing for refugees\, Addonia is also the founder of the Creative Writing Academy for Refugees and Asylum Seekers and the Asmara-Adiss Literary Festival in Exile (AALFIE). \n‘The Seers is an incandescent howl of anti-colonial rage and insatiable desire; a powerful and taboo-breaking love letter to a London made of stories\, and a scathing indictment of the UK asylum system’s ability to break hearts and bodies to pieces again and again.’ — Preti Taneja\, author of Aftermath \n‘The Seers is a knockout. A complex novel of generational history\, trauma\, eroticism…Not only is this a novel that needs to be read now\, its ambition\, humanity\, anger and an unforgettable narrator mark it out as a classic.’ — Niven Govinden\, author of Diary of a Film \nPhoto: Fred Debrock \nAbout the National Centre for Writing \nNational Centre for Writing is a National Portfolio Organisation for Arts Council England and the literature development agency for the East of England based in Norwich\, England’s first UNESCO City of Literature. NCW promotes\, commissions\, and supports new writing\, writers\, and underrepresented voices; inspires communities through the power of writing\, reading and literary translation; nurtures literary talent and has a year-round creative writing learning programme of courses\, workshops\, and resources. Find out more \n  \n \n \n 
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/hearts-bodies-words-migration-stories-with-sulaiman-addonia/
LOCATION:National Centre for Writing\, Dragon Hall\, 115-123 King Street\, Norwich\, NR1 1QE\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature & Spoken Word,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Sulaiman-Addonia_credit-Fred-Debrock-e1754562374760.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251011T133000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251011T153000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250830T185011Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250830T194546Z
UID:10000552-1760189400-1760196600@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Slidefest
DESCRIPTION:62 Gladstone Street presents Slidefest: a workshop featuring four photographers whose powerful visual storytelling explores first-generation migration.\nArtists: Hicham Gardaf\, Kalpesh Lathigra\, Amak Mahmoodian\, Chris Neophytou \nCurated by Aisha Zia & Mohamed Somji \nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nFull details and free booking \nSlidefest spotlights the work of four photographers whose powerful visual storytelling explores first-generation migration—both economic and conflict-related. \nThrough image-led presentations\, each photographer will share stories of migration that begin with departure: Why do people leave? What do they encounter along the way? And how do they build lives in unfamiliar places? \nThis intimate event will trace personal and collective journeys from displacement to arrival\, offering a deeper look into the lived experiences of those who have shaped diverse communities. Through photography and conversation\, Slidefest invites audiences to reflect on the stories behind the images—and the people behind the stories. \nF(I/U)GUE by Hicham Gardaf  \nA fig plant’s perspective. Uprooted from its homeland\, offered by the family\, we follow it crossing borders\, adapting and becoming\, in a new environment. What is it like to be foreign? To live in a state of constant waiting and delay\, in a perpetual quest of home? Hicham Gardaf (b. in Tangier\, Morocco) works across photography and moving image\, often engaging with ideas of time\, place and transformation. He is drawn to sites that carry social or spatial tension\, such as landscapes shaped by displacement\, urbanisation or quiet forms of resistance. Through slow\, observational processes\, he explores how environments reflect broader political and temporal conditions. Gardaf approaches these mediums not only as tools for documentation but as spaces for speculation\, perception and re-interpretation. His practice is concerned with what images hold and what they fail to reveal\, how they shape memory\, suggest presence or absence\, and shift meaning over time. Recent screenings and exhibitions include the 74th Berlinale in Berlin\, Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge\, Frac MÉCA in Bordeaux\, MACAAL in Marrakech\, and Fondazione MAST in Bologna. \nOne Hundred and Twenty Minutes (2019-2023) by Amak Mahmoodian \nIn One Hundred and Twenty Minutes (the amount of time we dedicate to dream every night)\, I have worked with 16 individuals who are exiled from their native countries. Through photography\, poetry\, drawing and video\, I examine the emotional and psychological landscapes of dreams in exile\, the new lives we create with these dreams\, and the ways in which they keep returning us to our past. “Amak Mahmoodian is a multidisciplinary artist and educator. She began her career as a research-based photographer in Iran in 2003. Since 2010\, she has been living in the UK\, unable to return to Iran. She practices as a visual artist at the intersection of conceptual image-making and documentary photography\, working with photographs\, text\, video\, drawing\, archives and sound. Her practice explores the presentation of gender\, identity and displacement\, bridging a space between personal and political across platforms and formats including installation\, books and films. Mahmoodian’s work has been shown internationally\, including the Carnegie Museum of Art. Pittsburgh; Fototeca Latinoamericana\, Buenos Aires; the Benaki Museum\, Athens; Arnolfini\, Bristol; Rencontres d’Arles\, Arles; and Peckham 24\, London. Her works are held in collections such as the Tate\, and the British Library in London. She has published two books\, Shenasnameh (RRB- ICV Lab\, 2016)\, and Zanjir (RRB\, 2019) which was the winner of The Best Photo Text Book award at Rencontres Arles\, 2020. Her work appears in key titles on photography such as Photography – A Feminist History (Tate Publishing\, 2021)\, Photography Now: Fifty Pioneers Defining Photography for the Twenty-First Century (Octopus Publishing\, 2021)\, and How We See: Photobooks by Women (10×10 Photobooks\, 2019). \nThe Planting of a Fig Tree by Chris Neophytou \n“I don’t know whether there are an infinite number of reasons why people leave home or whether they are all just many different versions of the same thing. Whatever the impulse or circumstance might be that propels us to travel in one way or another it is inevitably linked to our notion of home\, and what home should be. There always seems\, at least to me\, to be this undulating degree of tension between the place we have set out from and the place we arrive at; always this balance between expectation and doubt\, the unknown and the familiar\, the memory and the moment. The people and places captured in these images form a record of a particularly itinerant period in my life. Made in a number of different towns\, cities and countries\, the images that now congregate here suggest a narrative where disparate experiences and observations are unified by a persisting sentiment. My practice focuses on themes of place and is rooted in a documentary approach to photography. Growing up in rural England as a second-generation Cypriot\, navigating between two cultures\, helped inform my interest in place and connected themes surrounding history and identity. My process\, almost archaeological in nature\, involves collecting and recording material fragments and interrogating them for meaning about the past\, in the hope of better understanding the present.” \nDiscarded Fruit by Kalpesh Lathigra \nKalpesh Lathigra is a British Indian artist born in 1971 in Forest Gate\, a suburb of East London. He is a documentary photographer\, concerned with the democratisation of both the real and the ‘staged’ image. In 2000 he received the 1st prize of the “World Press Photo”\, a prestigious award for photojournalism\, and in 2003 he undertook a project documenting the lives of widows in India\, receiving the “W.Eugene Smith Fellowship” and the “Churchill Fellowship”. In 2014 he was awarded a ‘Lightwork Residency’ by the Brighton Photo Biennial to produce\, in collaboration with South African artist Thabiso Sekgala\, a cycle of photographs entitled A Return to Elsewhere. A project aimed at investigating Indian communities in Marabastad and Laudium in South Africa and Brighton in the UK\, studying their history\, memory and loss of civilisation. His first book ‘Lost in the Wilderness’\, published in 2015\, contains a corpus of photographs dedicated to the Oglala Sioux and Pine Ridge Indian reservations\, and has been defined by critic Sean O’Hagan as ‘one of the photographic books of the year’. \nImage: Chris Neophytou \nAbout Platforma in Peterborough \nPlatforma 2025 in Peterborough is produced by 62 Gladstone Street\, a community-rooted arts space in the heart of Peterborough with a particular focus on supporting South Asian and MENA artists. Through exhibitions\, residencies\, and public programmes\, it provides a vital platform for underrepresented voices and fosters meaningful dialogue between artists and the wider community. \nPartners: Counterpoints Arts\, Landmark Theatres\, Peterborough Cultural Alliance\, Metal Peterborough\, Peterborough Presents\, Peterborough Museum\, HELP Charity & the Aziz Foundation \nDedication: “Our programme is dedicated to the innocent men\, women\, and children who have lost their lives\, those who have been displaced by war\, and all those seeking a safe place to call home.” \n62 Gladstone Street’s Platforma programme is supported by Arts Council England as and presented as part of the wider Platforma Festival across the East of England\, produced by Counterpoints Arts.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/slidefest/
LOCATION:Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery\, 51 Priestgate\, Peterborough\, PE1 1LF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Photography,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ChrisNeophytou_002.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251011T123000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251011T133000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250830T192656Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250830T195653Z
UID:10000555-1760185800-1760189400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Roots & Rhythm: An Afro-Jazz and Poetry Workshop
DESCRIPTION:62 Gladstone Street present a workshop led by Oloyede Michael: participants will blend improvisation\, storytelling\, and performance to create original pieces that celebrate us!\nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nDiscover the powerful synergy of sound and word in Roots & Rhythm\, a vibrant workshop exploring the soulful world of Afro-Jazz and Poetry. This immersive experience invites musicians\, poets\, and curious creatives to explore the rhythm of African jazz traditions alongside the lyrical depth of spoken word. \nLed by Peterborough-based poet Oloyede Michael\, participants will blend improvisation\, storytelling\, and performance to create original pieces that celebrate identity\, heritage\, and self-expression. Whether you’re a budding poet or a seasoned saxophonist\, come ready to vibe\, write\, and jam. \nNo prior experience needed—just bring your voice and your rhythm. \nFull information and booking \nOloyede Michael Taiwo is a poet\, storyteller\, copywriter\, scriptwriter\, screen-writer spoken-word artiste\, playwright\, producer and philomath. Based in Peterborough\, the Lagos-born artist wrote and produced the play\, ‘Wrinkles\, dimples\, naira and bets’\, during the Lagos Theatre Festival\, 2020\, in partnership with the British council. He has performed in several literary events and one of the largest gospel concert in Lagos – Cross Concert. He curates diverse didactic and literary events\, such as: Learning with celebrities’ conference\, Lagos poetrython\, Fireflies & Bumblebees and the Lagospoetrython spoken word academy. He has been shortlisted for the Etisalat prize for Flash fiction and long listed for the Quramo writer’s prize for literature and was a Peterborough Poet Laureate finalist. \nAbout Platforma in Peterborough \nPlatforma 2025 in Peterborough is produced by 62 Gladstone Street\, a community-rooted arts space in the heart of Peterborough with a particular focus on supporting South Asian and MENA artists. Through exhibitions\, residencies\, and public programmes\, it provides a vital platform for underrepresented voices and fosters meaningful dialogue between artists and the wider community. \nPartners: Counterpoints Arts\, Landmark Theatres\, Peterborough Cultural Alliance\, Metal Peterborough\, Peterborough Presents\, Peterborough Museum\, HELP Charity & the Aziz Foundation \nDedication: “Our programme is dedicated to the innocent men\, women\, and children who have lost their lives\, those who have been displaced by war\, and all those seeking a safe place to call home.” \n62 Gladstone Street’s Platforma programme is supported by Arts Council England as and presented as part of the wider Platforma Festival across the East of England\, produced by Counterpoints Arts.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/roots-rhythm-an-afro-jazz-and-poetry-workshop/
LOCATION:Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery\, 51 Priestgate\, Peterborough\, PE1 1LF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Music,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/roots.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251011T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251012T170000
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250815T152353Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251001T083911Z
UID:10000547-1760176800-1760288400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:DIASPORA
DESCRIPTION:Cambridge Black Creatives annual exhibition: DIASPORA. \n11th – 12th Oct. 10am – 5pm\nPrivate View Fri 10th 6pm -8pm \nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nCambridge Black Creatives is a unique arts collective supporting black and brown creative people in Cambridge. They host imaginative workshops for art making and honest discussion on racial issues. Non-artists and allies are always welcome\, and we hold a yearly exhibition to celebrate the artwork of our community. This year’s show\, DIASPORA explores our experience of migration. The show displays a diverse range of creative talent from oil painting to installation\, and textile art to sculpture. \nAt the opening we will be launching a new collection of poetry “An Outsider Inside – Verse and Rhymes from Post-Truth Times” by Lee Codrington. \nWorkshop: Sunday 12th 2.22pm: Asim Khairdean will be running his 2-hour workshop DETOURNE DEFACE DECOLONISE a flag-making workshop looking\nat the history of the diaspora in decolonial art movements and an opportunity to try out their techniques.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/diaspora/
LOCATION:Artworks and Artspace\, 5 Green's Road\, Cambridge\, CB4 3EF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/DIASPORA-poster-crop.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251010T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251010T211500
DTSTAMP:20260417T093852
CREATED:20250820T145931Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250820T150452Z
UID:10000551-1760124600-1760130900@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Sami Abu Wardeh - Palestine: Peace de Resistance
DESCRIPTION:A historical collage of conflict\, colonialism and clowning from multi-talented Sami Abu Wardeh.\nThe rockstar voice of the Palestinian Diaspora’ – Alexei Sayle \nFresh from his award-winning run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe\, Sami Abu Wardeh brings his new show to the Ballroom in Diss\, presented in partnership with No 8 @ The Ballroom as part of Platforma 2025\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nFull details and booking \nYou can run from resistance but it will always catch up with you – as Sami finds out in his latest show. Join his open call for mass civil disobedience\, equitable distribution of hand puppets and more! Find out once and for all: can resistance be funny? \n“An absurdist response to an abominable situation … a compelling collage of historical storytelling\, jokes about colonialism\, and a silent-comedy style that remains defiantly goofy in the face of abomination.” ★★★★ The Guardian \n“Irish-Palestinian comic Sami Abu Wardeh’s densely layered Fringe comeback roars with defiance” ★★★★ FestMag \n“The show is thoughtful\, very visually funny and constantly has the audience laughing” ★★★★ British Theatre Guide \n“Charm\, humour\, and a presence that lingers long after he leaves the stage” ★★★★ The Wee Review \n“It just may be the most vital show you could and should see” ★★★★ The Comic’s Comic \nWinner of the Heart Award\, Edniburgh Festival Fringe 2025 \nWritten and Performed by Sami Abu-Wardeh\nDirected by Sam Beale\nProduced by Qasim Salam
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/sami-abu-wardeh-peace-de-resistance/
LOCATION:The Ballroom\, No 8 Marketplace\, Diss\, IP22 4AB\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Comedy,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sami-diss-1.jpg
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