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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250625T130000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250625T160000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250609T151749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250609T151749Z
UID:10000522-1750856400-1750867200@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Moving Roots: Diaspora Communities x Climate Action
DESCRIPTION:To celebrate Refugee Week and London Climate Action Week\, Climate Outreach is hosting an event exploring the interconnections between climate action\, migration and diaspora communities. \nAccording to the latest RACE report*\, the UK’s climate sector remains one of the least diverse in the UK\, despite climate change impacting all of us. We know the UK’s society is made up of many diverse diaspora communities connected to cultures\, lands and communities all over the world. \nMany of these groups are playing a key role in ensuring the climate change conversation includes their community’s voices and that climate action is shaped by their unique challenges and experiences. \nIn partnership with Counterpoints Arts\, this event aims to highlight the integral role diaspora communities play in supporting and providing agency to those impacted by climate change and climate-driven migration\, despite often not being included in the conversation. \nWe will also showcase the creative and unique ways diaspora members and leaders are taking climate action and making vital links to their cultures and community spaces\, ensuring the climate conversation includes people from all backgrounds and represents diverse experiences. \nJoin the event to hear from: \n– Fahmida Miah\, Climate Outreach \n– Farah Ahmed\, Our Diaspora Futures \n– Jebi Rahman\, Bangladeshi Diaspora Climate Action (BDCA) \n– Zamzam Ibrahim\, Somalis for Sustainability \n– Ania Drewniok\, POMOC \nAlongside the panel discussion\, there will be delicious plant-based food served\, an artistic performance\, and opportunities to connect with others in the climate and migrant justice space! \nSign up before 20th June to attend. \nBOOK HERE! \n* Racial Action for the Climate Emergency (www.race-report.uk) \n* Photo credit: Photo by Zen Chung from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/women-gardening-5529587/
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/moving-roots-diaspora-communities-x-climate-action/
LOCATION:Pelican House\, 144 Cambridge Heath Road London E1 5QJ
CATEGORIES:Community & Participation,Refugee Week,Sustainability & Climate Justice
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250627T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250627T200000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250521T113622Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250521T120437Z
UID:10000512-1751049000-1751054400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:No Direction Home @ Cutty Sark
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by Selam Amare\, with comedians Roann Hassani McCloskey\, Alaa Shehada and Victor Rios. \n6:30pm\, Cutty Sark\, pay what you can \nThis is part of a series of events at Royal Museums Greenwich to mark Refugee Week. \nEvent timings: \n\nDoors and bar open: 5.45pm\nEvent starts: 6.30pm\nEvent finishes: 8pm\n\nHost: A 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. \nRoann Hassani McCloskey has over 10 years’ experience within the creative industries occupying many roles. They have worked as an award-winning writer (My Father the Tantric Masseur and Who Murdered My Cat?)\, director\, producer\, script supervisor\, production consultant and as an actor\, most recently at Shakespeare’s Globe (Macbeth). Roann is Algerian-British\, Queer and many other things that have led them to focus their storytelling on the heart and humour that runs through tragedy. Their work centres their curiosity and desire to bring stories left at the margins to the centre where they belong. \nAlaa Shehada is a Palestinian actor\, comedian and a graduate of The Freedom Theatre acting school in Jenin camp\, a Palestinian theatre company nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024. He is also the co-founder of the Palestine Comedy Club – a platform for Palestinian comedians to share their stories\, humour and Palestinian culture. \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. \nThe No Direction Home comedy collective has been running since 2019 to support new comics from refugee and migrant backgrounds\, featuring workshops\, expert tuition and gigs around the country. \nNo Direction Home is produced by Counterpoints Arts as part of our PopChange initiative.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/no-direction-home-cutty-sark/
LOCATION:Cutty Sark\, King William Walk\, London\, SE10 9HT
CATEGORIES:Comedy,London Refugee Week,Pop Culture,Refugee Week
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NDH.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250629T000000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250629T000000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250520T065632Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250626T122151Z
UID:10000505-1751155200-1751155200@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Dokhol দখল ’84: Housing Policy and Migration (Postponed)
DESCRIPTION:This event has been postponed from 29 June; the new date will be announced here shortly. \nA panel of artists\, activists and architects share stories of housing activism in past movements and present-day campaigns. \nArtist Sonia Uddin’s project Dokhol দখল ’84 is an important starting point which looks at how Bengali homeless families who were housed in appalling conditions in hostels took on the Council\, occupying Camden Town Hall in 1984. The collective organising power of this movement was captured in the archival materials which she shares as an important\, historical archive. \nHousing policy affects and applies to many across the country\, including migrants. Join us\, creatives and activists\, on the day to learn about community empowerment and how to harness collective action in order to fight for housing as a basic human right that should be available to all. \nFree. \nIn partnership with Southbank Centre and part of Refugee Week 2025.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/dokhol-%e0%a6%a6%e0%a6%96%e0%a6%b2-84-housing-policy-and-migration/
LOCATION:Queen Elizabeth Foyer\, Queen Elizabeth Hall\, Southbank Centre\, London SE1 8XX
CATEGORIES:Community & Participation,London Refugee Week,Refugee Week
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Dokhol-at-Southbank-Centre.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250629T150000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250629T160000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250520T071030Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T071030Z
UID:10000506-1751209200-1751212800@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Babylon Albion
DESCRIPTION:A new voice on nature and belonging\, writer and artist Dalia Al-Dujaili delves into the layered ties between land\, myth and identity. \n\n‘Whoever said nature is still has never watched the seasons migrate.’ \nA lyrical and vivid new work\, Babylon Albion offers a poetic reflection on belonging – not only to a place or a people\, but to the stories that bind them together. \nDrawing from Arab and Islamic mythology alongside English folklore and the Christian pastoral tradition\, Al-Dujaili moves between the real and the mythical – from date palms to oak trees\, from Lamassu to unicorns – inviting us to rethink how we connect with place and with the living world around us. \nIt is\, in many ways\, a love letter – to Britain\, to Iraq and to the earth we all share. It gestures towards a different kind of nativeness: one shaped by layers\, by openness\, and by the restless hum of history\, myth\, and movement. \n\n\nDalia Al-Dujaili is an Iraqi-British writer\, editor and producer based in London. She is the online editor of The British Journal of Photography. Her writing has appeared in the Guardian\, Dazed\, GQ and more. She is the founder of The Road to Nowhere Magazine and in 2023 she was the Producer of Refugee Week. She holds an MA Hons in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh. \nSaqi Books is a leading independent publishing house of trade and academic books on the Middle East and North Africa. Founded in London in 1983\, but with its roots in Lebanon\, Saqi’s publishing programme has led to a rigorous reassessment of Arab cultural heritage. Saqi has been at the forefront of establishing Middle Eastern culture in the UK and beyond for more than four decades. \nSaqi’s publishing – encompassing art\, photography and cookery books\, language\, literature and philosophy\, history and current affairs and much more – is recognised all over the world. They offer an independent platform for writers and artists from all places and cultures. Their authors have attained international prominence not only for the quality of their prose\, but for their authoritative and innovative contributions to public debate. \nSaqi was awarded the British Book Industry Award for Diversity in Literature\, the IPG Diversity Award and the Arab British Culture and Society award. \nTickets: £10 +£3.50 booking fee. Concessions 25%. \nBOOK HERE. \nIn partnership with Southbank Centre and Saqi Books. Part of Refugee Week 2025.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/babylon-albion/
LOCATION:Purcell Room\, Queen Elizabeth Hall\, Southbank Centre\, London SE1 8XX
CATEGORIES:Literature & Spoken Word,London Refugee Week,Refugee Week
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Babylon-Albion-at-Southbank-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250629T153000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250629T163000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250521T002140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250530T083302Z
UID:10000510-1751211000-1751214600@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:The Sound of Us: Building Community Through Music
DESCRIPTION:Come together to hear personal stories of the ways that music nurtures creativity\, builds connections and drives social change. \nThis session explores how music breaks down barriers and creates spaces of belonging\, reconnecting people with their cultural roots and strengthening the bonds that connect us all. \nThrough personal stories and reflections around different approaches and practices\, the artists demonstrate how music is a universal language of creative expression\, bringing communities together regardless of background. \nGaby D’Annunzio is a London-based community organiser and activist. She shares her journey as Co-Founder of Open Music Lab and her work at Refuge Worldwide\, highlighting how providing creative education and opportunities has built diverse and supportive communities within the music industry. \nIn partnership with Southbank Centre as part of Refugee Week 2025.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/the-sound-of-us-building-community-through-music/
LOCATION:Queen Elizabeth Foyer\, Queen Elizabeth Hall\, Southbank Centre\, London SE1 8XX
CATEGORIES:Community & Participation,London Refugee Week,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sound-Of-Us_CP-website.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250629T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250629T203000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250521T001508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250521T001508Z
UID:10000509-1751221800-1751229000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Arab Film Club: An Evening of Shorts and Q&A
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a programme of exceptional short films curated by actress and writer Sarah Agha\, exploring stories of migration and refugee narratives. \nThe Arab Film Club returns this June for a special screening for Refugee Week\, which this year has the central theme of ‘Community as Superpower’. \nEach title has been written and directed by a refugee filmmaker or draws on real life experience. These films demonstrate the power of cinema and humanise struggle and injustice through art. Full programme to be announced soon. \nThe screening is followed by a Q&A hosted by Sarah Agha with the filmmakers on stage. \nTickets £10. 25% concessions. \nBOOK HERE \nThis event is part of our London Refugee Week programme and presented in partnership with Southbank Centre.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/arab-film-club-an-evening-of-shorts-and-qa/
LOCATION:Purcell Room\, Queen Elizabeth Hall\, Southbank Centre\, London SE1 8XX
CATEGORIES:Film,London Refugee Week
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-London-Refugee-Week-2025.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250630T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250630T210000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250630T093808Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250630T094310Z
UID:10000527-1751308200-1751317200@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Sudan\, Remember Us
DESCRIPTION:Join PopChange Film Club for the next edition of our monthly programme featuring filmmakers from migrant and refugee backgrounds. \nIn 2019\, documentary filmmaker Hind Meddab flew to Sudan to film a sit-in protest at the Army headquarters in Khartoum. The people of Sudan were assembling\, demanding reform after decades of military dictatorship. There she met a selection of young activists that she would continue to film over the course of 4 years\, from the swell of hope and accomplishment following dictator Omar al-Bashir’s fall\, to the oppression of the military crackdown and subsequent civil war\, which today\, leaves Sudan in ruins. Standing in front of a powerful army\, how could the civilian movement find the strength to persist? \nIn conversations\, in demonstrations and on walls – the Sudanese tradition of poetry becomes a powerful tool for activism. Art\, music and poetry bolster every stage of the Sudanese fight for freedom. This extraordinary documentary bears witness to a lost revolution and within it unearths a tribute to the power of creativity as a tool of survival and resistance. \nThis screening will be introduced by Hind Meddab and followed by a Q&A. The film is in arabic w/ English language subtitles – descriptive subtitles for HoH audiences are available. \nFull details and tickets
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/sudan-remember-us/
LOCATION:RichMix\, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road\, London\, E1 6LA
CATEGORIES:Film,Pop Culture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-30-at-10.34.30.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250720T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250720T170000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250630T083153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250630T095514Z
UID:10000525-1753020000-1753030800@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Leaving Were the Ones
DESCRIPTION:Beverley Carruthers\, Bettina Furnée\, Olga Jürgenson and Idit Nathan present a ‘work in progress’ event with special guests at Wysing Arts Centre\, Cambridgeshire.\nFollowing their ‘work in progress’ days (17th-20th July) join the artists on Sunday 20 July for a special closing event with writer Ali Smith & filmmaker Sarah Wood who will lead a conversation focused on the exhibition themes. \nThis event is part of Leaving Are The Ones Who Could Not Stay – a new exhibition for Broadway Gallery\, Letchworth that explores the socio-political forces shaping familial bonds\, migration\, and intergenerational memory. \nLeaving Were The Ones Who Could Not Stay has been co-commissioned by Counterpoints Arts to be presented as part of the Platforma Festival October 2025\, and the Broadway Gallery\, a charitable service of the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation. It is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Special thanks to the Garden City Collection and Revoluton Arts and METAL for their generous support and collaboration. \nFull details and booking via Eventbrite.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/leaving-were-the-ones/
LOCATION:Wysing Arts Centre\, Fox Road\, Bourn\, CB23 2TX\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/https___cdn.evbuc_.com_images_1057164063_2792778880261_1_original.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250730T214500
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250824T225500
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250709T121527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250709T121527Z
UID:10000533-1753911900-1756076100@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Palestine: Peace de Resistance
DESCRIPTION:Edinburgh Fringe: A historical collage of conflict\, colonialism and clowning from multi-talented Sami Abu-Wardeh.\n‘The rockstar voice of the Palestinian Diaspora’ – Alexei Sayle\nBooking via The Pleasance\, Edinburgh \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? \nThings are not well in the world\, we don’t know if you’ve heard. Sami Abu-Wardeh\, Channel 4’s The Sheikh\, 2022 comedy hour BEDU\, BBC Radio – returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with another non-stop clown-cum-standup hour of rage\, righteousness\, resistance and silly silly silly times.\nSami’s life was saved before he was born\, his father having boarded a bus to return to his homeland to fight for the Palestine Liberation Organization only to be turned back at the Jordanian border. Sami is a Palestinian born in exile\, only to then be displaced from his country of birth – Kuwait – by yet another war. These are a few of many moments of truth and sobering reality in this brand new 70 minutes\, added to the Pleasance Festival Fringe line-up at the last minute for 2025. \nAs our host for the evening tells us\, expect storytelling\, clowning\, cocktails and stand-up from a cast of (mostly*) mediterranean and Arab characters – each with a striking story to tell about their commitment to their human rights – a glimpse through time at the front lines of the resistance. \nSami doesn’t hold back\, digging into his family’s ties with resistance and the extraordinary choices of freedom fighters. As Sami finds out in Peace De Resistance\, his second solo comedy show\, you can run from resistance but it will always catch up with you. Come and join his open call for mass civil disobedience\, equitable distribution of hand puppets and more! Get ready to find out once and for all: can resistance actually be funny? \n*also birds. \nSami’s work and life experience speaks to the urgent issues of today. Join us for what may be one of the most politically charged happenings of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025. \nPrevious Praise for Sami Abu-Wardeh:\n‘Blissfully funny while barely speaking a word…’ – ★★★★ The Guardian\n‘Outstandingly well written’ – ★★★★★ Everything Theatre\n‘The single funniest face I’ve seen in years.’ – – ★★★★ Chortle \nWritten and Performed by Sami Abu-Wardeh\nDirected by Sam Beale\nProduced by Qasim Salam\nSupported by Counterpoints and Palestine Comedy Club
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/palestine-peace-de-resistance/
LOCATION:Pleasance Dome\, 1 Bristo Square\, Edinburgh\, EH8 9AL\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Comedy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/sami-peace-de-resistance.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250731T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250821T220000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250729T092339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250730T112813Z
UID:10000542-1753984800-1755813600@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Our Heartbeats: Unity in Motion Residency
DESCRIPTION:Our HeartBeats\, spearheaded by Lead Artist and producer/DJ Kensaye alongside Counterpoints’ Senior Producer Dijana Rakovic\, is an initiative designed to empower individuals from sanctuary-seeking backgrounds. More than a DJ Crew\, Our HeartBeats is a movement. Rooted in the belief that music has the power to unite\, empower and challenge narratives\, Our HeartBeats creates spaces where culture\, migration and identity collide on the dance floor. \nChampioning DJs from displaced and underrepresented backgrounds\, the collective curates line-ups that transcend borders\, blending sounds from home with the sonic influences of London’s ever-evolving music scene. This summer\, the collective takes on a new residency at Southbank Centre\, Unity in Motion. With the Our HeartBeats DJs setting the tone each night\, join us for a journey through electronic music\, Amapiano\, Afrobeats\, dancehall\, and house music\, with headline DJs joining to amplify the energy. \nMore than just a party\, this residency is about reclaiming civic and cultural spaces\, building bridges and understanding about who we are\, shifting narratives and finding out ‘what makes us move’ – welcoming both music lovers and those looking to connect through culture. The collective will be performing at The Space Between\, a living\, breathing installation at Southbank Centre produced by creative practice Beyond the Box. \n\nDates & times\nThu 31 Jul 2025\, 6pm\nThu 7 Aug 2025\, 6pm\nThu 14 Aug 2025\, 6pm\nThu 21 Aug 2025\, 6pm \nRun time\n4 hours (approx) \nStandard entry\nFree – no ticket required \nHeadliners\nThu 31 Jul: Gaby D’Annunzio & Ornella Mutoni\nDJ\, radio host\, and an audio producer Gaby D’Annunzio has long been a key player in Berlin community music\, both as the co-founder of Open Music Lab and community organiser at Refuge Worldwide. Counterpoints’ Pop Culture Change Producer Ornella Mutoni is a documentary filmmaker & DJ\, with previous shows on Balalmii\, Voices Radio and lsslss radio. \nThu 7 Aug: Ivicore\nExplosive Venezuelan DJ Ivicore brings the heat with her spicy upbeat tunes inspired by the vibrant rhythms of LatinX Caribbean music. She meshes smash remixes\, timeless classics and the latest global hits into her own signature sound she calls ‘Elektro Afro Perreo’. Ivicore’s electrifying performances have graced the stages of major festivals including Glastonbury\, Boomtown and Mighty Hoopla. \nThu 14 Aug: Black Obsidian Sound System\nBlack Obsidian Sound System (B.O.S.S.) was established in the summer of 2018 with the intention of bringing together a community of queer\, trans and non-binary black and people of colour involved in art\, sound and radical activism. Following in the legacies of sound system culture they wanted to learn\, build and sustain a resource for our collective struggles. \n\nThu 21 Aug: Mina & Bryte\nMina & Bryte first met in Accra\, Ghana in 2017\, and instantly connected over their shared love of club music. Since then they have released many tracks\, and appeared at festivals including Glastonbury\, Nuites Sonores and Nyege Nyege Festival. Together they have an infectious energy\, with a sound that fuses together styles from the UK\, Ghana and around the world. \n  \nOur HeartBeats’ is led by Music Producer Kensaye\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. It is a partnership with Babylon Migrants Project and Compass Collective\, supported by the Southbank Centre and Roundhouse.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/unity-in-motion/
LOCATION:Southbank Centre\, Belvedere Road\, London\, SE1 8XX
CATEGORIES:Music,Pop Culture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_5694.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250816T123000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250816T133000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250811T125757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250811T153601Z
UID:10000543-1755347400-1755351000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Gaza\, Dance and Hope
DESCRIPTION:Join us at WE OUT HERE Festival. We will be hosting a panel discussion about Gaza\, Dance and Hope. From a conversation with Gaza based Breakdance crew Camp Breakerz\, co-founder Funk told us: “The sky is above us\, the ground is beneath us\, and we are here.”Using this as a guide\, we’ll explore how dance functions as therapeutic movement\, a form of resistance\, and a tool for solidarity. \nPanelists: \nClint Sinclair\nMaren Ellermann\nMona El Ghazl\nNzinga Mascall \nHosted by Rain Crew and ARCCA Magazine. Supported by Counterpoints Arts. \n\n\nFind further information on WE OUT HERE festival and ticket information here
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/gaza-dance-and-hope/
LOCATION:Wimborne St Giles in Dorset\, St. Giles House\, Wimborne St Giles\, Dorset\, BH21 5NA\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Mental Health,Performance & Dance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/WeOutHere.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250904T090000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251018T170000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250714T094107Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T080410Z
UID:10000535-1756976400-1760806800@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Leaving Were The Ones Who Could Not Stay
DESCRIPTION:Broadway Gallery in Letchworth presents Leaving Were The Ones Who Could Not Stay\, a new exhibition featuring the work of Beverley Carruthers\, Bettina Furnée\, Olga Jürgenson and Idit Elia Nathan. \nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nOpening Reception: Thursday 4 September 2025\, 18.30-21.00 \nWorkshop: Memory\, Identity & Home\nSaturday 4 October 2025\, 11:00 – 12:30\nJoin artists Beverley Carruthers and Bettina Furnée for a creative workshop exploring the experience of arriving in a new place. Inspired by photos from The Garden City Collection. We will work with writing\, storytelling and photography to create new versions of our own and others’ treasured memories. \nArtist-Led Walk & Talk\nSaturday 11 October 2025\, 12:00 – 13:30\nGain insight into the exhibition through a guided ‘walk and talk’ with the artists\, as they discuss their work and ideas. \nThe exhibition features four Cambridge-based artists who explore the socio-political forces shaping familial bonds\, migration\, and intergenerational memory. Through sound\, video\, collage\, and interactive installations\, they draw on personal histories\, interviews\, found material and family archives to reimagine borders\, displacement\, and the meaning of home. \nThis collectively created project encourages sharing of prescient stories of migration and displacement to question societal change and bonds. \nAll four artists present large-scale new works in this exhibition: Hailstones\, Bars and Meshes is a sound installation with photographic prints by Beverley Carruthers\, exploring contemporary oral histories of labour\, migration\, and community storytelling. Out Of Our Earth is a three-channel film and sound installation by Bettina Furnée that explores ‘leaving’- a friend\, a home\, a country\, our planet- by blending tales of migration and farewell with recorded interviews and elements of science fiction. Permission to Return Granted by Olga Jürgenson is exploring the impact of forced collectivisation\, Stalin’s terror and World War II on the migrant Estonian community\, including her family\, in the Ulyanovsk area of Soviet Russia during the period between 1929 and 1953. Trigger Warning by Idit Nathan is a sculptural installation of handkerchiefs passed down through the maternal line\, delicately embroidered with press images from the war in Gaza and artistic responses to historic horrors of war. \nThe project was developed in partnership with Counterpoints Arts as part of Platforma (October 2025). Additional events with Uncovering Letchworth\, METAL Peterborough and Revoluton Arts\, Luton\, will use the exhibition themes to stimulate conversation and connect (migrant) artists in the region. \nBeverley Carruthers is a multimedia artist exploring female experience\, and how this is navigated through ritual and performance in photography\, generative text\, sound art\, performance and film. She is a Royal College of Art alumnus and was senior lecturer in photography at London College of Communication where she co-created the Writing Photographs research project\, investigating how image and text come together\, particularly in an installation context. She recently ran The Expanded Librarian as collaboration between The Royal College of Art\, CRASSH\, University of Cambridge\, and University of The Arts\, London. She organised the Reframing Menopause research project where she has made collaborative film and texts works and co-curated the first multidisciplinary menopause conference at University of Cambridge in 2019. She has run two conferences at Tate Modern\, and an extensive exhibition\, public lecture\, and workshop program. She is an experienced workshop leader having taught for over 30 years at University of the Arts\, with public workshops at The Photographers’ Gallery\, Tate Modern and LCC Studios. \nBettina Furnée was born in The Netherlands and is studio artist at Wysing Arts Centre. Her text-based practice includes installation\, live events and moving image. She works collaboratively with writers\, musicians and participants to create projects that challenge dominant narratives and amplify voices from the community. Her projects are often situated in public places where power resides\, such as a church\, library\, mountain or bunker\, exploring the instability of language through wordplay\, text and sound. For instance\, collaborative project Even You Song was a choral evensong based on interviews with twelve couples about a potential space mission\, and this premiered at Peterborough Cathedral\, before touring in 2019. Powerhouse was a temporary installation\, set of posters\, archival work and film\, which resulted from a durational word association game staged at Cambridge University Library\, as part of a residency at Kettle’s Yard. She has been awarded public commissions\, group and solo shows\, residencies and support for self-initiated projects. In 2020 she was selected for alternative learning programme Syllabus VI\, and she is currently artist in residence for Natur Am Byth\, Wales’ green recovery programme. \nOlga Jürgenson was born in Siberia and raised in Estonia; she is currently based in Cambridge and works and exhibits internationally. Olga is drawn to the subject of human nature’s complexity – whether it’s from the perspective of a female artist collaborating with the world’s first AI sex doll Samantha\, TV detective stories questioning the role of god\, or a painter of portraits of robots disguised as celebrities. She has participated in many group exhibitions globally\, including 56th Venice Biennial\, MANIFESTA 10\, and Liverpool\, Moscow and Ural biennials. She has been awarded grants and awards from several European foundations\, and in 2011 she was nominated for the Kandinsky Prize (Moscow\, Russia). Recent solo exhibitions were at the Tallinn Art Hall Gallery\, Estonia (2021-2022)\, Espronceda Centre for Arts and Culture\, Barcelona\, Spain (2018)\, New Hall Art Collection\, University of Cambridge\, UK (2014)\, amongst others. Olga’s works are held in state and private collections across the world\, including British Film Institute\, London (UK)\, The University of Cambridge (UK)\, Oulu Art Museum (Finland)\, National Centre for Contemporary Art (Russia). Olga curated the National Pavilion of Mauritius at the 56th and 57th Venice Biennale. \nIdit Elia Nathan grew up in Jerusalem. She is a conceptual artist whose work includes interactive installations\, live events\, games\, audio-visual works\, walks and artists’ books where play operates as a productively provocative space to challenge accepted understandings. Using optics\, scale and perspective\, participants are invited to respond to contemporary dilemmas both as actors with free will and actors in an historical and cultural context. Her artworks have been been exhibited internationally and are held in private and public collections including Kettle’s Yard\, Standpoint\, IMT\, Parasol Unit\, Royal Institute of British Architects\, Triangle Space\, Pushkin House\, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama\, Pembroke and Homerton colleges (Cambridge)\, Crypt Gallery and Materia Gallery (Rome)\, Toxic Dreams (Vienna)\, Display Cult (Canada and US) and Zarya Centre for Contemporary Arts (Vladivostok). Until recently Idit was associate lecturer at Central St. Martin’s College (University of the Arts London)\, where she completed an arts practice PhD titled Art of Play in Zones of Conflict – the Case of Israel Palestine in 2018. \nImage: Bettina Furnée
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/leaving-were-the-ones-who-could-not-stay/
LOCATION:Broadway Gallery\, 2 The Arcade\, Letchworth Garden City\, SG6 3ES\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/donkey_1.2e16d0ba.fill-1300x731-c0.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250906T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250907T170000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250901T151841Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250915T095041Z
UID:10000564-1757152800-1757264400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Unstable
DESCRIPTION:A new exhibition by Mohammad Noureddini in association with Counterpoints Arts.\nMohammad Noureddini is a visual storyteller shaped by a lifelong devotion to drawing\, painting\, and expressing emotion through form. His background in Fine Art began with traditional media including oil\, watercolour\, ink\, pen\, and printmaking\, and expanded into digital illustration and concept art. Mohammad has always seen art as a language beyond words\, a way to understand the world and connect with others. \nPrivate View 5th September 6-8pm
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/unstable/
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/Mohammad1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250913T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260111T170000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250901T154950Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250901T155359Z
UID:10000565-1757757600-1768150800@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Ghafar Tajmohammad: If you throw a stone in the crowd\, someone’s going to get hurt
DESCRIPTION:Explore Ghafar Tajmohammad’s thought-provoking collection of paintings and hand-woven rugs\, called kilims\, reflecting on conflict\, home\, and the search for hope and resilience.\nBy combining painting\, hand-woven rugs\, and lived experiences\, Ghafar’s work responds to the ongoing global turmoil and its impact. Whilst seemingly distant\, such conflicts mark real lives\, especially those of civilians caught in the crossfire. Ghafar draws on his own experience of displacement as a British Afghan\, while also turning outward to wider struggles and shared hopes. \nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nAbout the exhibition \nThe exhibition’s title comes from a proverb shared with Ghafar by a fellow Afghan while talking about the bombings in Afghanistan. \nToday\, the phrase feels even more powerful against the backdrop of global conflicts. For Ghafar\, it reflects both feelings of helplessness and the hope that expressing the collective “crowd” might encourage solidarity and social connection. \nGhafar’s work talks about ideas like home\, belonging\, and migration of people moving from one place to another. \nHis art looks closely at the experiences of people from the Afghan community who have moved to new places\, especially to the UK. He uses painting in new and different ways to share these stories. \nFull exhibition details \nWhat to expect \nOne of the works in this exhibition is a collection of hand-woven\, painted rugs\, called kilims\, named “Love Letters.” This personal piece was inspired by a workshop Ghafar co-led with ArtRefuge at a refugee camp in the UK. \nDuring this workshop\, he invited participants to write and draw their initials using both Arabic and English letters. This simple act of writing one’s own initials became a powerful way for people to express identity\, memory\, and presence. \n“Love Letters” begins with these initials as a starting point\, not only to acknowledge the individuals who took part\, but also to open the space for others. \nAnother highlight is “Dirt Upon My Head”. It is made from one large canvas stretched over several square frames. Each frame represents a single home\, and together they suggest a neighbourhood or city frozen in a moment of impact. The canvas stretches out from the centre\, giving a feeling of breaking or tearing. \nAbout Ghafar Tajmohammad \nGhafar is of Afghan heritage and was displaced as a small child. He grew up in Southeast London\, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Painting at Camberwell College of Arts and works as a Curatorial Project Manager at the Migration Museum. \nAbout Firstsite \nFirstsite is the East of England’s contemporary visual arts organisation where you can experience the most exciting developments in contemporary art\, and explore the rich artistic legacy cultivated by the East of England’s unique landscape and character. \nImage: Homage to Najia\, Fall of Kabul by Ghafar Tajmohammad\, courtesy of the artist.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/ghafar-tajmohammad-if-you-throw-a-stone-in-the-crowd-someones-going-to-get-hurt/
LOCATION:Firstsite\, Lewis Gardens\, High Street\, Colchester\, CO1 1JH\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Homage-To-Najia-Fall-Of-Kabul.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251001
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251101
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250630T085619Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250903T090308Z
UID:10000526-1759276800-1761955199@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Platforma Festival 2025
DESCRIPTION:Our 8th Platforma Festival will take place in October across the East of England\, co-produced with local artists and organisations and also featuring touring work from across the country.\nPlatforma 2025 will include more than 35 arts events across music\, theatre\, film exhibitions\, and more. \nCo-produced by Counterpoints Arts in partnership with local artists and organisations\, Platforma is a festival that takes place every two years in a different part of England. The aim is to present work by\, with and about refugees to a wide audience\, build capacity and share learning. \nLocations this October include Cambridge\, Colchester\, Diss\, Ipswich\, Diss\, Great Yarmouth\, Lowestoft\, Norwich\, Peterborough and Snape. \nProgramme highlights include: \n–The Table – a new play by Aisha Zia\, directed by Suba Das at The Key Theatre\, Peterborough\n–Hearts\, Bodies and Words – in conversation with novelist Sulaiman Addonia at the National Centre for Writing\, Norwich\n-If You Throw A Stone In The Crowd\, Someone’s Going To Get Hurt – an exhibition of work by Ghafar Tajmohammad at Firstsite\, Colchester\n-A Community Takeover at Jerwood DanceHouse\, Ipswich\n-You Never Asked My Name – installation by Jill Eastland at Cambridge Junction\n-Penguin – a play by Hamzeh Al Hussein and Amy Golding touring to Norwich and Cambridge\n–MAS(S) – a new sound installation by Tristan Shorr and Rae Champion (CONCRETE) in collaboration with Lomond Campbell\, touring to Great Yarmouth\n-Palestine: Peace De Resistance – Sami Abu Wardeh’s new comedy show comes to Diss\n-Touchstones – a participatory photography and writing project led by Gillian Allard in partnership with Living Grief\n–A Think Tank on Music and Displacement with Britten Pears Arts in Snape \nFor the full programme visit: https://counterpoints.org.uk/upcoming-events/ \nFor more information contact Counterpoints Senior Producer\, Tom Green via hello@counterpoints.org.uk \nThe Platforma Festival takes place in a different area of England every two years\, produced by Counterpoints Arts in collaboration with local partners to present work by\, with and about refugees and to build capacity and share learning. \nThe 8th Platforma festival will take place across the East of England in October 2025\, following a series of meetings with networks\, artists and organisations over the past 18 months. \nIn 2023 the 7th Platforma festival was held over 5 weeks across the South West of England. A key part of the programme is connecting organisations and people across the arts\, migration and other sectors. We also seek to make connections between places\, within the region and with visiting artists and practitioners from across the UK and internationally. \nBy focusing on a different region every two years\, Counterpoints is able to spend time getting to know a wide range of new partners and to build and understanding of the context. Our co-commissions and overall programme are responsive to that\, with a view to capacity building for the longer term and creating collaborations that last well beyond the festival period.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/platforma-festival-2025/
CATEGORIES:Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Platforma-2025-Website-2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251001T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251001T120000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250706T093336Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250903T085529Z
UID:10000532-1759316400-1759320000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Displaced\, Disabled & Dynamic
DESCRIPTION:An online event featuring Hamzeh Al Hussien and Amy Golding discussing the experiences\, triumphs and challenges touring their play Penguin (performed and co-created by\, directed and co-created by Amy) across the UK and internationally. \nPlus: Alia Alzougbi (CEO and Artistic Director\, Shubbak) and Matt Burman (Cambridge Junction) share their perspectives on the intersections of displacement\, disability and touring. \nFollowed by: online Q&A \nCommissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nBook a free place via Eventbrite \nAbout Penguin\nFull of humour and beauty\, Hamzeh Al-Hussien’s extraordinary story takes you on a personal tour of the places he knows best: his village in the Syrian mountains\, the Za’atari camp in Jordan\, Gateshead and inside his mind\, a place full of music\, dancing\, fantasies and marbles. Hamzeh invites the audience to be his childhood friends\, to hold up the moon to light his way into his dreams\, brushing the dust from his clothes…and taking the stage. \n“From dodging bombs to dancing in nightclubs\, Syrian theatre-maker Hamzeh Al Hussien enacts the story of his life”\n★★★★ The Guardian \nPenguin is touring to Cambridge (7-8 October) and Norwich (9 October) as part of Platforma. \nAbout the panel\nHamzeh Al Hussien was first introduced to performing during his six years in a refugee camp having been displaced from Syria\, where he trained with a Spanish NGO in physical theatre. He performed in various productions there and facilitated drama and theatre projects with disabled children in the camp. In 2018 he joined the Arriving project\, Curious Monkey’s ongoing creative project for people seeking sanctuary. He won “Best Newcomer” for Penguin in the North East Culture Awards 2023. \nAmy Golding is an artist\, activist\, facilitator and consultant. As an artist she makes theatre and works across art forms to create joyful pop-up experiences. Whilst completing a Clore Cultural Leadership Fellowship she founded Curious Monkey – a Theatre Company of Sanctuary that specialised in creating socially relevant productions\, for which it became a significant company in the north east and across the UK. Amy was Artistic Director & Joint CEO there for 12 years. She has now stepped into a new phase of her career as a freelance multidisciplinary artist. \nAlia Alzougbi is a Syrian-Lebanese disabled cultural strategist\, artist and facilitator working at the intersection of art and social and environmental justice. She is CEO and Artistic Director of Shubbak (meaning ‘window’ in Arabic) which supports and celebrates the diversity of Arab and South West Asian & North African (SWANA) artists’ creativity and innovation through its professional\, participatory and engagement programmes\, national touring and biennial multi-artform festival. Among Shubbak’s initiatives has been Sync Arabi\, a disabled leadership intensive residential for disabled cultural workers from the SWANA region in partnership with Sync Leadership and Art 2 Heart Palestine funded by British Council. \nMatt Burman has been Artistic Director and Chief Executive at Cambridge Junction since 2018. He previously worked as an Independent Producer and Programmer for clients including London International Festival of Theatre and Leeds City Council. Prior to that\, he held positions including Artistic Director at Yorkshire Festival\, Head of Programme at Warwick Arts Centre and Executive Producer at Norfolk & Norwich Festival. Among the initiatives at Cambridge Junction is Total Arts\, a fortnightly participation group for disabled young people aged 13-25.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/displaced-disabled-dynamic/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Theatre
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/penguin1.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251003
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251005
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250723T155739Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251001T091125Z
UID:10000540-1759449600-1759622399@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. \nFull details to be confirmed\, including times and booking. \nCo-commissioned by Counterpoints Arts. Presented in partnership with Firstsite\, as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. Supported by Arts Council England. \nhttps://www.belenlyanez.com/welcome \nFirstsite Studio 2 \nFriday 3rd October: 18:00\, 19:30\nSaturday 4th October: 14:00\, 15:30 \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. Her 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/
LOCATION:Firstsite\, Lewis Gardens\, High Street\, Colchester\, CO1 1JH\, 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:20251003T153000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251003T180000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20251008T203702Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251008T203702Z
UID:10000580-1759505400-1759514400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:“We all love music we all love to dance and we all love food”
DESCRIPTION:A community event with refugees and asylum seekers in Norwich with a focus on the arts\, mental health and wellbeing. \nWith the Norwich Sanctuary Ambassadors\, Zainab Project and Norwich City of Sanctuary Health Stream \nFeaturing a community meal\, music and singing. \nPresented and co-commissioned as part of the Platforma festival 2025\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nFor safeguarding reasons this event is by invite only.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/we-all-love-music-we-all-love-to-dance-and-we-all-love-food/
CATEGORIES:Mental Health,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Screen-Shot-2025-10-08-at-21.35.27.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251004
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251102
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250902T092007Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251014T122103Z
UID:10000566-1759536000-1762041599@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Bridging Landscapes II
DESCRIPTION:A group exhibition curated by Aisha Zia.\nPresented and co-commissioned as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nOpening Hours:\nTuesday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM\nClosed: Sunday & Monday\nAdmission: Free\nNo booking required \nFollowing its successful run at French Riviera Gallery in London and the Rich Mix in Bethnal Green\, Bridging Landscapes II comes to Peterborough Museum. \nThis powerful group exhibition features South Asian and MENA artists from across the UK\, including Zaineb Abelque\, Sarah Ali\, Mohammed Adel\, Aya Haidar\, Haroun Hayward\, Sofia Karim\, Rehan Jamil\, Kalpesh Lathigra\, Amak Mahmoodian\, Mohammed Tariq and Anusheh Zia. The exhibition explores the emotional and cultural impact of migration—whether through lived or inherited experience—and the deep\, diasporic threads that shape memory\, identity\, and belonging. \nA book accompanying the exhibition\, Carry the Shadows Home\, is available now\, published by 62 Gladstone Street and Pendle Press. \nImage: Will Not Protect Against Drowning\, by Aya Haidar \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/bridging-landscapes-ii/
LOCATION:Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery\, 51 Priestgate\, Peterborough\, PE1 1LF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Will-Not-Protect-Against-Drowning.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251004T080000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251026T170000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250930T120734Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251006T154631Z
UID:10000577-1759564800-1761498000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Maria Proshkovska: Making Oddkin
DESCRIPTION:The interdisciplinary project Making Oddkin by Maria Proshkovska is presented as two parallel exhibitions: at OUTPOST Gallery in Norwich\, UK and at the Centre for Contemporary Art in the frontline city of Zaporizhzhia\, Ukraine.\nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma festival\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nMaria Proshkovska works with Ukrainian grain burnt by missile strikes as living evidence of loss\, resistance\, and the potential for recovery. The artist began this project in 2023\, presenting a five-hour performance Farina at the Museum of Modern Art in Bologna (MAMbo). Documentation of this performance was since purchased for the collection of Central Saint Martins College and is now part of the college’s curriculum. \nThe exhibitions in Zaporizhzhia and Norwich feature a photographic object\, new film\, and installation. This installation is largely made of adobe\, a material traditionally used in various cultures for construction\, symbolising the need for collective labor as an act of mutual support. \nProshkovska creates conditions for dialogue between the gallery spaces in Ukraine and the UK. Viewers in Norwich and Zaporizhzhia become co-habitors of a shared landscape\, formed through co-presence and mutual sensitivity. Making Oddkin is the search for new forms of closeness and responsibility between cultures\, based on shared values and care. \nMaria Proshkovska (b. 1986) is a conceptual and socially engaged artist from Kyiv\, who currently lives between Ukraine and the UK. Her work operates at the intersection of performance\, installation\, and feminist criticism\, exploring themes of memory\, trauma\, corporeality\, and gender-determined social processes. Proshkovska completed a master’s programme in Performance: Society at Central Saint Martins\, UAL. She is a scholarship holder of international programmes and has participated in numerous exhibitions in countries including Ukraine\, the United Kingdom\, Italy\, Austria\, Japan\, and Taiwan. Proshkovska’s works are held in the Central Saint Martins Museum & Study Collection\, MAMbo\, Shcherbenko Art Centre and in private collections. \nFilm screening and Q & A: 3pm Saturday 4th and 3pm Sunday 5th \n4.10-26.10 Thurs-Sun 12-6pm or by appointment
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/maria-proshkovska-making-oddkin/
LOCATION:OUTPOST Gallery\, 10b Wensum Street\, Norwich\, NR3 1HR\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Screen-Shot-2025-09-30-at-13.05.11.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251004T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251004T153000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250830T190922Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250830T193312Z
UID:10000553-1759586400-1759591800@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Stitching Workshop with Aya Haidar
DESCRIPTION:62 Gladstone Street presents a hands-on stitching workshop by Lebanese London-based artist Aya Haidar exploring memory\, migration\, and material storytelling.\nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nKnown for her powerful textile works that use found objects and embroidery to reflect on displacement and survival\, Aya brings her thoughtful\, socially engaged practice to Peterborough for a special two-hour session. \nAll materials provided. Open to all skill levels. \nFull information and booking \nFree entry for Migrant\, refugee & asylum seeking groups. \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/stitching-aya-haidar/
LOCATION:Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery\, 51 Priestgate\, Peterborough\, PE1 1LF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Textiles
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/aya.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251005
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251009
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250711T152311Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250902T092206Z
UID:10000534-1759622400-1759967999@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:You Never Asked My Name
DESCRIPTION:Artist Jill Eastland brings to life the dark blue tabards typically worn by the lowest paid and most precarious workers\, with embroidery and sound; co-creating stories of work and migration with asylum seekers\, refugees and migrant workers. \nSunday 5th October to Wednesday 8th October – 10am to 6pm \nPresented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nPreview: Saturday 4th October 5pm to 7pm\nIncluding discussion: How can art assist in the understanding of the experience of migrant workers\, refugees and asylum seekers in the UK? With artist Jill Eastland\, Tom Green (or Maren) from Counterpoints Arts and other guest speakers. \nWorkshop: Wednesday 8th October 1 to 4pm\nAn interactive talk with artist Jill Eastland. Jill invites you to wear the dark blue tabards most often worn by workers such as carers and cleaners\, who are frequently migrants\, refugees\, women\, precarious workers\, disabled workers and low paid workers. These workers are contradictorily marked as different by the wearing of this uniform\, but also rendered invisible. Jill will discuss how she has used these tabards as a kind of canvas to draw and stitch onto with words and images about workers rights and migration\, as a tool for solidarity and to investigate the everyday experience of wearing them. \n \nJill Eastland is an activist artist and a survivor of mixed heritage. Her work explores themes of social and climate justice. She favours community based and collaborative working practices. She often employs multiples; to create a more detailed discussion of a theme and she tends to produce open-ended bodies of work\, as well as finished pieces. Her work is often very detailed and can contain elements of realism and abstraction together.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/you-never-asked-my-name/
LOCATION:Cambridge Junction\, Clifton Way\, Cambridge\, CB1 7GX\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Textiles,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/3-Tabard-3-Nothing-to-See-Here-Detail-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251005T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251005T133000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250916T065331Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250919T075432Z
UID:10000573-1759658400-1759671000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Big Sunday: Mapping Movment in Colour
DESCRIPTION:Join a collaborative art session with community artist Shathy Bano\, inspired by Sainsbury Centre artworks. \nPresented by Sainsbury Centre as part of the Platforma Festival 2025\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \n10.00-1.30pm \nAge 15+ \nExplore personal journeys and cultural influences through colour and creative markmaking\, using a range of materials including paint and textiles. \nNo experience required\, just an interest and curiosity in visual maps\, migration and storytelling.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/big-sunday-mapping-movment-in-colour/
LOCATION:Sainsbury Centre\, University of East Anglia\, Norfolk Road\, Norwich\, NR4 7TJ
CATEGORIES:Community & Participation,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Screen-Shot-2025-09-16-at-07.51.31.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251005T113000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251005T150000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250716T110805Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T084013Z
UID:10000538-1759663800-1759676400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:The Canoe Race
DESCRIPTION:A collaboration between Storyteller Marion Leeper and artist Tonka Uzu.\nFull details and booking. Presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nLet storyteller Marion Leeper and illustrator Tonka Uzu take you on a timeless journey to a remote atoll in the Pacific ocean to meet Sky Mother and her nine splendid sons. What are they arguing about and how will they settle the quarrel? \nAs the brothers race across the water\, watch the pictures come alive on a big screen as Tonka draws in response to this story from the Marshall Islands. \nAnd then: what next?  Can you help tell the story of their next quest of finding their way safely to a new home? How would you solve the pressing real-world problems pictured in this centuries-old story? \nFor ages 4+ (based on interest of subject matter) but all welcome\nDuration: 40-60 minutes (Shows at 11.30am and 2pm) \nDigital live drawing meets the oral storytelling tradition in this engaging and thought-provoking audio-visual performance which will touch a chord in the heart of any adventurers in the audience. An event for adults and children with interactive elements to engage in together on equal terms.\n \nphoto credit: Francesca DB\nimage credit: Tonka Uzu\nnight sky photograph by Emilian Primov\nPleiades constellation photograph by Emilian Primov
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/the-canoe-race/
LOCATION:Cambridge Junction\, Clifton Way\, Cambridge\, CB1 7GX\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Theatre
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Canoe-Race-Cambridge-Junction.webp
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251005T150000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251005T173000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250830T191934Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250830T195641Z
UID:10000554-1759676400-1759685400@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Creative Peer Meetup and Sharing: Leaving Were the Ones Who Could Not Stay
DESCRIPTION:Metal Peterborough present a reflective session with exhibiting artists Olga Jurgenson and Idit Nathan\, part of a long-standing mentoring group.\nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nFull information and free booking  \nLeaving Were The Ones Who Could Not Stay is an exhibition presented by the Broadway Gallery in Letchworth featuring the work of Beverley Carruthers\, Bettina Furnée\, Olga Jürgenson and Idit Elia Nathan as part of Platforma 2025. \nThe exhibition features four Cambridge-based artists who explore the socio-political forces shaping familial bonds\, migration\, and intergenerational memory. Through sound\, video\, collage\, and interactive installations\, they draw on personal histories\, interviews\, found material and family archives to reimagine borders\, displacement\, and the meaning of home. \nThis collectively created project encourages sharing of prescient stories of migration and displacement to question societal change and bonds. \nImage: Olga Jurgenson_Aleksander and Arnold from Snezhinki (Snowflakes). 2025 prints on mixed media\, collaged on paper\, 42×59.4 cm \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/creative-peer-meetup-and-sharing-leaving-were-the-ones-who-could-not-stay/
LOCATION:Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery\, 51 Priestgate\, Peterborough\, PE1 1LF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Visual Arts
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/metal.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251006
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251026
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250830T203815Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250830T203946Z
UID:10000560-1759708800-1761436799@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Gateway Film Festival Programme
DESCRIPTION:Gateway Film Festival presents a series of free screenings of shorts and feature films\, in partnership with 62 Gladstone Street.\nCo-commissioned and presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts. \nProgramme listings: \n4 October 18:00: Britain & Refugees: Return to Life + Hostile \n11 October 16:00: Stories of Migration- Short Films \n11 October 18:00: Io Capitano (2024) \n18 October 16:00: Child Migrant Stories – Films of Home\, Sanctuary & War\n18 October 18:00: Focus on Women’s Experiences – Films & Director Q&A \n25 October 16:00: Lyd (2023) \n25 October 18:00; No Other Land (2024) \nBringing together venues and organisations in the Peterborough area\, the Gateway Film Festival launched in November 2019. Gateway aims to celebrate local history\, community as well as being Peterborough’s gateway to film culture from the past and around the world. \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/gateway-film-festival-programme/
LOCATION:Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery\, 51 Priestgate\, Peterborough\, PE1 1LF\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Film
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/io-capitano.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251006T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251006T193000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250818T085429Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250818T085546Z
UID:10000549-1759773600-1759779000@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Words of Welcome: In conversation with Marjorie Lotfi and George Szirtes
DESCRIPTION:Join award-winning poets Marjorie Lotfi and George Szirtes in conversation with Peggy Hughes of the National Centre for Writing for an evening of readings and reflection on the idea of sanctuary in poetry. \nThis special event marks the culmination of Words of Welcome\, a multilingual poetry exchange delivered by Norfolk Library and Information Service with Creative Arts East and National Centre for Writing. \nLotfi and Szirtes will read some of their work and share their own personal insights to celebrate the launch of a new collection of poems on the theme of ‘welcome’\, written by visitors to Norfolk’s libraries. \nFree booking \nPresented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts. \n 
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/words-of-welcome-in-conversation-with-marjorie-lotfi-and-george-szirtes/
LOCATION:Great Yarmouth Library\, The Place\, 37-39 Market Place\, Great Yarmouth\, NR30 1LX\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Literature & Spoken Word,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Eventotron-Menu-Image-600-x-600px-1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251007
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251009
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250815T114636Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250815T114725Z
UID:10000546-1759795200-1759967999@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Think Tank: Music and Displacement
DESCRIPTION:Produced by Britten Pears Arts in partnership with Counterpoints Arts as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025). \nThis strategic ThinkTank is being convened to explore and address the intersections between music\, migration\, and displacement. This initiative brings together artists\, cultural leaders\, policy makers\, academics\, funders\, and grassroots organisations to collectively envision more inclusive\, sustainable\, and impactful ways to create opportunities for refugee and migrant musicians and foster meaningful musical participation among displaced communities. \nMigration is as old as humanity and as it continues to shape our society\, music emerges not only as a form of cultural expression and emotional survival but also as a tool for community-building\, advocacy\, and socio-economic inclusion. This ThinkTank aims to generate actionable insights\, identify structural barriers\, and propose frameworks for ethical\, long-term support\, career development\, and community engagement. \nThis is an invitation only curated Think Tank\, with learnings and outcomes to be shared as appropriate in due course.
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/think-tank-music-and-displacement/
CATEGORIES:Music,Platforma
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-15-at-12.38.20.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251007T120000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251007T190000
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250620T102751Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250904T103011Z
UID:10000524-1759838400-1759863600@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Theatres of Sanctuary Away Day
DESCRIPTION:As part of our Platforma Festival 2025 across the East of England this October\, Counterpoints are partnering with City of Sanctuary to host an Away Day at Norwich Theatre for Theatres of Sanctuary across the country.\nSanctuary in Arts Awards celebrate the arts organisations who go above and beyond to welcome people seeking sanctuary. \nThe key criteria for the awards are: \n-Learn: find out what it means to be seeking sanctuary; and be actively involved in awareness raising. \n-Embed: take positive action to make welcome and inclusion part of the values of your organisation or community\, to support sanctuary seekers and refugees\, and to include them in your activities. \n-Share your vision and achievements: let others know about the positive contribution refugees make to our society and the benefits of a welcoming culture to everyone. \nFor this Away Day we are bringing together theatres and theatre companies who hold the Sanctuary Award to meet\, connect\, share practice and consider how best to work together. This event is by invitation only – if you are interested to know more\, please contact tom@counterpoints.org.uk \nWe are grateful to Norwich Theatre for hosting the event and for sharing some of their work. \nAgenda for the day (Venue: Norwich Theatre)\n12-1: Arrivals and lunch \n1.00 pm: Welcomes\, introductions and checking in on the current context for this work \n2 pm : Progression Routes for theatre makers from refugee and migrant background (presented by Norwich Theatre) \n2.25pm: Group discussions on progression routes. \n3pm: Tea break \n3.30: Building a bank of resources for the network: introduction and then group discussion \n4.30: What next? \n5pm: Close \n5.30pm: Performance “3 Migrant Women” by Norwich Theatre + Q&A (also open to the public) \n7.00pm: Close \nImage credit: Norwich Theatre / Donna Thompson
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/theatres-of-sanctuary-away-day/
LOCATION:Norwich Theatre\, Theatre St\, Norwich\, NR2 1RL\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Theatre
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wendy-MUST-CREDIT-DONNA-THOMPSON.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251007T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251008T203500
DTSTAMP:20260430T165312
CREATED:20250701T071343Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T084113Z
UID:10000528-1759865400-1759955700@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Penguin @ Cambridge Junction
DESCRIPTION:Performed and co-created by Hamzeh Al Hussien\, directed and co-created by Amy Golding. Presented in Cambridge as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025)\, produced by Counterpoints Arts.\nBooking link \nFull tour details \nSee also: Displaced\, Disabled & Dynamic – an online discussion featuring Hamzeh Al Hussien and Amy Golding discussing the experiences\, triumphs and challenges touring Penguin \nHere’s what you need to know.. \nI am Hamzeh. My favourite shisha flavour is double apple. I love dancing. \nHere’s what’s going to happen… \nThere will be loud music. A wedding. My first time on a plane. A lot of moonlight. This is the story of my life (so far). People have a lot of questions. The answer is\, \n“Yes. \nI can do anything.” \n \nFull of humour and beauty\, Hamzeh Al-Hussien’s extraordinary story takes you on a personal tour of the places he knows best: his village in the Syrian mountains\, Za’atari camp in Jordan\, Gateshead and inside his mind\, a place full of music\, dancing\, fantasies and marbles. Hamzeh invites the audience to be his childhood friends\, to hold up the moon to light his way into his dreams\, brushing the dust from his clothes…and taking the stage. \n“From dodging bombs to dancing in nightclubs\, Syrian theatre-maker Hamzeh Al Hussien enacts the story of his life.”\n★★★★ The Guardian \nCreative Team\nPerformed and co-created by Hamzeh Al Hussien \nDirected and co-created by Amy Golding \nDramaturg : Lindsay Rodden \nMovement Director : Nadia Iftkhar \nLighting and Creative Caption Designer : Simon Cole \nStage Manager : Andrea Scrimshaw \nAssistant Director/Translator : Olivia Furber /Yasmeen Ghawri \nSound design : Hamza Arnaout \nSet and costume design : Jida Akil \nCostume Superviser : Lou Duffy \n​Access\n​The show is captioned in both English and Arabic. \n​The set has 2 screens on stage – the English subtitles are on the left (as you look at the stage) the Arabic on the right. \nReviews and Feedback\n​The Scotsman **** “An extraordinary solo show” \n​The Observer **** “A genuine encounter” \n​The Guardian **** \n​The Stage **** “Uplifting tale of finding self-acceptance and joy” “Golding directs with a lightness of touch that never allows the piece to feel voyeuristic” \n​I Love Manchester **** “It is truly charming and an extremely wonderful reflection of a life touched and changed but not entirely uprooted by war.” \n​West End Best Friend **** “A joyous and uplifting story of hope in the face of adversity\, and of celebrating the individual”. \n​The Reviews Hub **** “A born storyteller\, Hamzeh effortlessly performs..the show brilliantly directed by Amy Golding combines moments of delightful comedy.. alongside chilling and harrowing moments”. \n​Theatre and Tonic **** “Hamzeh is a charismatic and engaging performer…The piece moved with pure ease on stage due to the capable direction of Amy Golding.” \n​Disability Arts Online “an extraordinary tale\, told with beautiful simplicity” \n​North East Theatre Guide “A wonderful piece of storytelling”. \n​North East Bylines “Hamzeh in Arabic means lion\, steadfast\, strong – and so he is.” \n​NARC Magazine “Hamzeh is charismatic and compelling\, and his enduring sense of optimism is so present in the writing and in his performance” \n​Live Theatre Young Reviewer “a triumph for modern theatre… This show leaves you feeling immensely privileged for having seen it. It’s radical\, it’s heart breaking\, it’s Penguin.” \nAwards\nHamzeh Al Hussien – North East Culture Awards 2023 \, Best Newcomer for PENGUIN
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/penguin-cambridge-junction/
LOCATION:Cambridge Junction\, Clifton Way\, Cambridge\, CB1 7GX\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Platforma,Theatre
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Penguin.jpeg
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