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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250913T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260111T170000
DTSTAMP:20260419T121619
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:20251008
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251201
DTSTAMP:20260419T121619
CREATED:20251008T143005Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251127T114916Z
UID:10000578-1759881600-1764547140@counterpoints.org.uk
SUMMARY:Our Shared Futures – Climate & Migration Community Film Festival
DESCRIPTION:We are excited to announce the Our Shared Futures: Climate & Migration Community Film Festival 2025\, curated by Counterpoints Arts in partnership with Earth Refuge\, CMJ (Climate & Migrant Justice Organising Group)\, and City of Sanctuary. \nTaking place 21-30 November 2025\, to coincide with COP30 and Climate & Migrant Justice Day (22 Nov)\, this free\, new community-powered film festival shares powerful stories at the intersection of climate and migration. \nThe festival features a curated selection of feature-length and short films from around the world. These films explore themes of climate crisis\, displacement\, colonialism\, conflict\, resilience\, and hope – creating accessible entry points into urgent conversations that affect us all. \nHow it works\nAnyone in the UK can take part by hosting a screening—whether in a community centre\, library\, cinema\, school\, workplace\, outdoors\, or even at home. \n\n\nFilms are available free of charge via UK online streaming during the festival dates (21–30 November). \n\n\nYou don’t need to worry about rights or licensing – we’ve arranged these for everyone. \n\n\nWe have created resources and discussion prompts to help spark reflection\, dialogue\, and action – strengthening solidarity across communities and movements. (See below under “Free Resources”) \n\nFind a screening near you at the bottom of this page & social media.\n\nSo all you need to do is pick a film\, invite people\, and press play. \nThe Films\nFEATURE FILMS\n\nUtama (2022) dir. Alejandro Loayza Grisi\nTrailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9Hv7HFDIOc\nRun time: 1hr 27 mins\nWhere available to screen: UK\nAge Certification: 12A (PG)\n \nSynopsis: An elderly Quechua couple in Bolivia confronts a devastating drought that threatens their traditional way of life. The film reckons with the grief that individual families contend with in the face of climate change\, as well as intergenerational reactions to climate change. How do the younger and older generations respond to climate change and the need to move? \n\nThank You For The Rain (2017) dir. Julia Dahr and Kisilu Musya\nTrailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO1-Z7kEyzo\nWhere available to screen: UK\nCategory: Feature documentary\nAge Guidance: 12A (PG)\nRun time: 1hr 27 mins \nSynopsis: This powerful documentary follows Kisilu Musya\, a Kenyan farmer who begins filming his daily life to show the real impacts of climate change on his community. Over five years\, his story evolves from local struggle to global activism as he journeys to the UN climate talks in Paris. The film captures the personal toll of changing weather patterns while exposing the deep inequalities that shape who is heard (and who is not) in global climate debates. \nYou can support Kisilu’s campaign here: https://www.mchanga.africa/fundraiser/36981 \nSHORT FILMS\n\nAnd Still\, It Remains (2023) dir. Arwa Aburawa & Turab Shah\nTrailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EEgh08ch1I\nWhere available to screen: UK\nCategory: Short documentary\nAge Guidance: 12+ (*please note this film is not certified\, this is a guidance- please watch films in advance to assess suitability to your audience)\nRun time: 28 mins  \nSynopsis: A poetic and unsettling reflection on the long shadows cast by French nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara. Combining archival footage\, testimony\, and striking imagery\, the film explores how radioactive contamination and environmental damage continue to affect local communities decades after colonial powers left. It asks what justice means when the land itself remembers violence. \n\nDead As A Dodo (2022) dir. Leena Habiballa\nTrailer: no trailer available\nWhere available to screen: UK\nCategory: Short experimental\nAge Guidance: 12+ (*please note this film is not certified\, this is a guidance- please watch films in advance to assess suitability to your audience)\nRun time: 5 mins 9 seconds \nSynopsis: An experimental short film that reimagines the extinction of the dodo to examine how colonialism\, science\, and ecological loss intertwine. Through sound and image collage\, it questions how stories of extinction are told\, and who gets to tell them; exposing how ideas of dominance over nature are rooted in colonial histories. This work is inspired by and is in conversation with a book of poems titled A Theory of Birds by the Palestinian-American poet Zaina Alsous. \n \nUntil The Last Drop (2020) dir. Tim Webster & Ernesto Cabellos\nTrailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSQpIsQAnOU\nWhere available to screen: UK\nCategory: Short documentary\nAge Guidance: 12+ (*please note this film is not certified\, this is a guidance- please watch films in advance to assess suitability to your audience)\nRun time: 20 mins 20 seconds\n\nSynopsis: Set in the occupied West Bank\, this documentary portrays the lives of two farmers struggling under an unequal\, apartheid system of water access. Their story reveals how control over natural resources becomes a tool of oppression\, linking environmental injustice with political conflict. The film makes visible the intimate\, everyday impacts of global debates about rights\, scarcity\, and survival. \nInterested in Watching or Hosting a Screening?\nRegister here. \n\n\nIndividuals: Watch at home\, by yourself or with friends and family. \n\n\nOrganisers: Host a community screening in your chosen venue. \n\n\nCost: Free. All rights and licenses have been secured. \n\n\nRegister to receive access to the films and resources ahead of the festival. \nFree Resources & Packs\nAccess the film guide here (covers how to organise a screening and helpful top tips e.g. staying safe\, ideas for venues\, equipments etc!) \nAccess our education pack here (lots of great information on language\, discussion prompts related to the films and more!) \nYou are welcome to use materials from the public marketing folder (photos\, posters\, social media assets\, holding slide etc.) \nFind a Screening Near You!\nOver 300 screenings are happening across the country! Below are just a few public events – with many more coming soon. \nEngland\n\nArnside\nBath\nBirmingham\nBradford\nBrighton\nBournemouth\nBristol (21 Nov)\nBristol (22 Nov)\nBristol (30 Nov)\nCambridge\nChichester\nColchester\nCheltenham\nExeter\nHove\nLeeds\nLincoln\nLondon\, Bethnal Green/ Tower Hamlets\nLondon\, Bloomsbury\nLondon\, Brixton\nLondon\, Dalston\nLondon\, Hackney\nLondon\, Holborn\nLondon\, Islington\nLondon\, Kensington and Chelsea\nLondon\, Maida Vale\nLondon\, Stoke Newington\nLondon\, Westminster (24 Nov)\nLondon\, Westminster (26 Nov)\nLondon\, Westminster (27 Nov)\nReading (21 Nov)\nReading (25 Nov)\nStockport\nTynemouth\nWorcester\n\nWales\n\nAbergavenny \nCardiff\n\nScotland\n\nAberdeen (14 Nov)\nAberdeen (28 Nov)\nGlasgow\n\nHosting a screening?📩 Share your event link with us: hello@counterpoints.org.uk \nFAQs\nHow do I take part?\n \n\nJust complete this short google form here. Everyone is welcome to take part!\nOptional: watch this 30min recording of Information Sharing and Q&A\n\nDo I need to pay for rights or licensing?\nNo. All rights and licenses have been paid & secured by Counterpoints Arts and partners. There is no charge to you to screen any of the films. \nCan I charge tickets to my events?\nNo\, you cannot charge for tickets\, but optional donations are fine (you can collect donations for any cause/ charity/ venue/ project of your choice) \nCan I host in a cinema\, community venue\, or outdoors etc?\nYes! Screenings can take place in cinemas\, community centres\, schools\, libraries\, churches\, faith spaces\, pubs\, outdoor spaces etc. Absolutely everywhere and anywhere! Private or public screenings is fine. \nCan I download the films?No. The films are only available via a secure online streaming platform during the festival dates only. \nCan I watch the films in advance?\nWe apologise the films are not available to watch beforehand\, only during 21-30th November 2025. Check the film synopsis and age range for their suitability to your audience. Some of the films are available to hire on different streaming platforms if you need to watch in advance. \nWhen will I receive the link to the films?\nAll registered organisers will receive a link the week before the festival on Monday 17th Nov to test tech etc. \nHow do I promote my event?\nYou are welcome to use materials from the public marketing folder (photos\, posters\, social media assets\, holding slide etc.) You are welcome to promote your event in any platform e.g. eventbrite\, your website\, social media etc. Registered organisers will also be contacted if they want to promote their screenings on our website. \nHow do I access the free resources & discussion prompts?\nAccess the film guide here (covers how to organise a screening and helpful top tips e.g. staying safe\, ideas for venues\, equipments\, how to have good post-screening conversations etc!). Access our education pack here (lots of great information on climate & migration language\, discussion prompts related to the films and more!). Plus\, you are welcome to use materials from the public marketing folder \nAre there subtitles?Where provided by the filmmakers\, English subtitles will be available. \nI’m not based in the UK\, can I take part?\nNo\, this year the films are only available in the UK. \nI’m not available 21-30 Nov\, can I watch the films before or after?\nNo\, we only have rights & licenses for the films 21st-30th November 2025. \nIs there a selection process?\nNo\, everyone is welcome to organise a screening. No selection process. \nI am a filmmaker\, can you add my film to the programme?\nUnfortunately the programme is finalised but please do introduce your work to us for future opportunities. \nAny other questions please email hello@counterpoints.org.uk
URL:https://counterpoints.org.uk/event/our-shared-futures-climate-migration-film-festival/
CATEGORIES:Film,Pop Culture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Climate-Festival-A2-Landscape-4.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251029
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251109
DTSTAMP:20260419T121619
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://counterpoints.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Touchstone-beachcover.jpg
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