Created in Birmingham

Nu Century Arts is an organisation established in 2000 and based in Handsworth who are “dedicated to the development and promotion of performing arts in the African-Caribbean community”

The company’s work encompasses a professional theatre group, organising a regular live music event ‘The Live Box’, literature in the shape of ‘Wired Up’ magazine and a broad range of education work, from jazz workshops, to youth theatre and group trips as far a field as South Africa and the United States.

Given Birmingham’s location within the United Kingdom and the breadth of talent within the city, Nu Century Arts has maintained that its artists should not be marginal, but play a central role in the cultural direction of the country; have access to the fullest possible range of skills; and produce the highest quality work. Moreover, it seeks to provide a consistent base and a framework promoting new African Caribbean work, irrespective of political/ cultural trends and fashions.

The do work in a variety of venues including The Drum and The Rep and the artists listed on their site include Soweto Kinch, Julie Dexter, Eska Mtungwazi and Shabaka Hutchins.

Awareness came to me from Osahon Orchard who is running a free 10 week acting course for over 19 year olds as a “way to regain confidence as well as get back into performing” at 16 Grosevenor Road B20 3NP. Contact him on osahon.orchard [at] ntlworld.com for details.

The big drama school thing in Eastside has been officially announced. Here’s some coverage:

Government News Network
BBC News
Education Guardian
The Stirrer
The Post will presumably have something later next week, as is their way.

Noted: Script - “the West Midlands agency for dramatic writers”. They give advice, run workshops and are based in the Custard Factory.

The Typ-Tap Festival at the MAC on July 10-11th sees two days of looking at new theatre writing for a young audience. A number of plays are being performed along with discussions and seminars.

More details of the methodology of this festival and the schedule on the MAC website.

Interesting looking spoken word piece coming up at The Drum on June 15th.

If you though you understood Africa in relation to your own life in the West, even just a little, think again…

Africa attacks all the senses – an unparalleled cacophony of sounds, smells, colours and feelings from a continent with a rich, magnificent history and deep rooted culture. I Dream of Accra… captures this frenzied spirit in an epic multimedia poem featuring African and European musicians, poets, storytellers, DJs rappers and visual artists, including Tunde Jegede and his string quartet, MC poet B.R.I.E.S. and Kelly Budge from Your Mum.

Doors are 7.30pm and tickets are a fiver. More info.