Annual Programme 2026

Annual Programme 2026 REIMAGINING TOMORROW

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Contents

Scrap It, Revamp It: Do We Still Need Black History Month?

Page 4

Scrap It, Revamp It: 100 Years of Black History Commemorations (1926–2026)

Page 5

International Women's Day

Page 6

Let’s Dance International Frontiers 2026

Page 7 - 8

Annual Windrush Day Lecture

Page 9

Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School

Page 10

Heritage Open Day

Page 11

Black History Month 2026

Page 12 - 13

Young Archivists

Page 14

The Importance of Portraiture

Page 15

Digital BlackCentric Week

Page 16

Black Heritage Voices

Page 17

A Very Serendipity Speakeasy

Page 18

Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year

Page 19 - 21

MA Black British Dance and Performance

Page 22

Resources for Change

Page 23 - 24

Serendipity Connect Membership

Page 25

Spaces for Hire

Page 26

Venues

Page 27

Calendar of Events

Page 30 - 31

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Image Credit: Pawlet Brookes MBE. Photographed by Lauryn Pinard.

Welcome

Welcome to Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, where every year is a vibrant celebration of the art, voices, history and heritage of the African and African Caribbean Diaspora.

2026 opens with purpose and provocation. Scrap It, Revamp It: Do We Still Need Black History Month? marks 100 years since Negro History Week and 50 years of Black History Month in the US. This bold February debate asks us to weigh the urgency of spotlighting Black history against the challenges of performativity and tokenism.

In March, we honour International Women’s Day with an inspiring conversation with the formidable Leila Hassan Howe, activist, organiser of the 1981 Black People’s Day of Action, and a defining voice in the shaping of Black British identity.

April welcomes the sixteenth edition of Let’s Dance International Frontiers (LDIF26), bursting with imagination under the theme Reimagining Tomorrow: New Work, Afrofuturism and Technology. We open with BECOMING by Samwel Japhet and journey through a dynamic season of dance dialogues, masterclasses, films and performances, culminating in May with the exceptional Shamel Pitts | TRIBE and the UK premiere of Marks of RED at Curve.

In June, the Annual Windrush Day Lecture returns for its seventh year, offering a vital platform for leading thinkers, writers and educators to illuminate the histories, legacies and lived experiences of British-Caribbean communities.

July brings the return of Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School, an intensive week where dancers refine their craft, deepen technique and embrace bold, expressive creativity.

October’s Black History Month programme spotlights Black Classics, celebrating the brilliance of contemporary Black composers and opera practitioners who are reshaping these artforms. Reel Histories expands the narrative with landmark films from pioneering Black directors, while the Young Archivists programme continues to nurture the next generation of heritage leaders.

In November, Black Heritage Voices returns after a successful inaugural year, widening the lens on heritage and challenging how stories are told, recorded and remembered.

We close the year in style with A Very Serendipity Speakeasy in December, featuring acclaimed saxophonist and composer Marcus Joseph, whose blend of jazz, Caribbean rhythm and contemporary soul offers the perfect finale to 2026.

Throughout the year, Serendipity continues to champion new thinking and new work through events, publications, online experiences and, in 2026, the launch of our ground-breaking MA in Black British Dance and Performance.

Thank you for joining us as we challenge, invigorate and celebrate.

Here’s to a year of bold conversations, inspiring artistry and transformative cultural exchange.

Pawlet Brookes MBE CEO and Artistic Director Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage

Cover Image: Creole Woman. Martinique. 1900. picryl.com. Public Domain.

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Scrap It, Revamp It: Do We Still Need Black History Month?

11 February | 7pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | £12 - £15

IN CONVERSATION February 2026 commemorates the centenary of the establishment of Negro History Week, which became Black History Month in the US in 1976.

Founded by Carter G Woodson, to give recognition to the largely overlooked, ignored or suppressed achievements of Black Americans, the week was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

Many would argue that Black History Month is still urgently needed in a society where systemic racism, cultural erasure and historical amnesia are persistent. Whereas others believe that Black History Month has become a performative gesture.

To mark 100 years of Negro History Week and 50 years of Black History Month in the US, Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage brings together Dr Mark Christian and Dr Antonio C Cuyler to explore what Black History Month means today in the US and the UK, alongside its challenges, its possibilities and its future across arts, education, culture and society.

Dr Mark Christian Christian is a tenured and full Professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Lehman College, City University of New York (CUNY), joining from Miami University Ohio in 2011. Christian holds a BA in Sociology and American Studies from Liverpool Hope University, an MA in Africana Studies from The Ohio State University and a PhD in Sociology from The University of Sheffield.

He is an award-winning author of several publications including Multiracial Identity: An International Perspective, The 20th Century Civil Rights Movement: An Africana Studies Perspective and Frederick Douglass: A Life in American History, for which he was awarded the 2025 Choice Outstanding Academic Title. He is the editor of Black Identity in the 20th Century: Expressions of the US and UK African Diaspora, Integrated but Unequal: Black Faculty in Predominately White Space and a guest editor for Africana Studies.

Dr Antonio C Cuyler Antonio C Cuyler is Professor of Music in Entrepreneurship and Leadership, Faculty Associate in Voice and Opera in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance (SMTD), and Faculty Associate in the African Studies Center at the University of Michigan. He is the author of Access, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Cultural Organizations: Insights from the Careers of Executive Opera Managers of Color in the US and Achieving Creative Justice in the US Creative Sector. Cuyler is the editor of Arts Management, Cultural Policy and the African Diaspora, co-editor of Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Cultural Sector: Initiatives and Lessons Learned from Real Life Cases. In 2020, he founded Cuyler Consulting, LLC, a Black-owned arts consultancy and served as Lyric Opera of Chicago’s inaugural Scholar-in-Residence with Lyric Unlimited (2024-2025).

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Scrap It, Revamp It: 100 Years of Black History Commemorations (1926–2026) EXHIBITION February - December | Corner Gallery | Free

In the early twentieth century, Black communities in America had begun marking the February birthdays of social reformer and civil rights activist, Frederick Douglass and US president Abraham Lincoln as opportunities to celebrate emancipation and self-determination. In 1926, Carter G Woodson established Negro History Week, fuelled by what he saw as an urgent need to recognise African-American history, in its own right. In doing so, Woodson became the “father of Black history” and cemented a footprint for Black History Month, which was formerly recognised in the US in 1976 and the UK in October 1987.

Now recognised around the world, Black History Month may take place at different times of the year, explore different themes and embrace different legacies, but its fundamental principles remain the same: that Black history needs a place within cultural calendars and institutional structures are needed to make this possible. To recognise these significant anniversaries, this exhibition will explore a pocket history of Black History Month, its international legacy and its future within arts, academia and the media.

Image Credit: Frederick Douglass. C.irca 1879. National Archives. FL-FL-22.

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International Women’s Day WE THE PEOPLE AND IN CONVERSATION WITH LEILA HASSAN HOWE 8 March | 7pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | £12 - £15

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate women's achievements, reinforce commitment to gender equality and a call for action and equity. For Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage this means highlighting key issues faced by women from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora and acknowledging trailblazing Black women who have made significant change. For 2026, Serendipity recognises the pioneering work of Leila Hassan Howe.

Leila Hassan Howe is a significant leader in racial justice and collective politics in the UK. She began her activism in the Black Power movement in the 1970s, when she became a member of the Black Unity and Freedom Party and pioneered change within the Institute of Race Relations.

Alongside her husband Darcus Howe, she was one of the organisers of the Black People’s Day of Action in March 1981, following the deaths of 13 young Black people in the New Cross fire tragedy. At the time it was the largest demonstration of Black people in the UK and became a milestone in the forging of Black British identity.

Hassan Howe was a founding member of the Brixton-based Race Today Collective in 1973 and eventually became editor of its phenomenally influential journal, Race Today. In 1974, Hassan Howe alongside the Race Today Collective campaigned on behalf of striking workers at the Imperial Typewriters factory in Leicester.

Howe is Chairperson of the Darcus Howe Legacy Collective, dedicated to preserving the contribution that he made to the British and International movements for change and justice. More recently, Hassan Howe has co-edited Here to Stay, Here to Fight and in 2023 co-edited a special issue of Race Today, the first since 1988. In 2024 Hassan Howe was conferred with an honorary fellowship by Goldsmiths, University of London and recognised as one of Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage’s 100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark.

The evening will feature a screening of We The People, produced and directed by Fan Sissoko and Virginia Nimarkoh in association with Tommy Ross-Williams and commissioned by London Museum and supported using public funding by Arts Council England. The documentary explores intergenerational activism in Brixton. The screening will be followed by an in conversation with Leila Hassan Howe.

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Image Credit: Black People's Day of Action. 1981.

Photographer Homer Sykes / Alamy.

Let’s Dance International Frontiers 2026 29 April - 9 May | Serendipity, Leicester Cathedral and Curve

The sixteenth edition of Let’s Dance International Frontiers 2026 (LDIF26) explores the theme Reimagining Tomorrow: New Work, Afrofuturism and Technology. The theme is an exploration of the unique aesthetics of dance rooted in the African and African Caribbean Diaspora, celebrating rich movement cultures whilst showcasing the innovation and creativity of the pioneering dance practitioners of today.

LDIF26 will feature new work from around the world with over 12 different countries represented including Barbados, Cameroon, Cuba, Gabon, Jamaica, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Martinique, UK, Uganda and USA. LDIF26 celebrates International Dance Day on 29 April with BECOMING

by Samwel Japhet and Sonje by Lauryn Pinard. Compagnie Kaméleonite from Martinique present Océan Brun, a duet of urgency and poignancy reflecting on the impact of environmental change (30 April). New Work: Solos and Duets (1 May) is the inaugural edition of a platform which presents the developing works of emerging artists. Signatures and the Black British Dance Platform (6 May) return to showcase establishing dance practitioners with a mixed bill of UK and international artists. LDIF26 will close with the muchanticipated return of Shamel Pitts | TRIBE and the UK debut of Marks of RED, a multidisciplinary experience that weaves together exquisite performance with bold scenography.

Alongside the Dance Dialogue seminars, in the Annual Conference (5 May) we welcome an esteemed line up of speakers including Brenda Dixon Gottschild, Shamel Pitts, Julie Felix, Kenneth Tharp, Quentin Sledge and Marlene Myrtil. A new addition to LDIF26 is Yesterday and Tomorrow: Roundtable Discussion and Dinner (2 May), offering a unique opportunity to reflect on the development and direction of Black British dance through a shared culinary experience curated

by Chef Lauren Wilmott.

LDIF26 LAUNCH To celebrate International Dance Day and the launch of Let’s Dance International Frontiers 2026 (LDIF26), Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage welcomes two powerful new works and an opportunity to find out more about the organisation’s vision for dance over the next decade.

BECOMING: From the Streets to Now, an autobiographical work reflecting on the ten years since Samwel Japhet’s journey from a child on the streets of Tanzania to performing on stages around the world. The work is layered with the complexities of emotion, memory and personal growth by examining what it means to develop in challenging environments, confront societal norms and find a new home.

Sonje (Remember) by Lauryn Pinard is an intimate excavation of embodied eloquence. Lauryn Pinard steps deeper into intention, allowing herself to become a portal through which movement speaks and listens. The call is inward, but the answer resounds

29 April | 7pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | £18 - £20

Image Credit: Portrait of Jean Binta Breeze photographed by Hayley Madden

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LDIF26 Programme Highlights

YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW: ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION AND DINNER Yesterday and Tomorrow: Roundtable Discussion and Dinner offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the development and direction of Black British dance through a shared culinary experience curated by Chef Lauren Wilmott. The evening brings together the intergenerational voices of Angie Amra Anderson, Stewart Avon Arnold, Greta Mendez and Nahum McLean who will reflect on legacy, survival and radical futures in Black British dance

2 May | 7pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | £135 Limited capacity

REIMAGINING TOMORROW: NEW WORK, AFROFUTURISM AND TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE The conference for LDIF26 Reimagining Tomorrow: New Work, Afrofuturism and Technology is inspired by the spirit of Sankofa, a reminder to look back and honour the past to build the future. Contributors include Pawlet Brookes MBE, Brenda Dixon Gottschild, Julie Felix MBE, Marlène Myrtil, Shamel Pitts, Quentin Sledge and Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp. Ultimately, the conference theme is one of hope, a reminder to reclaim, reaffirm and reimagine.

5 May | 10am - 5pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | £70 - £80

MARKS OF RED, SHAMEL PITTS | TRIBE Visionary choreographer and MacArthur Fellow Shamel Pitts returns to LDIF with Marks of RED, a powerful Afrofuturistic performance that reimagines memory, embodiment and regeneration through movement, sound and light.

Told through the perspectives of six women, Marks of RED is a work of magical realism and the fourth chapter in Pitts’ RED Series. The piece meditates on the “womb space” as a site of memory, rupture and potential, exploring how histories shape our senses, bodies and imaginative possibilities.

8 - 9 May | 7.45pm | Curve Studio | £22.50 | £18 | £10

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Image Credit: Shamel Pitts | TRIBE in Marks of RED. Photographer Alex Apt.

Annual Windrush Day Lecture DR CHRISTIENNA D FRYAR 22 June | 7pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | £12 - £15

Windrush Day, officially recognised by the UK government since 2018, is commemorated annually on 22 June to mark the arrival of the SS Empire Windrush in 1948. This date has become a powerful symbol of the Caribbean community’s establishment in the UK. Established in 2020, Serendipity’s Annual Windrush Day Lecture addresses the ongoing need for deep reflection and contextualisation against the backdrop of significant contemporary issues, including Black Lives Matter, Brexit, the Windrush Scandal, and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities. The lecture creates a platform for esteemed thinkers, writers and educators to amplify the narrative of Black presence, persistence and resistance in the UK while unpacking the complex realities of British-Caribbean connections.

Previous speakers have included Professor Stephen Small, Dr Beverley Bryan, Professor Gus John, Gary Younge, Professor Lisa-Dionne Morris and Professor Verene A Shepherd, offering diverse and impactful insights into the Windrush legacy.

Dr Christienna D Fryar is a writer and an independent historian of Britain and the Caribbean. At the heart of her work is the conviction that Britain and its history cannot be understood in isolation from the Caribbean.

After 12 years working in universities in North Carolina, Western New York, Liverpool and London, she left academia in April 2023. Her last academic position was at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she was the founding convenor of the MA Black British History, the first taught masters' programme of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Fryar is a trustee of the Black Cultural Archives and the Tudor Trust, and a member of the Church Commissioners Oversight Group, a group that advises the Church Commissioners as it responds to its historic links with African chattel enslavement. She is also a historical consultant and has appeared on TV, radio and podcasts alongside reviewing books for The Observer, London Review of Books and BBC History. In 2020, she was selected as a BBC Radio 3/AHRC New Generation Thinker.

Waterloo Station, London, 1962. Photographer Howard Grey / Bridgeman Images.

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Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School 13 - 17 July | 10am - 7pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | £390

Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School is a unique dance training programme that brings together leading professional dance practitioners from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in both theoretical and technical training with a sharing of their work to take place on the final day. The programme is aimed at providing vital skills in professional performance practice centred on a holistic model of focused dance technique, socio-cultural and historical knowledge and unapologetic creative expression. The course will be a valuable continued professional development opportunity and forms part of the programme for Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage’s MA Black Dance Performance.

The course is led by Thomas Talawa Prestø, renowned as the foremost specialist in polycentric dance technique. Prestø has significantly enriched the field through his innovative scholarship and practice, as the founder of the internationally celebrated Tabanka Dance Ensemble and the innovator of Talawa Technique™, a fully codified dance method which integrates ancestral movements with contemporary sensibilities, whilst being grounded in an Africognosomatic approach, combining cognitive and somatic experiences within an African context.

The Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School is supported with guest masterclasses led by pioneering dance practitioners and educators including Sharon Watson MBE DL, Principal of Northern School of Contemporary Dance and former Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance Theatre.

PARTICIPANT SHARING 17 July | 7pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | Pay What You Can

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Holly Francis, Lauryn Pinard and Edy Samuels.

Image Credit: Talawa Technique Workshop.

Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School 2024.

Photographer Sigrun Drivdal Johnson.

Heritage Open Day 16 September | 1pm - 4pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | Free

Learn about Leicester’s Black history through the collections in the Living Archive. The Living Archive is a dedicated archive for the preservation and celebration of Black history locally and nationally. Collections from the archive will be on display for visitors to explore and the heritage team will share the fascinating histories that have shaped Leicester and the continuing work for the Living Archive.

Visitors are welcome to bring items they may wish to donate to the Living Archive, whether as a physical or digital donation, and contribute to the recording of Black arts, heritage and culture.

Image Credit: Larry Gains Autographed Photograph.

Image Credit: Waterloo Station, 15 October 1961.

The Living Archive. Serendipity Institute for Arts and Heritage.

Photograph

by Black Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Getty Images.

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Black History Month 2026

Each Black History Month, Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage and partners across Leicester host a range of exciting activities that centres perspectives from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora and redresses historical perspectives. Serendipity, alongisde coordinating communications for Leicester, leads on the official Black History Month launch each October.

In 2026, the programme will explore the theme of Black Classics, celebrating Black-led work of the highest quality across art, music, film and literature that has stood the test of time.

BLACK CLASSICS SYMPOSIUM Classical music is a global art form shaped by a wide range of cultural influences, including significant contributions from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora. Yet these histories and contemporary practices have often been marginalised within dominant narratives of the Western canon.

This symposium brings together leading artistic directors, composers and musicians to examine the landscape of Black-led classical music and opera.

The discussion will reflect on the legacy of historic pioneers such as Florence Price, Chevalier de Saint-Georges and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, while foregrounding contemporary practitioners who are reshaping the field today.

Together, the contributors will consider how classical music continues to evolve as a living tradition, informed by diverse voices, practices and experiences.

The line up of confirmed contributors includes: • P hilip Herbert – Award-winning composer, arranger and orchestrator.

His works include Elegy – In Memoriam to Stephen Lawrence, Ballare: To Dance and Silent Aria, and have been performed by the Philharmonia, Sinfonia Viva, London Symphony Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra, BBC and Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, among others.

• A lison Buchanan – Artistic Director of Pegasus Opera Company and international soprano. She has performed extensively around the world collaborating with Andre Previn, Dame Joan Sutherland, Placido Domingo, Franco Zeffirelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Sir Willard White and many others.

She is the only Black female director of a European opera company and was featured on Queen Charlotte, A Bridgerton Story.

1 October | 2pm - 4:30pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage £35 includes ticket to Black Classics in Concert

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH LAUNCH: BLACK CLASSICS IN CONCERT To launch Black History Month 2026, Black Classics in Concert is more than a mere showcase of musical excellence; it is a profound tribute to the cultural legacies and transformative contributions of the African and African Caribbean Diaspora. Join us for an exciting evening celebrating the music of Black composers from across the Diaspora. Alison Buchanan has gathered an impressive lineup of singers to regale you with opera, song and spirituals.

These performances serve as vibrant reminders of the rich tapestry of musical heritage that has been woven by Black composers and musicians throughout history, both from the classical genre but also music from across the board that can be defined as “classics” in their own right.

1 October | 7:30pm | Leicester Cathedral | £20 | £18

REEL HISTORIES 2026: BLACK CLASSICS Reel Histories is a bold and compelling film programme for Black History Month 2026 that amplifies the cinematic legacies of Black communities across the globe. For 2026, the programme explores the theme of Black Classics with a collection of landmark narrative, documentary and short films by pioneering Black film makers such as John Akomfrah, Maureen Blackwood, Isaac Julien and Horace Ové. Each week centres around a specific topic featuring a short film, main feature and conversation.

7 - 28 October | 7pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage £10 | £8 Per Film | £45 Reel Histories Pass, includes complimentary drink

Image Credit: Portrait of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges.

Image Credit: Getty Images Public Domain.

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Young Archivists 12 -16 October | 10am - 6pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | £390

With only 1% of the UK’s heritage workforce identifying as being from diverse backgrounds, this course aims to address the imbalance by equipping participants with the knowledge, skills and confidence to thrive in the industry.

The Young Archivist course is designed to inspire and empower individuals to pursue a fulfilling career in the heritage sector through an engaging and critical exploration of archives and cultural heritage; the programme brings oftenoverlooked perspectives to light. Participants will gain invaluable insights from leading industry experts, fostering the tools necessary to build a meaningful and impactful career in heritage.

Young Archivists includes an introduction to: • O ral histories, archiving, cataloguing, digital archives and curatorial practices.

• Copyright and intellectual property.

• L eadership and changemaking.

• Critical thinking and analysis of gaze.

The course includes trips to museums and galleries to further reflect on heritage from a global and critical perspective. Following completion of Young Archivists participants will be eligible to be part of the alumni scheme, supporting further development and opportunities. Young Archivists is an essential training experience for anyone passionate about culture and history.

The fee includes access to lunch, training programmes, event and exhibition admission throughout the week. Places are limited to ensure a rich and tailored learning experience.

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Young Archivists.

Image Credit: ksyfffka07 / PexelsSerendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage.

The Importance of Portraiture IN CONVERSATION WITH ELVY MORTON AND YVADNEY DAVIS 22 October | 7pm | Leicester Museum and Art Gallery | Pay What You Can

In 2026, Leicester Museum and Art Gallery’s reinvigorated collection of artworks and archival objects will go on display, including the recent acquisition of The Inimitable Mrs Morton, a portrait of Mrs Elvy Morton by Yvadney Davis, commissioned by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage for 100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark.

Elvy Morton is a pillar of Leicester’s Caribbean community. Alongside challenging local organisations to improve Black representation, she has consistently supported education for children and young people. As the founding chair of Leicester Caribbean Carnival, she has helped to shape the cultural calendar of the city.

Yvadney Davis is a Caribbean British contemporary figurative artist from South London. Her work is a love letter to the Windrush Generation of her grandparents and its descendants, combining a love of painting with iconic design elements of the 'West Indian front room' to explore memory, belonging and identity. She was a semi-finalist on Portrait Artist of the Year in 2023 and a recipient of the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Prize in 2025.

To celebrate the portrait in its new permanent home, Pawlet Brookes MBE, CEO and Artistic Director of Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage and the curator behind 100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark brings together Mrs Elvy Morton and Yvadney Davis for a special in conversation to celebrate the portrait’s new permanent home. Together, they reflect on the significance of portraiture in documenting Black British history and why it is essential that galleries and museums continue to add to their collection in order to safeguard the stories of the communities that surround them.

Image Credit: Portrait of Mrs Elvy Morton by Yvadney Davis.

Commissioned for 100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark.

Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage.

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Digital BlackCentric Week 2 - 8 November | Various Times | Online | £35 | Free for Serendipity Connect Members

Digital BlackCentric Week is an annual online event that provides the opportunity to take part in cutting-edge conversations, development and innovative work that utilises technology as a creative tool.

This programme is at the forefront of exploring how new work, thoughts and experiences are redefining what is possible and how it is rapidly transforming industries, education and everyday life. By challenging existing barriers, it creates space to explore both traditional and contemporary concepts while forging a new language and occupying new realms for Black creatives, technologists, researchers and academics.

Digital BlackCentric Week continues to build stronger relationships and networks across organisations in the UK and the international dance sector whilst establishing a living legacy for Black dance.

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Shutterstock.

Image Credit: Dust Project. Photographer Melika Dez.

Black Heritage Voices MAPPING CREOLE WORLDS, DIASPORIC FUTURES AND THE STORIES BRITAIN FORGOT | CONFERENCE 5 November | 10am - 7pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage

Black Heritage Voices is a conference dedicated to uniting professionals from Black communities working across the heritage sector, including archivists, researchers, audience engagement practitioners, community historians, heritage programmers and those in leadership roles.

This year’s theme centres on creole identities, hidden heritage and the after lives of empire, the stories that shaped Britain yet remain marginal, obscured, or selectively omitted from the national record. By mapping creole worlds and the complex cultural exchanges that define African and Caribbean Diasporic experience, the conference interrogates how contemporary Britain continues to negotiate visibility, belonging and power.

We explore how these narratives intersect with neo-colonial realities, where old hierarchies reappear in new forms from funding structures to museological practices and how they shape whose histories are elevated, whose are overlooked and how heritage is framed for public consumption. This lens opens critical conversations about cultural authorship, archival responsibility and the need to reimagine the structures that hold our histories.

Through sessions focusing on creativity, digital innovation, community-led practice and the politics of historical interpretation, Black Heritage Voices invites delegates to challenge dominant perspectives and contribute to a broader shift towards narratives that honour complexity, hybridity and lived experience. The aim is not only to recover what has been forgotten, but to change the gaze, asserting Diasporic stories as central, not peripheral, to Britain’s past, present and future.

The conference will feature talks from esteemed international voices across the sector, including: • P rofessor Verene A Shepherd, world-renowned historian, and one of the Caribbean’s pre-eminent scholars and advocates for gender justice, racial equality and non-discrimination, and reparations. She is currently one of the three vice-chairs of the CARICOM Reparations Commission and previously served as the President of the Association of Caribbean Historians (2006-2009).

• Professor Roshini Kempadoo, media artist, photographer and scholar.

She is Reader with CREAM (Centre for Research and Education in Arts and Media) at Westminster School of Arts, University of Westminster, and is represented by Autograph ABP, London.

• Dr Gabrielle Jamela Hosein, Lecturer and Head of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies at The University of the West Indies and has been involved in Caribbean feminist movement-building for twenty-five years.

• Stella Dadzie, Black British feminist and activist. She is a founding member of the Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent (OWAAD) and a co-author of The Heart of the Race: Black Women's Lives in Britain.

• Michael McMillan, playwright, artist, curator and scholar. Known for the critically acclaimed The Front Room, his interdisciplinary practice centres around the praxis of ‘the creative process, ethnography, oral histories, material culture and performativity’.

Further speakers to be announced.

£135 |£120 | Early Bird (Early Bird Ends 30 June 2026)

Image Credit: izusek / Getty Images

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A Very Serendipity Speakeasy WITH MARCUS JOSEPH 4 December | 7:30pm | Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage | £18 - £20

Step into the festive season with A Very Serendipity Speakeasy, an intimate night of music, cocktails and winter warmth. Join us for an exclusive performance by acclaimed saxophonist and composer Marcus Joseph, whose soulful blend of jazz, Caribbean rhythms and contemporary groove sets the perfect tone for the holidays. Enjoy signature cocktails, relaxed ambience and the smooth sounds of live jazz as we transform the space into a cosy hideaway for one night only. Celebrate the season in style, good music, good company and a touch of Christmas sparkle.

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Marcus Joseph. Photographer Ginny Koppenhol.

Image Credit: Getty Images

Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year January - December | Serendipity and Online | Free

A LIVING PORTRAIT SERIES FROM THE 100 BLACK WOMEN WHO HAVE MADE A MARK EXHIBITION This year-round portrait series transforms the stairway at Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage into a space of visibility, pride and cultural memory.

Drawing from the acclaimed 100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark exhibition, each month highlights a woman whose story has shaped Black British and global Diasporic history, many of whom remain overlooked or undercelebrated in mainstream narratives.

By placing these portraits at the heart of our building, we reaffirm our commitment to making the invisible visible 365 days a year. Each sitter has been carefully selected to align with moments across the cultural calendar: national days of significance, heritage celebrations or Serendipity’s own programming. Together, they form an evolving constellation of leadership, resistance, artistry and enduring impact.

This series is complemented by a rolling programme of short films, released throughout the year to keep these stories in daily circulation and to ensure their legacies reach through physical and digital spaces.

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Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year

JANUARY | CHRISTINE BUCKLEY Portrait by Grace Lee (SOME.GAL) 2026 marks the thirtieth anniversary of Dear Daughter, a powerful documentary in which Christine Buckley paved the way for the recognition and support for the survivors of Ireland’s industrial schools.

FEBRUARY | OLIVE MORRIS Portrait by Gayle Ebose Olive Morris, a queer feminist revolutionary and founder member of the British Black Panthers and Brixton Black Women’s Group is remembered for LGBTQIA + History Month.

MARCH | LEILA HASSAN HOWE Portrait by Yvadney Davis Leila Hassan Howe, a journalist, activist and founding member of the Race Today Collective is recognised for International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month

APRIL | DOREEN LAWRENCE, BARONESS LAWRENCE OF CLARENDON, OBE Portrait by Yvadney Davis Doreen Lawrence is honoured ahead of Stephen Lawrence Day for her exceptional work in justice reform, community empowerment and change-making.

MAY | LEONORA STAPLETON Portrait by Yvadney Davis Championing education, creativity and community development as we move into the summer season of learning and cultural exchange.

JUNE | CLAUDIA JONES Portrait by Grace Lee (SOME.GAL) Claudia Jones is remembered in recognition of Windrush Day. An activist, intellectual and founder of the West Indian Gazette, whose legacy grounds Caribbean British heritage.

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JULY | UNA MARSON Portrait by Lauryn Pinard 2026 marks the ninetieth anniversary of Una Marson’s role as a secretary for the exiled Emperor Haile Selassie I, becoming the first Black woman to attend the League of Nations in Geneva.

AUGUST | GERALDINE CONNOR Portrait by Valerie Asiimwe Amani Coinciding with Emancipation Day and carnival season, Geraldine Connor, the visionary creator of Carnival Messiah, is remembered, honouring creativity, spectacle and Caribbean performance heritage.

SEPTEMBER | PROFESSOR DAME ELIZABETH NNEKA ANIONWU OM DBE FRCN Portrait by Yvadney Davis Professor Dame Elizabeth Nneka Anionwu is the first sickle cell and thalassemia nurse counsellor in the UK and co-founded The Sickle Cell Society in 1979, in recognition of Sickle Cell Anaemia Awareness Month.

OCTOBER | DAME CLEO LAINE DBE, LADY DANKWORTH Portrait by Valerie Asiimwe Amani Black History Month celebrates Dame Cleo Laine, a multifaceted singer, known for her multiple octave vocal range and scat singing, she was a pioneer of jazz in Britain.

NOVEMBER | SELENA CARTY Portrait by Grace Lee (SOME.GAL) In this month of remembrance, the BlackPoppyRose, established by Selena Carty, commemorates the contributions of African, African Caribbean and Indigenous communities in the armed services and as civilians.

DECEMBER | CARMEN BECKFORD MBE Portrait by Gayle Ebose To mark fifty years since the Race Relations Act 1976, which extended the definition of discrimination to include indirect discrimination. Founder of the St Pauls Carnival in Bristol, Carmen Beckford was a trailblazer for race relations in the city as the first Race Relations Officer at Bristol City Council.

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MA in Black British Dance and Performance Begins September 2026

A groundbreaking new Master’s degree, MA Black British Dance and Performance with a key focus on impact, voice and gaze, has officially launched, accredited by Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) and delivered by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage.

This pioneering programme marks a significant milestone in UK higher education, being the first Master’s degree dedicated to centring Black British dance and performance within academic and professional contexts. It provides a vital platform for artists, cultural leaders and researchers to interrogate identity, representation and heritage through the lens of dance.

The MA offers a distinctive blend of practice-based and academic learning.

Students will engage with Serendipity’s Living Archive, explore diverse choreographic practices, and participate in international networks across the African and African Caribbean Diaspora. By drawing together creative practice, critical theory and professional development, the course prepares graduates to become influential voices shaping the future of dance and performance.

Students enrolling in the MA can expect: • Access to leading practitioners and guest lecturers from across the African, African Caribbean and wider Diasporic communities.

• Opportunities to engage with Serendipity’s extensive archive collections and major events such as Let’s Dance International Frontiers (LDIF).

• A curriculum that combines academic rigour with professional development, enabling students to build sustainable careers in the arts, academia and cultural leadership.

• National and international connections, ensuring that graduates are part of a global network of practitioners, thinkers and innovators.

Participation in the full programme for Let’s Dance International Frontiers 2026 or Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School 2026 may count as a percentage of course credit towards modules for the MA in Black British Dance and Performance.

The first cohort set to begin in September 2026. For further information, please contact info@serendipity-uk.com.

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Image Credit: Image Credit: Dust Project 7 Starr by Melika Dez

Resources for Change

Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage: Championing Anti-Racist Education and Diasporic Knowledge Serendipity is dedicated to supporting anti-racist education with a focus on Black British history, dance, arts and culture. Through an expanding portfolio of resources, including podcasts, publications and educational packs, Serendipity addresses gaps in mainstream education by fostering a rich, Diasporic approach to learning. These materials are designed for children, young people, students and self-directed learners, contributing to the decolonisation of education.

Collaborating with schools, colleges and universities, Serendipity engages in meaningful conversations about Black British history. Pawlet Brookes, the organisation’s CEO, frequently delivers keynote lectures, contributes to the Black European Summer School, and serves on advisory panels such as Midlands4Cities. Beyond advocacy, Serendipity offers practical training for archivists, curators and cultural organisations to access and utilise Black history, providing research tools that enhance planning, promotion and audience engagement for both charitable and commercial entities.

Publishing: Amplifying Black Voices As a leading independent publisher, Serendipity shares the expertise of trailblazing Black artists, heritage practitioners and academics. Featuring contributors such as Thomas Talawa Prestø, Dr L'Antoinette Stines, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Eduardo Vilaro, Ronald K. Brown and Kyle Abraham, alongside academics like Professor Stephen Small, Dr Beverley Bryan, Professor Gus John and Gary Younge, Serendipity is recognised as one of the foremost independent publishers of Black dance and culture in the UK and Europe.

Committed to documenting the legacy of pioneers, enriching the cultural narrative, and challenging Eurocentric perspectives, Serendipity continues to inspire and empower future generations through its work in arts and heritage.

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Resources for Change SERENDIPITY'S PUBLICATIONS TO DATE INCLUDE:

BlackInk Colonisation in Reverse: Jean-Léon Destiné Moving Lines: Fifty Reasons to Dance Lost Legends: 30 Years 30 Voices Reflections: Cultural Voices of Black British Irrepressible Resilience 1981 - Black Liverpool Past and Present (Pocket Book) A Wise Monkey Knows Which Tree to Climb (Pocket Book) Souls and Solos, Duets and Dreams (Pocket Book) Hidden Movement: Contemporary Voices of Black British Dance The Forensic Ballerina (Pocket Book) Creolizing Dance in A Global Age Blurring Boundaries: Urban Street Meets Contemporary Dance Black Women in Dance: Stepping Out of The Barriers Invisible Visibility: Diverse Voices Within Inclusive Dance Identity and Choreographic Practice Ancestral Voices: Dance Dialogues Black Dance: A Contemporary Voice My Voice, My Practice: Black Dance Creating Socially Engaged Art: Can Dance Change the World?

In Situ: Responding to Space, Place, People and Time Uncovering the Dance Within: Origins and Authenticity LDIF 10 Years in The Making Camouflage: Embodied Dance Intersections: Diasporic Dialogues As limited-edition print copies and digital eBooks, Serendipity’s publications are now available online, at independent booksellers and through ProQuest with a catalogue record for all titles available at the British Library.

Serendipity-uk.com/shop

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Serendipity Connect Membership JOIN OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY! Serendipity Connect is Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage’s membership scheme that offers a range of exclusive benefits for those who are passionate about Black arts and culture. Members have access to exclusive events, personalised discounts and are the first to hear about unique opportunities and collaborations.

Connect membership benefits include: • 15 - 20% off performances, masterclasses and screenings • A complimentary digital subscription to BlackInk magazine.

• A dedicated e-newsletter with international arts and heritage news • Exclusive invitations to launches and networking events • Discounted room hires at Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage • Access to a growing collection of resources through the Living Archive and reference library By becoming a Connect member, you will be joining a vibrant community of artists, industry leaders and specialists who are dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in arts and heritage. You will have the opportunity to attend meet like-minded people and support Serendipity’s work in promoting Black arts and heritage.

Insider Membership | from £70 per year/£6.50 per month VIP Membership | from £100 per year/£9 per month

serendipity-uk.com/connect

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Spaces for Hire Serendipity offers city-centre space for hire; the spaces are available for a variety of activities within the creative sector. This ranges from board meetings, seminars and screening days to rehearsal and artist residences.

DIALOGUE BOX A flexible and modern space ideal for meetings, training days, events, seminars, workshops and more... Accommodate up to 24 people in a bright and airy boardroom, filled with natural light, that also hosts our reference library.

Facilities: • 65” HD screen, with HDMI and USB connections • Complimentary WIFI.

Half Day | £150 | Charity and Membership Prices | £125 Full Day | £300 | Charity and Membership | from £250

STUDIO BOX A multifunctional and adaptable space that is ideal for seminars, lectures, masterclasses, meetings, conferences, training days, rehearsals, script reading, and much more. Capacity of up to 50 people seated theatre style.

Facilities: • 100” HD screen, with HDMI and airplay connections • Access to basic sound and lighting equipment - avaliable on request • Complimentary WIFI.

Half Day | £200 | Charity and Membership Prices | £150 Full Day | from £400 | Charity and Membership | from £300

HOSPITALITY Serendipity exclusively serves Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee for all hires. Each cup reflects a heritage deeply rooted in Caribbean soil, connecting guests to a lineage of cultivation and care that mirrors Serendipity’s commitment to cultural excellence. A quote can be provided for refreshments and catering, tailored to the requirements of your hire.

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Image Credit: Igor Tavares and Lauryn Pinard in Invisible Power (2023).

Photographer Georgina Payne.

Venues Curve

Leicester Cathedral

Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 3UL

Peacock Lane, Leicester, LE1 5PZ

T: +44(0)116 242 3595 W: www.curveonline.co.uk E: tickets@curvetheatre.co.uk

T: +44(0)116 261 5389 W: www.leicestercathedral.org

Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Herritage

Leicester Museum and Art Gallery

8 Bowling Green Street, Leicester, LE1 6AT T: +44(0)116 482 1394 W: www.serendipity-uk.com E: info@serendipity-uk.com

53 New Walk, Leicester, LE1 7EA T: +44(0)116 454 4554 W: www.leicestermuseums.org

Access Information Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage is committed to ensuring that all are welcome to attend events. A lift has now been installed, giving greater access to the first floor and events in Studio Box. For further information, including venue layouts, details of events with British Sign Language and Audio Description or for marketing materials in accessible formats, please visit www.serendipity-uk.com, email info@serendipity-uk.com or call +44(0)116 482 1394.

Programme Changes All details were correct at the time of print. Whilst every effort will be made to keep to the announced programme, it may be necessary to make changes without notice and in accordance with current government guidelines. Refunds or exchanges will be made at the venue or organiser’s discretion. Please see terms and conditions for further details.

Concessions Where stated, concessions are available to full-time students (with student ID), state pensioners, people with disabilities, unemployed and children under 16.

Please be prepared to provide proof of concessionary status.

Booking Fees A non-refundable booking fee will be added to all new orders where a monetary value is attributed to the ticket price. The booking fee is not included in the advertised ticket price and will be applied to the order at checkout.

The booking fee is exempt from any discount, promotion or offer attached to the advertised ticket price and cannot be removed, discounted, amended or refunded and is exempt from any ticket protection purchase made through Curve or Serendipity.

Terms and Conditions All tickets are sold subject to Curve and Serendipity’s respective Terms and Conditions of Sale and Attendance, which includes the booking fee.

All tickets are exempt from statutory cancellation rights. This means tickets are non-refundable except in the case of a cancelled or rescheduled event, once your purchase has been made and a contract formed.

Please visit www.serendipity-uk.com for full Terms and Conditions.

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Calendar of Events DATE

TIME

EVENT TYPE

VENUE

11 February

7pm

Lecture | In Conversation

Serendipity

January - December

9:30am - 5pm

Exhibition

Serendipity

February - December

9:30am - 5pm

Exhibition

Serendipity

8 March

7pm

Film Screening | In Conversation

Serendipity

29 April

7pm

Dance Performance

Serendipity

30 April

7:30pm

Dance Performance

Leicester Cathedral

1 May

7:30pm

Dance Performance

Serendipity

2 May

7pm

Dinner | Roundtable Discussion

Serendipity

5 May

10am - 7pm

Conference

Serendipity

6 May

10:30am

Dance Masterclass

Curve

6 May

2:30pm

In Conversation

Serendipity

6 May

7:45pm

Dance Performance

Curve

7 May

10:30am

Dance Masterclass

Curve

7 May

2:30pm

In Conversation

Serendipity

7 May

7:30pm

Film

Serendipity

8 May

10:30am

Dance Masterclass

Curve

8 May

2:30pm

In Conversation

Serendipity

8 May

7:45pm

Dance Performance

Curve

9 May

10:30am

Dance Masterclass

Curve

9 May

2:30pm

In Conversation

Serendipity

9 May

7:45pm

Dance Performance

Curve

9 May

10pm

Networking

Serendipity

22 June

7pm

Lecture

Serendipity

13 - 17 July

10am - 6pm

Course

Serendipity

17 July

7pm

Dance Performance

Serendipity

16 September

1pm - 4pm

Open Day

Serendipity

1 October

2pm - 4pm

Symposium

Serendipity

1 October

7:30pm

Music Performance

Leicester Cathedral

7 October

7pm

Film

Serendipity

12 - 16 October

10am - 6pm

Course

Serendipity

14 October

7pm

Film

Serendipity

21 October

7pm

Film

Serendipity

22 October

7pm

In Conversation

Leicester Museum and Art Gallery

28 October

7pm

Film

Serendipity

2 - 8 November

Various (Online)

Online Programme

Online

5 November

10am - 7pm

Conference

Serendipity

4 December

7:30pm

Music Performance

Serendipity

EVENT NAME

PRICE

Scrap It, Revamp It: Do We Still Need Black History Month?

£15 | £12

Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year

Free

Scrap It, Revamp It: 100 Years of Black History Commemorations (1926–2026)

Free

International Women’s Day We The People and in Conversation with Leila Hassan Howe

£15 | £12

LDIF26: Launch

£20 | £18

Océan Brun | Compagnie Kaméléonite

£20 | £18

New Work: Solos and Duets

£18 | £16

Yesterday and Tomorrow: Roundtable Discussion and Dinner

£135

Conference: Reimagining Tomorrow – New Work, Afrofuturism and Technology

£80 | £70 Early Bird

LDIF+ Masterclass: Jamal Callendar

£30

Dance Dialogues: Christopher Rudd

£15

Signatures and the Black British Dance Platform

£20

LDIF+ Masterclass: Javier Torres

£30

Dance Dialogues: Sandra Golding

£15

Dance on Film

£15

LDIF+ Masterclass: Sharon Watson MBE DL

£30

Dance Dialogues: Sonja Dumas

£15

Marks of RED: Shamel Pitts | TRIBE

£22.50 | £18 | £10

Masterclass: Shamel Pitts - Afrofuturism Embodied

£30

Dance Dialogues: People Dancing: Celebrating 40 Years of Black Solidarity

£15

Marks of RED: Shamel Pitts | TRIBE

£22.50 | £18 | £10

Cocktails and Conversation

By Invitation

Annual Windrush Day Lecture

£15 | £12

Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School

£390

Black Dance Uncovered: Participant Sharing

Pay What You Can

Heritage Open Day

Free

Black Classics Symposium

£35

Black History Month Launch: Black Classics In Concert

£20 | £18

Reel Histories: Reclaiming the Narrative

£10 | £8 | £45 Reel Histories Pass

Young Archivists

£390

Reel Histories: Black Women Speak

£10 | £8 | £45 Reel Histories Pass

Reel Histories: Migration and Myth

£10 | £8 | £45 Reel Histories Pass

The Importance of Portraiture In conversation with Elvy Morton and Yvadney Davis

Pay What You Can

Reel Histories: Archive and Intellect

£10 | £8 | £45 Reel Histories Pass

Digital BlackCentric Week

£35

Black Heritage Voices

£135 | £120 Early Bird

A Very Serendipity Speakeasy

£20 | £18

SERENDIPITY INSTITUTE FOR BLACK ARTS AND HERITAGE 8 Bowling Green Street Leicester LE1 6AT Room CL00.14, Clephan Building, De Montfort University, The Gateway Leicester, LE1 9BH

+44(0)116 482 1394  info@serendipity-uk.com  www.serendipity-uk.com

@SerendipityInstituteUK  @SerendipityInstituteUK