Re:Discover Festival celebrates African and Caribbean heritage in British culture at The Bridgewater Hall

On Fri 7 and Sat 8 Jun, Re:Discover Festival brings an uplifting and wondrously eclectic two-day programme of music, theatre, storytelling, song, dance and art to The Bridgewater Hall, in celebration of African and Caribbean heritage and its impact on contemporary British culture.

Taking place across Manchester, London and Nottingham, Re:Discover draws on the inspirational resolve of classical composers like French Revolutionary Joseph Bologne and British abolitionist Ignatius Sancho to honour the African and Caribbean communities’ contributions to Britain’s artistic evolution.

From 6pm on Friday, the festival programme focuses on the remarkable tale of Ignatius Sancho, a titanic composer, writer and ‘man of letters’ who was born on a slave ship and overcame profound adversity to become a revered figure in 18th century London, as well as the first black person to vote in Britain. Following a pre-concert talk, the evening begins with The Rescue: Escape the Dream, a short opera co-created by Streetwise’s weekly workshops, before author, librettist and legendary Peep Show star Paterson Joseph delivers his monologue Sancho & Me, a part-improvised piece which interrogates ideas of belonging, education, slavery, violence and politics, each interwoven with Joseph’s personal experiences as a Black Briton. Afterwards, afro-futurist artist Lavender Rodriguez adds their own exploration of identity with an arresting post-show performance. Tickets are available from £10 here.

Beginning at 11am on Saturday, Re:Discover invites visitors to embark on a thrilling musical journey with A Family Adventure in Opera, an action-packed day of music and storytelling for ages 7 and above. Commencing with a set of workshops spanning song, storytelling and dance across the foyer spaces alongside a live performance from steel pan band Jamsalana, the family-friendly afternoon includes an interactive event which promises to ‘ignite the imagination’ through the joy of songwriting and storytelling, alongside a series of performances by festival director Abigail Kelly alongside members of Streetwise Opera. A Family Adventure in Opera is free, but a ticket is required – grab yours here.

At 7pm, the Jazz Jamaica All Stars round off an unforgettable festival with an irresistible selection of Trojan Record classics, as ‘one of the UK’s leading good-time bands’ (The Independent) celebrate the sounds of Jamrock with an energetic live concert at The Bridgewater Hall.

Alongside Jazz Jamaica’s inimitable fusion of mento, ska, reggae, native folksongs and jazz in both classic and modern forms, the concert features a performance by a community choir assembled by The Bridgewater Hall.

Tickets are available from £24 here.

Find out more about Re:Discover Festival via The Bridgewater Hall website.