Black British Music Symposium

How can the concept of "Black British Music" be reframed or reimagined to better capture the diversity and complexity of Black musical experiences in Britain? What role should national institutions, such as the British Library, play in preserving and promoting Black British Music? And how can collaborations and partnerships between institutions, researchers, artists, and communities be leveraged to advance the understanding, appreciation, and impact of Black British Music?

Black British Music: Past, Present and Futures is an interdisciplinary symposium that reflects on the meaning, histories and legacies of Black British music. The symposium forms part of a broader partnership project between the British Library and the University of Westminster’s Black Music Research Unit (BMRU). Culminating in the first major exhibition on Black British Music, Beyond the Bassline: 500 years of Black British Music, the partnership aims to research and curate national collections relating to Black musical experiences in Britain in a way that engages with broader conversations on British popular culture and Black histories.

Tickets are priced £28 where paid for by an academic institution. Individual rates are £15 full price, or £7.50 for students and under 26s. 

Tickets include the day symposium with refreshments and a sandwich lunch, as well access to the Beyond the Bassline exhibition at a special evening party event running from 18:30 – 21:30 Carnival Warmup and SocaSpecial with live performance by Triniboi Joocie plus DJs, costume and conversation. Curated by Lin Kam Art. 

PROGRAMME (speakers and sessions may be subject to change)

09:30                Registration

Supported by the University of Westminster