MELAN8 FESTIVAL | MELAN8 2025

Melan8 Festival is a celebration of Black Arts and Culture, focused on the themes and intersections of Common/Unity and Community.

This year, the festival will take place at St Mary's Guildhall on Saturday 29 March 2025 and will celebrate, explore and engage with Black culture and community through articulated thought and artistic expression including panels, keynotes, live music, live singing, dance, poetry and book readings, comedy, an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony, professional development workshops on creative writing, theatrical direction and publishing, tours and audio, arts and crafts for children (plus a face painter and glitter tattooist) and a few surprises too! 

Melan8 holds space for displaced peoples to explore place making and personal narratives, through presentation and performance, whilst educating, entertaining and engaging diverse audiences.

Contributors to Melan8, now in its third year, includes former Birmingham Poet Laureate Casey Bailey, comedian Smash Hesson, singer and broadcaster, Letitia George, More Than A Moment Founder Elizabeth Lawal,  Warwick Arts Centre CEO & Artistic Director Doreen Foster, Eloquent Dance Founder Romanah Buchanan, Legacy COE CEO Keith Shayaam-Smith, Publishing Guru Marcia M Spence, acclaimed artistic director and artist Jamal Gerald and many more!

More information at www.weusi.org.uk/MELAN82025 (full listings will be published on Instagram @wesuiltd).

MELAN8 FESTIVAL | ST. MARY'S GUILDHALL, COVENTRY | 11AM-7PM, SATURDAY 29 MARCH
GREAT HALL: Panels, keynotes, live music, comedy, DJs, live singing, dance, group discussions
DRAPERS ROOM: Workshops on Creative Writing (3hrs), Publishing (45mins), Theatrical Direction (45mins) and Kizomba Dance (45mins) (places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis)
MEDIEVAL KITCHEN: Book Fayre with readings and a children's face painter and glitter tattooist
FILM ROOM: Award-winning film, plus an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony
MUNIMENT ROOM: Starting point for Site Tours (30mins) or Frederick Douglass Audio Tours (40mins)
MERCERS ROOM: Arts and Crafts for Children (all children must be accompanied by an adult)


GO CV MEMBERS WILL REQUIRE ACCESS CODES TO ACCESS SPECIAL RATES.
Festival workshops are available on a first-come, first-served basis.