Rise Up!, a weekend festival celebrating Black and People of Colour creatives in Aberdeen and Scotland, returns next month for its second year with a host of events at Music Hall and The Lemon Tree.
Curated by We Are Here Scotland and commissioned by Aberdeen Performing Arts, Rise Up! will take place on May 5 and 6 with an exciting programme of unity, creativity and expression.
Aberdeen Performing Arts’ Head of Creative Engagement, Susan Whyte, said “We are delighted to be continuing our fantastic partnership with We Are Here Scotland and presenting the second Rise Up! Festival in May. The weekend will feature performances which showcase superbly talented artists, and discussions, workshops and talks which seek to explore how we can collectively improve inclusion and relevance for Black and POC artists and audiences.”
“I'm pleased that for another year We Are Here Scotland is working in partnership with our friends at Aberdeen Performing Arts to produce our second Rise Up Festival,” says We Are Here Scotland founder and director Ica Headlam. “Last year we were able to provide a platform for a multitude of artists and creatives from our community. And this year's festival is a continuation of everything we developed last year, whilst also highlighting the importance of providing a platform for Black and PoC artists and creatives from the North East of Scotland and further afield. Our platform’s aim is to amplify Black and PoC creatives across Scotland, but we also welcome all to participate, learn and engage.”
The festival boasts some firsts in its programme including a Cabaret kicking weekend performances off on Friday, May 5. It features a diverse array of performances, including poetry from acclaimed Scottish writer and performer Courtney Stoddart and a comedy set from the hilarious Safeena Rashid. Also on the line-up is the celebrated Egyptian playwright Sara Shaarawi and international talent Dorine Mugisha, who will be performing a dance piece.
The Music Hall’s Coda Café will be open throughout for refreshments between events.
Information for all events taking place during Rise Up! will be available at www.aberdeenperformingarts.com
with tickets available online, at the Music Hall and His Majesty’s Theatre box offices or by phone at 01224 641122.