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Celebrating Coventry Welcomes Week 2021

We've partnered with Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 on three events taking place from Mon 14 - Sun 20 June

This year, we’re celebrating Coventry Welcomes by supporting three events in partnership with Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. Taking place between Mon 14 – Sun 20 June, the events include a large-scale outdoor performance piece in Swanswell Park at the end of the week.

Coinciding with Refugee Week 2021, Coventry Welcomes offers a chance to explore the lives of those seeking sanctuary and those who have welcomed them throughout the generations.

As a Theatre of Sanctuary since 2017, we are committed to welcoming and celebrating migrants, refugees and those seeking sanctuary in the UK.

On Tues 15 June, we premiere We Walk Together, a film created by the Sharing Cultures group – a partnership between the Belgrade and Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre.

We “walk” together each Tuesday when we gather to share our thoughts, our creativity and our cultures. We walk with others as we explore our city of Coventry.

Supported by Coventry UK City of Culture 2021, We Walk Together is funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).

Watch We Walk Together here from Tues 15 June at 11am. The film will be available throughout the week.

Captioning is available. Suitable for all ages.

On Sat 19 June at 7:30pm, REWIND takes place on our B2 stage.

Adapted from fact-based stories of resistance, REWIND is inspired by testimonies from refugees whose lives were affected by dictatorship in Latin America in the 1970s. The 30-minute largely non-verbal work-in-progress will be followed by a post-show discussion.

Far below the ground, deep down under this earth we walk on, are unheard voices. Can you hear them rising to the surface?

Part of Warwick Arts Centre’s Resonate Festival, REWIND is presented by immigrant-led physical theatre company Ephemeral Ensemble, in partnership with the Belgrade. REWIND will perform to an already sold-out audience.

Finally, on Sun 20 June, Stand and Be Counted Theatre present Can You Hear Me, Now? in Swanswell Park from 1-2pm.

The large-scale outdoor performance is an immersive and joyous experience, made with and for the people of Coventry. Expect live music, dance, spoken word and storytelling.

Can You Hear Me, Now? is commissioned by Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 and presented in partnership with the Belgrade Theatre and Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre.

Can You Hear Me, Now? is also now sold-out.

“Whilst continuing to build our longer term relationships with existing communities, we want to open our doors to newly-arriving communities to share their stories and build understanding. We look forward to the challenges and inspiration that come with this. A theatre is a space for dialogue within the city and celebrating both our differences and our shared humanity.”

– Justine Themen, Belgrade Theatre's Co-Artistic Director for 2021