Bristol Beacon to host all-day celebration of city’s refugee and asylum seeker community

An all-day celebration of Bristol’s refugee and asylum seeker community is set to be held in the city. 

The 'landmark' event at Bristol Beacon on January 28 will fill the space with music, dance, poetry, puppetry and crafts.  

Attendees of Be Kind Bristol can expect to encounter ‘sounds, colour, stories and ideas from all over the world’.  

Throughout the afternoon there will be performances, exhibitions and creative sharings.

There will also be family craft activities and a chance to delve into a ‘human library’, in which attendees can sit down and chat to a host of people with stories to tell. 

The day culminates in the world-premiere of Odyssey by Jonathan Dove with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO), City of Bristol Choir, Bristol Youth Choir and Bristol Windrush Reggae Choir.

The new music-drama tells the dramatic story of one refugee fleeing their home to find safety in another country.  

Bristol Beacon has also partnered with Bristol City of Sanctuary for the event, to produce a specially composed piece of music to open the concert.

Todd Wills, artistic director at Bristol Beacon said: “We’re excited to be finally be giving Odyssey its premiere, having commissioned the work in 2016. 

“The subject matter of the mass movement of people seeking sanctuary is as pertinent now as it has ever been, and Jonathan’s emotional and moving work brings the real stories of those who have made dangerous journeys to seek safety into vivid focus. 

“We knew that it was vital that those with lived experience were central to this event, and that’s why we’ve partnered with Bristol’s refugee and asylum seeker community to programme Be Kind Bristol. 

“It’s going to be a wonderful celebration of everything this diverse community of people bring to our city, and we hope audiences will come, make new connections and be inspired by everything they experience at Be Kind Bristol.” 

Be Kind Bristol has been planned collaboratively with a steering group comprising several members of Bristol’s refugee and asylum seeker community, who speak 12 different languages between them.

The event’s theme and title, Be Kind, was put forward by the group as a call to action to all, 'to be open-hearted and non-judgemental when they encounter people who seek sanctuary'.    

Be Kind Bristol takes place from 12-4.30pm at Bristol Beacon and is free and unticketed. Tickets for the performance of Odyssey at 5pm in Beacon Hall cost £10, £20 and £30 including booking fee. For more information and tickets, visit https://bristolbeacon.org/whats-on/be-kind-bristol/.