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THE DRUM SUMMIT & Soulfires

Press Release

Immediate Release:

Drum Summit: Who is Afraid of The Hood?

Sensationalist press headlines have stigmatised Britain’s inner-city areas as being plagued by an epidemic of gangs, knives and Black-on-Black violence. People living in inner cities are seen as either culprits or victims, undermining the fact that many individuals and agencies have been working on the ground to bring about positive social change.

Birmingham statistics actually show a downturn of youth related crime, however, every murder is still one too many and research carried out by the Ministry of Justice finds that violent crime carried out by children and teenagers across Britain has gone up by a third in only three years. Channel 4’s Dispatches states ‘…gang and knife attacks on Britain’s streets [hav a death toll comparable to that of our troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.’

Seeking to address the key issues raised by The Drum’s Creative Hood season of programmed events and activities, The Drum will be holding an informative and relevant summit on Sat 12 Jul at . The summit will bring together a diverse and representative panel, featuring Suzette Davonport (Assistant Chief Constable, West Midlands Police), Kirk Dawes (Managing Director, West Midlands Mediation and Transformation Service), Marc Edwards (Managing Director, Young Disciples), Mike Royal (Coordinator, Birmingham Street Pastors), Mashuq Ally – tbc (Head of Equalities and Diversity, Birmingham City Council) and family speakers who have been affect by gang, gun or knife crime.

The summit will examine the context in which the ‘gangs, guns and Black-on-Black violence’ debate is taking place, discuss the impact on families and communities and consider the role that community organisations, agencies and artists play in bringing about positive change.

The Drum summit will also provide people in the region with the opportunity to challenge some of the negative stigmas and stereotypes associated with inner city neighbourhoods and give voice to the creative potential and talents emanating from these areas.

Soulfires: Word From The Hood

Sat 12 Jul at also sees The Drum’s commission Soulfires: Word From The Hood, an emotional and captivating fusion of spoken word and lyrical flavas. The engaging production features seven spirits – struggle, love, peace, unity, wisdom, spirit and hope. One by one each spirit confronts the community with a pressing tale of what went before and what changes need to be made to ensure survival. Seeking to question the demise of a community and deepen our understanding of the inner city experiences, Soulfires will force you to wrestle with the moral dilemma of retribution versus reconciliation.

Written and performed by a group of talented young artists alongside poet and writer Martin Glynn, Soulfires offers an inspirational ending to The Drum Creative Hood season.

Book your tickets now! Individual tickets are £3 (£2) for The Drum Summit and £5 (£3) for Soulfires: Word From The Hood. Joint Tickets for both events are £6 (£4). Call the Box Office 0121 333 2444 to book tickets or log on to www.the-drum.org.uk for more information.

Ends

MEDIA CONTACTS: Sati Parmar on 0121 333 2404 or e-mail: s.parmar@the

drum.org.uk or Katie Reid on 0121 333 2421 or e-mail k.reid@the-drum.org.uk

Notes to Editors: –

1. The Drum’s Creative Hood season seeks to explore, through art and cultural activities contemporary Black experiences emanating from Britain’s inner cities.

2. Soulfires: Word From The Hood is commissioned by The Drum and features: Daniel Wilson, Rhian Bhatoe, Abdula Bustamio Khir, Daniel Anderson, Seray Morka, Mohamed A Shariff, Keisha Thompson, Laura Bibb, Pelego Powell and Joshua Bailey.