Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage

Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage Serendipity – Institute for Black Arts and Heritage
https://linktr.ee/SerendipityInstitute

23/06/2026

Dr Christienna D Fryar is a writer and an independent historian of Britain and the Caribbean. At the heart of her work is the conviction that Britain and its history cannot be understood in isolation from the Caribbean.

Fryar is currently CEO of Mary Seacole House, Liverpool’s leading Mental Health charity for multicultural communities. After 12 years working in universities in North Carolina, Western New York, Liverpool and London, she left academia in April 2023. Her last academic position was at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she was the founding convenor of the MA Black British History, the first taught masters' programme of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Watch the full short film on Serendipity's YouTube channel today by visiting: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wplB20

Be a part of the project and celebrate your story. For further information visit: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wpk9y0

Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year is an exciting initiative led by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage. Each day will showcase a different woman, whose story has shaped Black British or global Diasporic history; many of whom remain overlooked or under-celebrated in mainstream narratives. This will take the form of a rolling programme of short films, released throughout the year to keep these stories in daily circulation and to create an evolving constellation of leadership, resistance, artistry and enduring impact.

There are just three weeks to go until Serendipity's Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School.This unique dance training opp...
23/06/2026

There are just three weeks to go until Serendipity's Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School.

This unique dance training opportunity offers participants both theoretical and technical training with a sharing of their work to take place on the final day.

The course is led by Thomas Talawa Prestø, renowned as the foremost specialist in polycentric dance technique. Prestø is the founder of the internationally celebrated Tabanka Dance Ensemble and the innovator of Talawa Technique™, a fully codified dance method which integrates ancestral movements with contemporary sensibilities, whilst being grounded in an Africognosomatic approach.

13 - 17 July 2026
9.30am - 7pm
Serendipity, Leicester
£390 - payment plans available at checkout

Book your place today by visiting https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wmZXP0

22/06/2026

Sade Popoola, also known as Shadz, is a British-Nigerian illustrator, digital artist and graphic designer whose work celebrates Black identity, creativity and culture. Inspired by a lifelong love of animation, portraiture and storytelling, she creates bold, expressive artwork characterised by vibrant colours, rich textures and minimalist design.

As the founder of Shadz’s Art, Popoola creates prints, accessories and original artwork that highlight the beauty and diversity of the African diaspora. Her work has been featured on a limited-edition Supermalt can through the Design Your Can campaign and exhibited at venues including the Roundhouse and a Mayfair gallery.

Since launching her business in 2021, she has participated in over 20 pop-up events across the UK, building connections through art and community. Whether exhibiting, trading at markets or collaborating with brands, Shadz is passionate about creating meaningful work that inspires pride, sparks conversation and celebrates culture.

Watch the full short film on Serendipity's YouTube channel today by visiting: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wmc_y0

Be a part of the project and celebrate your story. For further information visit: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wmcT90

Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year is an exciting initiative led by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage. Each day will showcase a different woman, whose story has shaped Black British or global Diasporic history; many of whom remain overlooked or under-celebrated in mainstream narratives. This will take the form of a rolling programme of short films, released throughout the year to keep these stories in daily circulation and to create an evolving constellation of leadership, resistance, artistry and enduring impact.

22/06/2026

Victoria Ogunsanya started her career in library services at the British Library straight out of university. Seven years ago, she took the opportunity to pivot into records and archives management and joined the British Library Corporate Archives.

Ogunsanya is currently undertaking an MLitt Archives and Records Management course part-time to obtain an accreditation for career development. Ogunsanya said, "Archives are very special places and hold significance in capturing knowledge, culture and storing memory in a way that can feel intimate on one end of the spectrum and radical on the other. This is what excites me about this profession."

Watch the full short film on Serendipity's YouTube channel today by visiting: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wkZ2K0

Be a part of the project and celebrate your story. For further information visit: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wkYy40

Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year is an exciting initiative led by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage. Each day will showcase a different woman, whose story has shaped Black British or global Diasporic history; many of whom remain overlooked or under-celebrated in mainstream narratives. This will take the form of a rolling programme of short films, released throughout the year to keep these stories in daily circulation and to create an evolving constellation of leadership, resistance, artistry and enduring impact.

20/06/2026

Maia Watkins is a proud survivor and thriver of a life-changing brain injury journey. Through her own healing path, she discovered the transformative power of Reiki, Sound healing and other holistic modalities. Now, as a certified Reiki and Sound Practitioner and founder of Maia True Living, she is on a mission to share the healing light that has guided her towards peace, harmony and recovery.

Watkins is also a spoken word poet and author of ‘The Dressing Gown Poet: Life. Loss. Love'. She won best female spoken word poet 2024 for the Wordplay and Flow Awards. Watkins has also performed for Sofar Sounds London and Kingston Night Market in Jamaica doing poetry. Her poetry book can also be found in the National Library of Jamaica.

Watch the full short film on Serendipity's YouTube channel today by visiting: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wjRWM0

Be a part of the project and celebrate your story. For further information visit: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wjSfZ0

Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year is an exciting initiative led by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage. Each day will showcase a different woman, whose story has shaped Black British or global Diasporic history; many of whom remain overlooked or under-celebrated in mainstream narratives. This will take the form of a rolling programme of short films, released throughout the year to keep these stories in daily circulation and to create an evolving constellation of leadership, resistance, artistry and enduring impact.

19/06/2026

Jenny Williams BEM is a strategic inclusion consultant with 30-years experience in the UK arts, cultural and heritage sector. She is Founder of Take the Space, an arts and heritage consultancy she has led for 20-years, working with organisations to embed inclusive practice into their foundations. In 2025 Jenny launched Take the Space Training, a pioneering digital platform that makes 30-years of specialist expertise available to the wider sector for the first time.

Williams' career includes Fundraiser for English Touring Opera, Education Director for The Kiln Theatre (formerly The Tricycle), where she ran participation programmes reaching over 20,000 children and young people a year. Culture lead for two Local Authorities, Head of Diversity at Arts Council England, where she led the roll-out of the sector's first ever race equality scheme across 9 regions. As CEO of Revoluton Arts in Luton, Williams grew what began as a project into an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, and as a result of her work, she was awarded a BEM for services to culture through the pandemic.

Williams is a Clore Fellow, an elected Borough Councillor, Regional Council Member for Arts Council England South East, and consultant for the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Watch the full short film on Serendipity's YouTube channel today by visiting: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wjRkD0

Be a part of the project and celebrate your story. For further information visit: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wjRZq0

Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year is an exciting initiative led by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage. Each day will showcase a different woman, whose story has shaped Black British or global Diasporic history; many of whom remain overlooked or under-celebrated in mainstream narratives. This will take the form of a rolling programme of short films, released throughout the year to keep these stories in daily circulation and to create an evolving constellation of leadership, resistance, artistry and enduring impact.

18/06/2026

Today we remember Bessie Coleman, who is best known for becoming the first Black woman to obtain an international pilots license.

Coleman's dream for becoming an aviator began after she had to drop out of school, due to the unaffordability of the tuition. Bessie ended up moving to Chicago and working as a manicurist. When her brother returned from fighting in France during World War I, he explained the greater freedom women across the waters experiences and even spoke of female pilots. Upon being rejected from flight schools in the US, Coleman travelled internationally to study stunt piloting in France. From there her flying dreams became a reality.

Watch the full short film on Serendipity's YouTube channel today by visiting: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wggr50

Be a part of the project and celebrate your story. For further information visit: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wgbWr0

Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year is an exciting initiative led by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage. Each day will showcase a different woman, whose story has shaped Black British or global Diasporic history; many of whom remain overlooked or under-celebrated in mainstream narratives. This will take the form of a rolling programme of short films, released throughout the year to keep these stories in daily circulation and to create an evolving constellation of leadership, resistance, artistry and enduring impact.

Early bird ticket sales for the Black Heritage Voices 2026 conference ends on 30 June.Black Heritage Voices is a confere...
18/06/2026

Early bird ticket sales for the Black Heritage Voices 2026 conference ends on 30 June.

Black Heritage Voices is a conference dedicated to uniting professionals working across the heritage sector, including archivists, researchers, audience engagement practitioners, community historians, heritage programmers and those in leadership roles.

This year’s theme centres on creole identities, hidden heritage and the after lives of empire, the stories that shaped Britain yet remain marginal, obscured, or selectively omitted from the national record. By mapping creole worlds and the complex cultural exchanges that define African and Caribbean Diasporic experience, the conference interrogates how contemporary Britain continues to negotiate visibility, belonging and power.

Speakers for Black Heritage Voices 2026:

Professor Verene A Shepherd
Dr Stella Dadzie
Dr Michael McMillan
Professor Stephen Small
Dr Bob Ramdhanie
Dr Kwame Nimako
Professor Roshini Kempadoo

Black Heritage Voices 2026
Thursday 5 November 2026
10.00am - 7.00pm
Serendipity, Leicester, UK
£135 | £120 Early Bird

Book now at https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wdpgr0

17/06/2026

Jenni Asiama describes herself as someone who loves to travel and finds joy helping others. Through her role as Business and Enterprise Communications Manager for Richmond and Wandsworth Councils, Asiama created Wandsworth Business Enterprise Week which eventually grew to Business Enterprise Month. A legacy of this initiative was Women's Enterprise Day which welcomes acclaimed female founders for panel discussions, talks and workshops.

Throughout the year Asiama also works on events for Black History Month, Wandsworth African Caribbean food month, Wandsworth Women's Enterprise Awards and many other national and internationally recognised appreciation days, weeks and months.

Watch the full short film on Serendipity's YouTube channel today by visiting: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wdKpF0

Be a part of the project and celebrate your story. For further information visit: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wdJFX0

Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year is an exciting initiative led by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage. Each day will showcase a different woman, whose story has shaped Black British or global Diasporic history; many of whom remain overlooked or under-celebrated in mainstream narratives. This will take the form of a rolling programme of short films, released throughout the year to keep these stories in daily circulation and to create an evolving constellation of leadership, resistance, artistry and enduring impact.

Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School is back for 2026 and only a few weeks away!This unique dance training programme off...
16/06/2026

Black Dance Uncovered: Summer School is back for 2026 and only a few weeks away!

This unique dance training programme offers the opportunity to engage in both theoretical and technical training and is aimed at providing vital skills in professional performance practice. The programme is centred on a holistic model of focused dance technique, socio-cultural and historical knowledge and unapologetic creative expression.

The course is led by Thomas Talawa Prestø, renowned as the foremost specialist in polycentric dance technique and the innovator of Talawa technique™.

LIMITED AVAILABILITY | Find out more and book your place today by visiting: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wbF6V0

Address

8 Bowling Green Street
Leicester
LE16AS

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 10am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 5:30pm
Thursday 10am - 5:30pm
Friday 10am - 5:30pm
Saturday 10am - 5:30pm
Sunday 10am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+441164821394

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organisation

Send a message to Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage:

Shortcuts

Share