BLM Fest to Take Place at Somerset House

BLM Fest celebrates black narratives through the arts, activism, education, sports, joy, conversations, and healing

The BLM Fest event is set to take place at Somerset House on Saturday, October 22nd. They’ll have a wide array of activities, including an evening of exhibitions by the artist DYLEMA. These include the Black Portrait Archive Exhibition and curated works focused on diaspora and portraying the stories of melanin people, focusing on Africans living outside Africa. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.

The Dylema Collective is also set to stage a 90-minute headline performance of contemporary Jazz, Poetry, and Soulful harmonies to shake mind, soul and body. Their live music theatre will be performed from 19:00 to 22:30. Their name is an acronym: Do You, Let Every Man Adapt.

The Black Portrait Gospel will be hosted by Dylema, from 11:00 to 17:00, with free admission. Her Black Portrait Gospel exhibition will feature curated works and portrait collections of Black British service providers, with a detailed story of each individual’s personal journey in Britain. 

© BLM Fest

Dylema was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and weaves into her art the experience of her Igbo culture and her British experience. As an Igbo diasporan living in the western hemisphere, Dylema focuses on telling the story of melanin people: both in Africa and out of Africa. Her art is mostly expressed through portraiture and live performance.

BLM Fest redefines what we think when hearing Black Lives Matter. It provides Black people with voices and insight into their visions and aspirations. From those with an international following to grassroots activists, BLM Fest will establish a global network of Black cultural producers and change-makers.

BLM Fest was founded by Kayza Rose, a Black woman with the mission to centre Black lives and Black voices in one organization. They invite everyone to take part in a model of cultural production fairly compensating Black people for their ideas, time and labour. They believe Black creativity should be enjoyed by everyone, and not treated as a niche market, as is the case of mainstream institutions and businesses. 

BLM Fest is shaped by Black people of a wide range of ages, here because of the contributions of those who came before and the passion and energy of the new generations.

For more information on BLM Fest presents: DYLEMA, visit BLM Fest’s website here.