Events
We believe in the importance of community. Find events to engage with in your local area - by EU citizens, for EU citizens.
We share information about community events across the UK - organised by charities, civil society organisations and institutions.
Would you like your event to be featured? Submit your own event!
The Baby Meetup
Hello everyone ,
Welcome to 'Le meetup des bébés', a local French baby club for children 0-2. Games, books and songs on the program! It will also be an opportunity to share our experiences, exchange tips and have a good time together.
The meetup
Meet at the Abney Park Community Room on Tuesday, January 7 , from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
The community room is located at the entrance to the park on Stoke Newington High street, next to the Abney Park Cafe. Follow the path on the right which leads to a gate behind which you can leave your pushchair.
See you soon,
Lara
P.S. All levels of French are welcome - francophones, francophiles, froggies and frenchies
PPS We also have a WhatsApp group that you can join here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/EnFKW5uWemBAXN0W6HN4gd
To book your free ticket, click here.
Le French Meet Up in Cambridge!
Join us on Thursday 9th of January at the Grape Britannia, from 7 pm until your French vocabulary runs out.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us. Bring your best smile, your good mood.... and that's it.
We look forward to meeting you!
To book your free ticket, click here.
From Kazakhstan to Kilkeel - the story of the Sekules family
The Northern Ireland War Memorial in partnership with the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) would like to invite you to a talk by Csilla Toldy and Esther Bloch, to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.
This talk is based on the illustrated book, Enemy Alien - Walter’s Journey Through Adversity (2024), written by Csilla Toldy and published by the Light Theatre Company CIC.
The book tells the story of the late Walter Sekules, a Holocaust survivor from Austria. Walter arrived in Northern Ireland with his family in 1947 aged seven years old. A few years later, Edith, his mother, was offered an opportunity to start a business and established, ‘Kilkeel Dancing Hose’, at times employing a hundred women.
Walter’s sister, Esther, will be joining Csilla for the talk and giving an account of the development of the business and the family’s years in Kilkeel.
Enemy Alien - Walter’s Journey Through Adversity was published with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
This event is onsite at PRONI only.
To find out more and book your free ticket, click here.
Women’s Empowerment Group: Redditch
Women’s Empowerment Group: A Safe Space for Empowerment, Connection, and Growth in Redditch
Welcome to our Women’s Empowerment Group in Redditch, a nurturing and supportive community where Central and Eastern European women come together to share, connect, and grow. In this inclusive and welcoming space, we celebrate the rich diversity of womanhood, honour our unique cultural experiences, and empower one another to reach our full potential.
During our workshops, participants will engage in storytelling and poetry that highlight the unique strengths and “superpowers” of women from our region. Following this, we will gather for a short gratitude and heart-centred meditation to centre ourselves and cultivate inner peace, with a focus on how our cultural heritage influences our sense of self.
Women will have the opportunity to share what they are grateful for, fostering a collective atmosphere of positivity. This will be followed by a “Gratitude Dance,” inspired by the uplifting spiritual songs of Karen Drucker, where we express our thanks through movement and connection, celebrating both our shared experiences and new beginnings in Redditch.
Participants will also enjoy organic teas infused with intention, encouraging mindfulness and reflection. Additionally, you’ll have the chance to craft your own goal-setting or mindset bracelets, serving as a personal reminder of your journey towards growth and empowerment in your new environment.
Benefits of the Women’s Empowerment Group in Redditch:
Enhance Well-being: Improve your well-being by connecting with other Central and Eastern European women in Redditch, learning, and growing together while developing a strong sense of self and purpose.
Improve Social Connections: Build new friendships and strengthen social ties within the Birmingham community, specifically among women who share similar cultural backgrounds.
Promote Belonging: Experience a deep sense of community and belonging through shared cultural experiences and supportive interactions.
Support Mental Health: Participate in workshops designed to create a safe and nurturing environment where women can support each other’s mental health and explore intentional habits relevant to both our cultural roots and life in Redditch.
Our workshop is about empowering women through creativity and shared cultural experiences. By participating, you will have the opportunity to share your unique perspectives, enhance your well-being, and foster a deeper sense of belonging within a diverse community.
This project is proudly funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
To book your free ticket, click here.
Black Europe event: Keon West on The Science of Racism
About the Event
Join us for an enlightening talk with Professor Keon West, who will delve into the science of racism. Building on the eye-opening research featured in his upcoming book The Science of Racism: Everything You Need to Know but Probably Don’t—Yet, West will discuss the profound and sometimes surprising ways racism continues to impact our society. This event will offer a science-based approach to understanding racism, tackling polarising questions and misinformation with rigorous research and refreshing clarity.
Drawing on decades of research, West will challenge common assumptions and reveal hidden truths about racism in society, from disparities in hiring practices to the financial costs faced by Black individuals online. His insights, as featured in his latest book, The Science of Racism, published by Picador, promise to be shocking and illuminating. Picador, Pan Macmillan's literary imprint known for its rigorous and impactful nonfiction, has brought this groundbreaking work to a broad audience.
This event will feature Professor Keon West's presentation, an engaging conversation, and a Q&A session, chaired by Lasana Harris, Professor of Social Neuroscience and Vice-Dean International at the UCL Division of Psychology & Language Sciences.
About the Speaker
Keon West
Professor Keon West is an acclaimed social psychologist and President of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. He has received numerous awards for his contributions to research, teaching, media, and social activism. Known for his work on prejudice, sexual orientation, and sexual health, he has appeared widely as an expert commentator, including on BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4, and Channel 4. His latest book, The Science of Racism, presents groundbreaking insights that offer a fresh, science-backed perspective on race, prejudice, and inequality.
To book your free ticket, click here.
Crossing Borders: Displacement and Hope
We're delighted to present an afternoon of poetry and prose by Scotland-based migrant writers and the editors of 'the other side of hope'. Join the conversation about humanity, movement and literature.
"Essential, illuminating and powerful … 'the other side of hope' brings to light the lives that the world often prefers to ignore." - Junot Díaz, Pulitzer Prize Winner
About the publication
'the other side of hope' is a migrant-led, independent, non-affiliated, not-for-profit publication and the home of the migrant writers and poets of the world.
Header image: Art by Fatemeh Takht-Keshian.
To book your free ticket, click here.
Herefordshire Community Partnership
Join us for the Herefordshire Community Partnership
Agenda Coming Soon!
The voluntary and community sector play an extremely important role in improving the lives and wellbeing of the Herefordshire population and this has been shown by the exceptional collaborative working during the pandemic. As the county moves forwards a new landscape for health and care services is emerging, known as the Integrated Care System (ICS) which focuses on partnerships at a place (Herefordshire) level.
The Community Partnership launched on 8th September 2021 and its aims are to create a vibrant forum for the public, formal health and care services, and voluntary and community sector organisations to work in partnership to ensure that services are delivered in the best way possible.
To learn more about the Herefordshire Community Partnership and to catch up on past events:
https://herefordshirecommunitypartnership.co.uk/
To book your free ticket, click here.
Lecture: Exhibiting Irishness: Empire, Race and Nation, c.1850-1970
Abstract: In this talk, Shahmima traces multiple constructions of Irish identity in national and international displays between the 1850s and 1960s as Ireland moved from a colonial to an independent, globally-connected state. She sketches how Irish businesses and labourers, the elite organisers of the fairs and successive Irish governments curated Irishness over successive decades. The paper demonstrates how the central malleability of Irish identity on display emerged in tandem with the unfolding of Ireland’s political transformation from a colony of the British Empire, a migrant community in the United States, to a divided Ireland in the form of the Republic and Northern Ireland, a separation that continues today. As a cultural history of Irish identity, Shahmima argues that exhibitions were a formative platform for imagining a host of Irish pasts, presents and futures. And the paper will show how Fair organisers responded to the contexts of famine and poverty, migration and diasporic settlement, independence movements and partition, as well as post-colonial nation building in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
About the speaker: Dr Shahmima Akhtar is a lecturer in History at the University of Birmingham and is a historian of race, migration and empire. Her monograph: Exhibiting Irishness: Empire, Race and Identity, 1850s to 1960s came out over summer with Manchester University Press. Shahmima has formerly worked as Past and Present Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Royal Historical Society which involved actively embedding the Race, Ethnicity, Equality Working Group’s (REEWG) strategy and policy to improve BME representation in UK History, whether working with schools and the curriculum, cultural institutions, community groups or other learned societies. She has worked closely with museums and heritage sites as a researcher and consultant on shaping histories of the British Empire that are relevant to today’s populace. Overall, Shahmima is committed to researching migrant histories and thinking through their presentation in historic or contemporary visual platforms.
Venue: The Coop Lecture Theatre, MB0312, Minerva Building in the University of Lincoln’s Brayford Pool campus.
Talks start at 6.15pm, with refreshments served from 5.45.
Branch membership: £20 per year for all talks. Talks free to national HA members, students, teachers and university staff. Visitors: £4.
Branch website: https://cityoflincolnbranchha.wordpress.com/ (Twitter: @cityoflincolnha)
CLP - Not Just in Outer Space: A story of 'aliens' in Nationality Law
Speaker: Professor Devyani Prabhat (University of Bristol)
Chair: Lord David Lloyd-Jones (The Supreme Court)
About the lecture
The idea of aliens in the immigration context is widespread. The word ‘aliens’ is found in immigration and nationality legislation as well as case law in various countries including the UK and USA. Why is this so? Was it not sufficient to call ‘outsiders’ foreigners or non-citizens? What does this concept of ‘alien’ mean in nationality law? Are there many kinds of ‘aliens’? This lecture will look into the historical origins of the term and its subsequent conceptual development and impact on global migration through analysis of case law and archival material. It will also unpack the recent controversies in the use of the term ‘alien’ such as the efforts of the Biden administration to remove the word in US nationality processes as well as the use of the term in a pejorative manner in politics. Is this now an antiquated word reflective of past values which should become extinct in modern nationality and citizenship contexts or does it still have a pragmatic (or symbolic) purpose not quite served by other terminology? In the age of multiple-nationality and existing free/ permitted movement regimes, perhaps an alien is just one we are yet to encounter in outer space, but we mistake for one of our own shared humanity in the meanwhile. This lecture is the story of such human ‘aliens’ in nationality law.
About the speaker
Professor Devyani Prabhat is a Professor of Law at University of Bristol Law School, UK, with research interests in migration law and citizenship and with legal practice experience in constitutional law. She is an ESRC research project PI on British Citizenship and an AHRC project team grant holder on maternal/reproductive health care for minority and migrant women. She has written a number of monographs and edited works on citizenship and immigration law. Her monograph Unleashing the Force of Law: Legal Mobilization, National Security, Basic Freedoms (Palgrave Macmillan) won the Birks Prize for Outstanding Legal Scholarship (Society of Legal Scholars UK and Ireland). Her book with Policy Press, Britishness, Belonging and Citizenship is available at Open Access via this link). Her two most recent books are Children’s Rights, ‘Foreign Fighters’, Counter-Terrorism: Children of Nowhere (co-authored, Edward Elgar, September 2024) and Migrating Borders (University of London/University of Chicago Press, forthcoming 2025).
She serves on the Executive Committee of the UK Society of Legal Scholars (re-elected for second term in 2022), the Advisory Board of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and the editorial board of journals (e.g. Social and Legal Studies, Human Rights Law Quarterly). She is the Post Graduate Director at University of Bristol Law School, the Co-Director for the Centre for Socio-legal Studies (Bristol) and is the founder co-president of UK South Asian Legal Scholars Association (UKSALSA). She has served on ESRC and AHRC peer review colleges and as Associate Director of Border Criminologies (Oxford University) in the recent past.
About Current Legal Problems
The Current Legal Problems (CLP) lecture series and annual volume was established over fifty five years ago at the Faculty of Laws, University College London and is recognised as a major reference point for legal scholarship. Sign up for the mailing list to receive emails about Current Legal Problems lectures
Image by Rodrigo Arrosquipa from Pexels
To book your free ticket, click here.
French Ciné Club - Youssef Salem a du succès (The (in)famous Youssef Salem)
About the film:
Youssef Salem, 45, has always managed to miss his writing career. But the trouble starts when his new novel meets with success, because Youssef can't help but draw inspiration from his own environment, for better or worse. Now he has to do everything in his power to prevent his book from falling into the hands of his family...
English subtitles available
No need to book, just turn up!
For more information on the Alliance Française Cambridge - Norwich and their events (including other editions of the fantastic French Ciné Club) click here.
Love in a Foreign Land
In celebration of International Women’s Day, writer and actor Maria Vigar presents her play, Love in a Foreign Land, exploring the female migrant experience throughout the decades.
Women have long carried the weight of family, culture, and traditions, often acting as the pillars of their communities. UNESCO has recognized that the intangible cultural heritage of communities is largely upheld by women, but how is this role experienced by immigrant women, often on the margins of society? How does it influence their position and sense of identity in a new land?
During the Q&A with Clara Arokiasamy OBE, President of ICOMOS, London, the audience will be invited to engage in a deeper exploration of these questions and encouraged to share their own lived experiences.
Love in a Foreign Land synopsis
Years ago, Theophana defied her cultural norms and youth to cross the sea in search of her husband – from Nicosia to London, from home to the vast unknown. What followed was a lifetime of migration, driven by a longing for love. If yearning is a feature of youth, even old age finds its own desires, this time for peace and truth. How far would we go for love?
Years later, frail and housebound, Theophana reflects on her life – revisiting her past choices with waves of euphoria and regret. She wishes she could go back, change everything, and do it all differently.
The play is written by Maria Vigar and directed by Anastasia Revi.
To book your ticket, click here.
Research Workshop: Migrant Community Language Enclaves
In this Research Workshop with Dr Síobhra Aiken, Mitchell Institute Fellow Sabbatical Fellow 2024–25, we will discuss some of the methodological challenges of her current book project, which traces the utopian efforts of a group of Kerry-born immigrants in the industrial city of Springfield, Massachusetts to sustain an Irish-speaking enclave in their adopted home from the 1890s to the 1930s.
The case of Springfield is one of many examples of migrant communities across North America in the nineteenth and early twentieth century in which ethnic languages were passed on intergenerationally despite strong society pressure to adopt the language of the host country. Springfield was somewhat unique, nevertheless, in that the community was based in an urban context and lived side by side with other immigrant groups. Local community activists declared Springfield a ‘Gaeltacht’ and launched a range of ultimately frustrated efforts to preserve Irish as a community language: they established an Irish-language journal, boasted about their Irish-speaking football team, and attempted to convince parents to raise their children bilingually at a time when this was widely derided.
This project takes the case of one language community to probe larger questions about migration and linguistic displacement, about assimilation and community cohesion, and about the language rights of minority and migrant groups. Central to the book is the tensions within migrant communities between those who value the preservation of cultural and linguistic identity and those who prioritise assimilation and anglicisation.
Participants in this Workshop are not excepted to have prior knowledge on the topic or period. The discussion questions will focus on the broader implications and relevance of this project both historically and in the present, including:
What are the language rights of minority and migrant groups?
How do host communities cater for or inhibit linguistic continuity among migrant groups?
What are the challenges of researching minoritised linguistic communities who seldom leave a trace on the official record of the host country?
Síobhra Aiken is a Senior Lecturer in Irish and Celtic Studies at Queen’s University Belfast and a member of the Young Academy Ireland (YAI). Her first monograph, Spiritual Wound: Trauma, Testimony and the Irish Civil War (2022) was awarded Royal Historical Society Whitfield Prize and the ACIS Michael J. Durkan Prize for Books in Language and Culture.
To book your free ticket, click here.
The Festival Of Greek Culture 2025
We would like to invite you to our first “Festival of Greek Culture 2025” Supported by Wychavon council, Winslow House and Recipes from my travels.
The festival will be held on the 23rd, 24th & 25th of May 2025 at Vines Park, in the beautiful town of “Droitwich Spa” Worcestershire, United Kingdom.
This will be a long weekend of celebration and tribute to a culture that has contributed so much to the world and how we live today, through language, art, architecture cuisine and so on.
As we know, as a culture the Greeks are extremely family orientated, everything revolves around the family, but also, the Greeks with their own unique form of hospitality welcomes everyone with open arms.
“This will not just be a celebration of Greece the country, but the whole of the Greek Diaspora worldwide.”
This is why we want you to come along and join us, with free admission and be part of this celebration.
Of course, if you wish to be involved in our festival directly, We are always happy to discuss any businesses, organisations or societies etc…. who can provide, dancers, singers, musicians, Food retailers, stall holders etc….
This festival will have a huge media presence in the way of television, Local, National and international newspaper coverage, and of course social media coverage by the organisers.
For all information about this, please contact Simon Berry (Organiser, host and highly respected local businessman, famed for his hosting of events , including “Saltfest” see link below and owner of Winslow house) or Paul James (Organiser, host, professional chef, Published author, with his latest cookbook “Paul James’s Corfu Odyssey” just released, he’s also a promoter of businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry worldwide and owner of Recipes from my travels) on the following emails:
Simon Berry: berrysimon85@gmail.com
Paul James : pauljames1871@gmail.com
So please get in touch and be part of this great festival event.
To book your free ticket, click here.
Between Islands: Portraits of the LGBT+ Cypriot Diaspora by Mihali Intzieya
Celebrate the stories and spirit of queer Cypriots in the UK with Between Islands, an exhibition by artist and photographer Mihali Intzieyanni. Presented as part of Proud Voices II, a collaboration between the LGBTQ+ Cypriot Diaspora CIC and the Cultural Section of the Cyprus High Commission in London, this exhibition explores the themes of identity, resilience, and connection across the islands of Cyprus and the UK.
Through powerful portraits of notable queer individuals of Cypriot heritage, Intzieyanni captures the diversity and strength of a community that bridges cultures and builds new paths for expression and pride. Featured portraits include Alex Papadopoulos, Ali Orhan, Andreas Pavlou, APHRODITIOS, Dean Atta, Diana Georgiou, Eve Polycarpou, Florenza Deniz İncirli, Gabby Koumis, Martha Lewis, Sophia Vi, and Tahini Molasses. Each photograph is a celebration of their journey and a testament to the LGBTQ+ Cypriot diaspora.
Join us for the Private View on Wednesday, 18 December at 19:00, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet members of the community and the artist himself.
Admission is free and all are welcome to witness this remarkable collection. Don’t miss this chance to connect with and celebrate the vibrant voices of the queer Cypriot diaspora!
To book your free ticket, click here.
Radical Solidarity Hub meeting on eVisas
Hosted by our friends at Right to Remain!
Join us for our next Radical Solidarity Hub meeting on 13 December, between 11am – 12pm, on Zoom.
Since April 2022, Right to Remain has reconnected with hundreds of groups, small and large, across the UK who use our Toolkit and do much needed solidarity work with people who are caught up in the hostile asylum and immigration system.
We want to keep in touch with them regularly, to update them about new Toolkit pages, introduce them to each other and find solutions together where we can.
We have introduced this through quarterly online Radical Solidarity Hub meetings. Join us for our next session on Friday 13 December, where the focus will be on the transition to eVisas. We will hear from a range of guest speakers on this issue, and best practice in supporting each other.
These online meetings are for our friends, allies, and community to come together, hear from each other and Right to Remain, share tips and build radical solidarity.
There is no formal membership of the Hub. Just join us if you are interested in:
Hearing from Right to Remain staff team about new Toolkit pages, legal updates, These Walls Must Fall work and asking us questions.
Meeting other groups based in other areas of the UK, also standing in solidarity with people seeking asylum, refugees and migrants.
Share your challenges and ask each other for tips and help.
To sign up, click here.
#FixDigitalStatus campaign briefing
Join the3million for our online briefing on how you can get involved in the campaign to fix the problems in the Home Office's digital status & eVisas system! We will cover:
- overview of the problem and solution
- useful resources to raise awareness in your community
- how to draw attention to the campaign on social media
- how to write to your MP
Register here to join us on Thursday 12th December, 18:00-19:15, on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pf-6trjgtHdZ9ufHHWpUw7Hfdh98r3uab
This is open to all migrants in the UK who might be affected: EU citizens and non-EU family members with (pre) settled status as well as nationals of all other countries whose BRP/BRCs are set to be replaced by eVisas.
It has just been revealed that Ministers are postponing the full shift to eVisas that was due to happen from January 1st. This finally acknowledges what we’ve been warning about for over six years: the system is flawed and puts people at risk of getting stranded abroad.
But it’s not enough. It's time to fix the digital status system for good, rather than kicking the can further down the road.
We are calling for a public inquiry into the harm already caused by this flawed digital-only systems, the risks ahead if it were to be expanded to millions more people and to look into better alternatives, such as the3million's proposal for a more secure and user-friendly system for checking digital status and eVisas, complemented by a physical back up for people who struggle with technology.
Together we can push for a better system that is fit for purpose, that protects our rights to live and work in the UK and avoids travel chaos!
A Shocking Experience Behind the Curtain - Artist and Curator Tour
Jakub Matuška aka Masker: A Shocking Experience Behind the Curtain / Artist and Curator Tour
The Czech Centre London presents A Shocking Experience Behind the Curtain, an exhibition of new paintings by Jakub Matuška aka Masker, the award-winning representative of new figurative painting in Central and Eastern Europe, renowned for detailed combinations of digital manipulations, airbrushes and masterly use of traditional drawing and painting techniques. The artist returns to the UK with a first major exhibition in more than a decade.
For Jakub Matuška, 2023 was a pivotal year. Technically and thematically, he reached a level of self-assurance he had been building toward for years, crafting his own stylistic universe as one of the most prominent figures on the Czech art scene. He celebrated his newfound confidence with an extensive monograph, A Man of Special Shapes, summarizing fifteen years of artistic development and maturation. This was accompanied by two outsized exhibitions: the critically acclaimed installation When the Wings of Swallows Obliterate a Granite Block from the Face of the Earth at the Castle Riding School in Hluboká nad Vltavou, and the popular exhibit The Sphere, Or You’ll Pass Ten Stones on the Way to the Abyss at Villa Pellé in Prague. Simultaneously he has prepared a larger presentation at the international stage, where he has been making his mark since his prolonged stays in London and New York, and through representation by galleries in Paris and Leipzig. In the spring of 2024, he launched a major installation in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, and now continues in London, taking over the both Kensington galleries of the Czech Centre.
Matuška's work has been recognised for its meticulous combination of hand-drawn sketches, digital interventions and acrylics applied on canvases with both sprays and brushes. His richly-detailed, vividly coloured figurative paintings, which explore existential yet poetic themes from contemporary urban life, balance the weariness and melancholy of its subjects with pastel lightness and implicit humour. The post-analog response to the intersection of the "old" and virtual worlds gives rise to a sophisticated interplay of digitally manipulated motifs expertly executed in traditional painting techniques, wholly revealed only in close, personal interaction with his large-scale canvases.
A Shocking Experience Behind the Curtain presents the selection of the last two series of Matuška’s paintings, most of which are being exhibited for the first time.
Here, the painter’s life themes, the difficulty of increasingly mediated communication, the tension between observable and inner worlds, or the struggle to bridge the gap between the conceptual and the material on the canvas, resurface with renewed urgency. Constantly examining his own experiences and the life in his immediate surroundings, while remaining acutely attuned to the movements within Western societies, he returns to the ups and downs of family life and its intersection with creative work.
The figures in these new paintings—now seemingly successful, middle-aged men—often retreat from the realities of their middle-class anchoring into the woods, the thickets of city parks, or the silence of a nocturnal studio. Tragicomic and vulnerable, instead of achieving the authority that masculine stereotypes assign to the peak of one’s productive years, they find themselves bumping against the limits of understanding with their partners and humanity in general.
But despite the melancholy and struggles with both personal and societal bipolar tendencies, the subject of the exhibition is not sorrow, but rather contemplative observation of inner processes, exploring the paradox of imagined versus seen reality on a single plane.
The transitions between worlds are formally conveyed through unexpected combinations of perspectives, cut-outs offering insights, or shifts in technique. Even smaller formats play with the magnified reproduction of quick, loose ballpoint pen sketches, switching between parts developed freehand, lighter shading or layering different strengths of linear strokes, gradually moving towards more dominant motifs built with quick, loose brushstrokes directly onto the canvas. In a first, the latest works now add watercolour effects into the large-format paintings, with finer strokes and pastel colours. As Matuška’s inner world once again gains the upper hand, the ongoing ethereal transparencies in his work allow us to see even closer.
Curated by Michal Nanoru
About the artist
One of the leading Czech artists of his generation, the Prague-born Jakub Matuška aka Masker (b. 1981) started out with graffiti and street art and today focuses primarily on painting and drawing, occasionally crossing over into sculpture, video, installations and public interventions. Since 2013 he has been blending his boyish, ironic and poetic reflections on contemporary urban life with increased mindfulness of his inner processes following a holistic experience. The persistent questions ‘how should a person be?’ and ‘is understanding possible?’ serve as the foundation for his ever-inquiring exploration into the fraught relationship between image and language, as well as between painting and drawing, and into the different capabilities these media possess in making sense of our surroundings.
More than a decade of combining traditional painting techniques, computer manipulation of handdrawn sketches and the use of an airbrush on large canvases have allowed Matuška to explore questions of flatness and depth, solid and liquid, digital and analogue, transient and eternal, symbolic and everyday, and charming and confusing, creating his own rhetoric and dismantling conceptual and formal certainties in the process. ‘Like Eulenspiegel, a joker and trickster educated by the street and equipped with an owl, a mirror, and the pea jingling in the spray can, Matuška mostly turns situations, sentences, and states against them,’ wrote Mladá fronta Dnes.
Matuška received an MFA from The Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in 2009. In 2010 he was a finalist for the most prestigious Czech prize for young artists, the Jindřich Chalupecký Award. One year later he won the National Gallery in Prague’s 333 Award. Following his residencies at Middlesex University in London and the Cooper Union in New York City, his work has been exhibited internationally. He lives in Prague.
EXHIBITION OPENING and London launch of the retrospective monograph Jakub Matuška aka Masker: A Man of Special Shapes
Tuesday 8 October 2024, 18:30 – 21:00 (Register here)EXHIBITION DATES: 8 October 2024 – 24 January 2025
VENUE
Vitrínka Gallery, Czech Centre London
30 Kensington Palace Gardens, London, W8 4QY
&
Bouda Gallery, Czech Centre London
132 Palace Gardens Terrace, Kensington, London, W8 4RTOPENING HOURS:
Tue – Fri 10am – 5pm
or by appointment - +44 (0) 207 836 3669
To find out more and book your space, click here.
LGBTQ+ Polish Language Meetup
A meetup for all Polish queers to meet other people from their community!
A meetup for all Polish queers to meet other people from their community.
This event is open to both Polish speakers and those who don't speak Polish.
Accessibility:
Our full accessibility statement is here.
Covid and mpox safety at the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre:
To keep our community safe, we ask that all visitors do not visit the Centre if they are feeling unwell including headache, fever, sore throat, consistent cough, chills and unusual spots, scabs or ulcers.
You can wear a mask if you feel more comfortable. We also have masks and hand sanitiser available at the Centre.
For current information on Covid-19 and mpox please visit the NHS website.
Donate to the Centre
We rely on donations to ensure that the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre can keep its doors open for years to come.
To donate or become a Friend of the Centre, visit our website.
To find out more and book your free space, click here.
Free support with Settled Status application - Dumfries
Receive free help from Citizens Rights Project in applying for 'pre/settled status'.
To apply, bring your passport or other ID, National Insurance Number, proof of address and telephone. The information you share with us is confidential. Social distancing measures apply. Book your tickets now to secure your place.
23.11.2023, 10:30 - 16:30
St George Church,
50 St George Stret,
Dumfries DG1 1EJ.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The events are free and open to all EU, EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members eligible to apply for pre/settled status, i.e., those who came to the UK before 31/12/2020. Registration is optional, but it will guarantee you your place and it will help us to ensure social distancing. Those with booked places will be given priority. Those without booking may be asked to wait outside. When you register, you can select language assistance you require for the session. Register to avoid queues.
We speak English, Polish, and Spanish. Help in other languages might be provided if you register for the event and let us know your needs in advance.
Citizens Rights Project hold an OISC registration that authorises us to provide advice relating to the EUSS scheme - new immigration scheme for EU and EEA nationals and their family members.
Our help and the application are free. Our advisers will explain the scheme for you, and if you want to, they will help you apply on the spot.
This event has been organised with an assistance of a grant from the Scottish Government.
Source: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-support-with-settled-status-application-dumfries-tickets-1050570754407?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&_gl=1*j5ct4h*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjA1MTUzNDA4MC4xNzI5NjgyNDE2*_ga_TQVES5V6SH*MTcyOTY4MjQxNS4xLjAuMTcyOTY4MjQxNS4wLjAuMA..
Common Ground Conference
Common Ground EU Citizens Conference
We are bringing together EU citizens' civic society organisations and campaigners to reflect on Common Ground Project activities, share knowledge, best practice and lived experience. We will explore how community organising can strengthen EU Citizens’ networks & increase our influence in British society and invite UK politicians to discuss our policy proposals. We will collectively brainstorm our priorities for UK/EU cooperation and sustainability actions and take time to focus on sharing stories through artistic expression and enjoy the ‘Stories of Hope’ Exhibition.
1st Open Forum: Democratic Backsliding
CONNECTS-UK is holding its 1st Open Forum on 18th October at the University of Edinburgh, and on live-stream.
SAVE THE DATE!
The topic of this 1st Open Forum (5 more will follow all over the UK) is “Democratic Backsliding”, focusing on misinformation and global impact of social media. Presentations and panel discussions involving renowned speakers from the UK and the EU will focus on democratic backsliding in politics and on trust in science.
The objective of the Open Fora is to bring together leading academics and students in the EU and the UK, who will present their research to an expert and non-expert audience. With these events, we aim to connect EU researchers and academics working in the UK, to give visibility to their achievements and to transfer scientific knowledge to the broader society.
A networking lunch will be offered before the official starting. The detailed agenda and the registration link with more information will follow shortly. If interested in joining, also on-line via streaming, please save the date now. As space in the Lecture Theater of the University of Edinburgh is limited, the places will be reserved on a first come, first served basis. For those traveling from outside Edinburgh, we will consider contributing to the cost of travel (bus, train, etc. tickets); further details to follow.
Competition guidelines and registration link for best poster and video award will be shared soon.
To note your interest please email info@connects-uk.org
Sixth-Form Event on Populism and the Elections of 2024 in Britain & Europe
Thinking about Youth and Elections
Le French Meet Up au Cinema City!
Join the Alliance Française Cambridge - Norwich on Thursday 3rd of October 2024, at the Cinema City (Picture House) in Norwich from 7 pm until your French vocabulary runs out.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the organiser. Bring your best smile, your good mood.... and that's it.
For more information and to book your spot click here.
The Tears of Chios: a Greek family’s story of Diaspora
By the Levantine Heritage Foundation with the Centre for Hellenic Studies at King’s College London with guest speaker Richard Calvocoressi. For more information, click here - to book your ticket, click here.
The Tears of Chios: a Greek family’s story of Diaspora
In December 1983, the speaker’s cousin, the historian and publisher Peter Calvocoressi, presented a paper to an Anglo-Greek symposium held jointly by King’s College, London and the Institute of Balkan Studies, Thessaloniki, at Thessaloniki in northern Greece. An expanded version of Peter’s paper, entitled ‘From Byzantium to Eton: A Memoir of a Millennium’, was published in 1984 by the Centre of Contemporary Greek Studies at King’s College, London (Occasional Paper 2). In the ensuing forty years, more information has come to light about the slaughter, enslavement or flight of approximately threequarters of the population of Chios in 1822. The speaker’s great-great grandfather, Matthew Calvocoressi, then in his eighties, dictated a first-hand account to his grandson which has only recently been transcribed and translated into English. Eye-witness accounts of the tragic events on Chios are rare, especially by one who, as a teenager, was enslaved and subsequently escaped. The speaker traces his family’s origins in the period when Chios was a prosperous merchant colony under Genoese rule to its reinvention post-diaspora as traders working in Liverpool and London for the hugely successful Anglo-Chiot firm of Ralli Brothers, of whose Indian branch his grandfather became director. The speaker’s great-great grandfather was born on Chios, his greatgrandfather in Constantinople, his grandfather in Liverpool, his father in Calcutta, and the speaker himself in Kent: 150 years of gradual migrations.
About Richard Calvocoressi: Richard Calvocoressi is an art historian who has spent nearly fifty years in the art world: first as a curator, then director, in national collections of modern art (Tate, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh); then as director of an artist-endowed philanthropic charity (Henry Moore Foundation); and latterly as a senior curator in a private, commercial gallery (Gagosian, London). He has published widely on modern and contemporary art, curated numerous exhibitions, and has served on the boards of various charities and public bodies.
Huguenot records in Lambeth Palace Library: cataloguing complexity
The term refugees was first used to describe the 50,000 Protestants who fled to England from France in the 16th-18th centuries. The miscellany of related records in Lambeth Palace Library sheds light on the experiences of Huguenots in England, as well as attempts to secure the release of those condemned to the French galleys.
Philippa Tudor completed her doctorate in the literature of the early Reformation in England and is now a volunteer cataloguer and friend of LPL, working on a finding aid to its Huguenot-related resources.
All are welcome, but those wishing to attend must book a ticket or email archives@churchofengland.org no later than Monday 30 September. Please note that we are operating a waiting list.
Please be aware that all tickets must be booked individually for security reasons.
For more information and to book your ticket click here.
LGBTQ+ Polish Language Meetup
A meetup for all Polish queers to meet other people from their community.
This event is open to both Polish speakers and those who don't speak Polish.
Accessibility:
Our full accessibility statement is here.
Covid and mpox safety at the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre:
To keep our community safe, we ask that all visitors do not visit the Centre if they are feeling unwell including headache, fever, sore throat, consistent cough, chills and unusual spots, scabs or ulcers.
You can wear a mask if you feel more comfortable. We also have masks and hand sanitiser available at the Centre.
For current information on Covid-19 and mpox please visit the NHS website.
Goethe Institut London London: European Career Roadshow
For schools, students and employers!
What (professional) opportunities are there if you learn a European language at school or university? The European Edition of our Career Roadshow in London offers students a multi-faceted program that provides insight into the relevance of European languages in professional life.Join us for a day full of workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities as well as an exciting careers fair.
For more info and to register, click here.
European Day of Languages
Join for a vibrant celebration of European languages! Experience the diversity of cultures through interactive sessions and much more.
The Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom and the European Parliament Liaison Office in the United Kingdom invite you to this special event celebrating the European Day of Languages.
Programme:
12:00 - 17:00: Stalls hosted by EU member states’ embassies, cultural institutes and diaspora schools, which will provide information and learning materials. The stalls would allow visitors to better understand/explore European cultures and languages. Scavenger hunt that will encourage participants to visit all the stalls and engage with their representatives.
12:00-14:00 and 14:00-16:00: Interactive activities and conversations led by Michael Vidon for pre-booked school groups.
Disclaimer: For security purposes, everyone needs to register to get a ticket with their name on.
To book your ticket and for further information, click here.
German Book Club: 'Zur See'
Picture Source: © Penguin Verlag
Our monthly book club meets up on a Tuesday evening, approx. ten times a year. In an informal atmosphere we discuss (in German) a contemporary novel, short story or a collection of poems which participants read before we meet up.
Join us for the next session of our book club to discuss (in German) the novel Zur See by Dörte Hansen. New members welcome!
About the book
The ferry takes an hour from the mainland to the small North Sea island, sometimes longer, depending on the swell. The Sander family has lived here in one of the two villages for almost 300 years. Hanne has raised three children, her husband has given up the family and seafaring. Now her eldest has lost his captain's licence, is tormented by forebodings and flood statistics and is waiting for the worst of all storms. Daughter Eske, who cares for sailors and widows in the retirement home, fears the streams of tourists more than the water, because the island culture has long since degenerated into folklore. Only Henrik, the youngest, is at peace with himself. He is the first man in the family who has never been drawn to a ship, only to the beach, where he collects flotsam and jetsam. Over the course of a year, the Sander family's life changes from the ground up, at first barely noticeably, then with full force.
Dörte Hansen tells the story of the transformation of an island world, of old laws losing their validity, and of new beginnings and liberation, cleverly and with great warmth. The number 1 bestselling novel is now available in an illustrated gift edition with 14 black and white illustrations in a special design.
About the author
Dörte Hansen, born in Husum in 1964, worked as an NDR editor and author for radio and print after studying linguistics. Her debut novel "Altes Land" was named "Favourite Book of the Independent Book Trade" in 2015 and was a 2015 bestseller on the SPIEGEL bestseller list. Her second novel "Mittagsstunde" was published in 2018, was again a SPIEGEL bestseller of the year and was awarded the Rheingau Literature Prize and the Grimmelshausen Literature Prize. Her third novel "Zur See" was published in 2022. Dörte Hansen, who lives with her family in North Friesland, is Mainz City Writer 2022.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
Everyone who would like to read and discover German books and share their reading experience with others is welcome. The conversation will be in German. All participants should have sufficient language skills to read and discuss in German.
Participation is free of charge.
REGISTRATION
If you are not a regular member of the book club please register your interest by sending an email to library-glasgow@goethe.de. We will add you to our book club mailing list.
More information: Goethe-Institut Glasgow Book Club Page.
From Syria to Yorkshire - A Refugee story
By SPARK Social Justice and Caritas Leeds. To find out more and reserve a spot, click here.
From Syria to Yorkshire - A Refugee story
Come join us at Wheeler Hall for an inspiring event where you'll hear firsthand the journey of refugees travelling from Syria to Yorkshire. A Syrian family living in the Yorkshire area will speak about their experience of getting to the UK and of resettlement here.
There will be the opportunity to sample some Syrian food as part of this event but please note that we cannot cater for any food allergies. We are asking people to register to attend so that we can cater for the numbers expected.
This event is being held on the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Every year the this is held on the last Sunday of September. As the title for his annual message, Pope Francishas chosen “God walks with His people”.
Leeds Church Institute will also provide a unique experience of faith and creativity
This event has been organised by SPARK Social Justice working in partnership with Caritas Catholic Care, the social action agency of the Diocese of Leeds.
Leadership Training: Launch Your Community Organisation
By Centrala - to find out more and book your tickets click here.
Unlock Your Leadership Potential and Start Your Own Community Organisation!
Are you interested in learning how to set up and run a successful community organisation? Join our comprehensive workshop series designed to empower you with the knowledge and skills needed to become an effective leader and entrepreneur.
What You’ll Learn:
Introduction to Self-Employment: Explore the benefits and challenges of self-employment and gain a clear understanding of the legal requirements and registration process.
Tax Essentials: Simplify National Insurance (NI) and Income Tax concepts for the self-employed, and stay on top of compliance guidelines and deadlines.
Launching Your Business Successfully: Discover the essential tools and resources needed to launch your business, and learn how to craft a compelling value proposition.
Finance and Pricing Strategies: Master the art of managing finances effectively and pricing your products or services competitively.
Crafting Your Sales Pitch: Learn to articulate your unique selling points and develop effective communication techniques to boost your sales success.
Understanding Employment Basics: Get insights into hiring employees or contractors, including legal obligations and best practices.
Developing a Business Plan: Structure a comprehensive business plan with measurable goals and milestones to guide your business journey.
Agenda:
Introduction to Self-Employment
Tax Essentials
Launching Your Business Successfully
Finance and Pricing Strategies
Crafting Your Sales Pitch
Understanding Employment Basics
Developing a Business Plan
Q&A and Wrap-Up
This is a fantastic opportunity to build confidence in yourself and your leadership abilities while gaining practical skills to lead your own community initiative. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your business acumen, this workshop series has something for everyone.
Don’t miss out on this chance to take your ideas to the next level!
Funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
EU Citizens’ Summit for Change
Join us to demonstrate the collective power of our communities to key decision-makers within the newly elected Parliament!
the3million and the EU Citizens’ Campaigns Network warmly invite you to our EU Citizens' Summit for Change. Join us to hear stories from EU citizens from across the country and policy proposals which aim to ensure our communities can thrive.
🗓️ 9th Sept, 6-8pm, at St John’s Smith Square, Westminster, SW1P 3HA
+ Watch parties in Belfast, Birmingham, Edinburgh & Manchester
The first 100 days of Government are a crucial moment to put the priority issues affecting EU citizens onto the political agenda and secure clear public commitments in response to the concrete policy solutions outlined in our EU Citizens’ Manifesto for Change.
We will be presenting policy proposals and stories of lived experience on the following themes:
Exercising rights under the EU Settlement Scheme
A fair immigration system for all
Tackling racialisation & discrimination among EU citizens
Promoting representation & participation of EU citizens in British society
Register now to request a place at the Summit in London or one of the watch parties!
EU Citizens' Summit for Change - Edinburgh Watch Party & Know Your Rights session
Hosted by us, the3million, alongside our friends at Citizens’ Rights Project. To secure your ticket, click here.
Monday 9th September
Augustine United Church
41 George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EL
18:00 - 20:00 EU Citizens' Summit for Change Watch Party
the3million and the EU Citizens’ Campaigns Network organise EU Citizens' Summit for Change at St John’s Smith Square, Westminster, London to voice concerns and demand concrete policy solutions outlined in our EU Citizens’ Manifesto for Change.
They will be presenting policy proposals and stories of lived experience on the following themes:
Exercising rights under the EU Settlement Scheme
A fair immigration system for all
Tackling racialisation & discrimination among EU citizens
Promoting representation & participation of EU citizens in British society
We are broadcasting this event live in Edinburgh and would like to invite all EU citizens who would like to be part of this movement. You will have a chance to listen to views gathered from EU citizens by the3million in their Manifesto and voice your own. This is the time when we can present our proposals and demand actions from the new government.
15:30 - 17:30 Know Your Rights session
Several support organisations will join us to present their projects and services that can benefit migrant communities in Edinburgh. Meet them at their stalls and learn how they can help you with matters related to:
housing
employment
financial support
wellbeing
and more...
We will introduce all the organisations taking part in our event in due course, but we can assure that all of them will represent services that have wellbeing of EU citizens in Edinburgh at their heart.
Morningside Library Greek Storytime
Every last Friday of the month from 10:30AM until 11AM!
The Greek Storytime is here!!
What is included?
Stories, songs, activities in the Greek language. Surprises and special quests!
You can participate even if you don't know Greek! It is always beneficial for the children's brain development to hear a foreign language.
There is required one booking per family.
Ages: 0-5 years old.
Booking is essential.
Τα λέμε εκεί! See you there!
"There is an Island" Art Exhibition
Join the Cyprus High Commission for an immersive journey into the vibrant world of Cypriot artistry at "There is an Island." This exhibition showcases contemporary works from 15 Cypriot artists residing in the UK, spanning generations and communities. From seasoned creators to emerging talents, explore diverse perspectives and narratives expressed through painting, sculpture, installation, and more. Parts of the exhibition have been brought together and curated by Piece, an artist led platform connecting artists and audiences. Piece facilitates art purchase and rental, and was co-founded by a Cypriot artist in London.
Special Documentary Screening: Experience the compelling 20-minute documentary, "Camden to Enfield: A Greek Cypriot Migration Story," directed by Athena Mandis and Soulla Christodoulou. Delve into the history of Cypriot migration, reflecting on the journey, contributions, and impact on the cultural mosaic of London.
Featured Artists:
● Marina Emphietzi
● Michalis Karaiskos
● Ilkan Koral
● Helen Michael
● Christos Michaelides
● Androulla Michael
● Michael Minas
● Chris Neophytou
● Odyseas Odysseos
● Frixos Papantoniou
● Michalis Pantelidis
● Doros Partasides
● Savvas Theofanous
● Maria Trimikliniotis
● Hamit Üçok
Curated Tour Information: Explore the exhibition with curated tours led by knowledgeable guides. Limited spots available, so secure your spot now!
How to RSVP:
Select your preferred date and time for the curated tour.
Click "Register" and choose your ticket type.
Complete the registration process.
An evening of art, culture, and storytelling - let's celebrate the diversity and richness of Cypriot artistry in the heart of London!
For more information, contact CulturalCyHCL@mfa.gov.cy. For any inquiries into purchase or rental of Piece artists’ work, please email info@thepiece.art.
For more information and to reserve a spot click here.
Boglárka Tóth - Labour of Love
Join emerging artist Boglárka Tóth for her immersive solo exhibition in the Stryx Cafe and Gallery for a long weekend packed with collaborative workshops, demonstrations and interactive pieces.
The exhibition will explore themes of creativity, womanhood, spirituality and folklore.
Boglárka was born in Hungary and has lived in England since 2017. She studied at the Bristol School of Art where she experimented with a range of media including textiles, ceramics and woodwork. Her practice is rooted in her cultural heritage and in her rural upbringing in North-East Hungary surrounded by nature and traditional craft making.
She uses emotional mapping as a tool to translate inner landscapes into tangible pieces. Her intuitive creative process serves as an opportunity for reflection and meaning-making.
The show will run between the 22nd and the 25th of August and will feature a selection of artworks spanning over ten years including recent work. You will have the opportunity to view and purchase original artworks and prints on the spot.
Come along and tap into Boglárka’s decorative world of colour and pattern and have a play with found objects and recycled materials while you connect with your creative-self and with others in a fun and relaxed environment.
Women Empowerment group for Central and Eastern Europeans
Discover the power of your own mind and how to program yourself for success just by using words
Events featured aim to provide a snapshot of what is available for and by EU citizens in the UK.
Featuring a specific organisation or event does not mean we endorse, support or share its views.