Past Events

World Routes Academy 2010 – Iraq at Celebrating Sanctuary Festival

In 2010 BBC Radio 3 launched a new scheme which aims to support and inspire young world-music artists by bringing them together with an internationally renowned figure with whom they share common cultural roots. In the first year of the BBC Radio 3 World Routes Academy, named after its flagship programme, the focus is on two Iraqi musicians: the young, London based musician Khyam Allami is the first recipient of this scholarship and he will work with the celebrated Ilham al-Madfai, the guitarist, singer and composer who will take on the role of mentor.

Radio 3's World Routes (Saturdays, 3.00pm) follows the partnership over the nine-month scheme with regular interviews, documentary material, recordings and performances. Radio 3 World Routes Academy is about celebrating world music talent by both supporting existing performers through new collaborations and enabling younger musicians to develop and hone their skills. Performance is key to the project and the musicians will feature in BBC studio sessions, workshops, performance and concerts.

As part of this new scheme, Khyam Allami was invited by Radio 3 to curate an afternoon dedicated to Iraqi culture at Celebrating Sanctuary Festival, London's annual free festival that celebrates the art of refugee communities. The event will take place on London's South Bank on Sunday June 13th and will consist of live music, spoken word, workshops and discussions.

Contributors will include Radio 3's World Routes Academy presenter Lucy Duran as well as musicians, writers, playwrights and editor of Banipal, the London based independent literary magazine publishing contemporary authors and poets from all over the Arab world in English translation.

For more information please visit the following websites:

BBC Radio 3’s World Routes Academy

Celebrating Sanctuary

Banipal

Khyam Allami