Cultural icons

Discover the cultural heart of England with the West Midlands Culture Conversations

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The West Midlands has been home for centuries to some of the world’s leading arts and cultural figures.

With all eyes on the region as it hosts the UK’s City of Culture 2021 and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, it’s a great time to celebrate some of the faces and places defining the future of the arts and culture movements in the region and beyond.

Hosted by three-time BAFTA award nominee, Royal Television Society Award winner and proud Brummie Ayo Akinwolere, the West Midlands Culture Conversations series explores the careers, influences and favourite places of the West Midlands’ cultural leading lights, including:

• Luke Perry
  Artist known for monumental public sculptures celebrating under-represented communities.

• Jacqui O’Hanlon
  Director of Learning and National Partnerships at the RSC and chair of the Cultural Learning Alliance.

• Corey Baker
  Award-winning choreographer and filmmaker known for taking dance performances into unexpected locations.

• Amerah Saleh
  Spoken word artist born and bred from Birmingham. Co-Founder of Verve Poetry Press.

• Yshee Black
  Birmingham’s self-proclaimed star on the rise, star of stage and screen and internationally ignored Drag Queen. The Kiki Queens winner has played an integral role in the shaping of the city’s LGBTQ+ scene.

Watch West Midlands Culture Conversations below…