Coventry’s Positive Images Festival will take place in the summer time, between the 7th until the 30th of June. This festival originated in 1994 as a one-day book fair celebrating diversity but gradually it evolved into a 3 week festival with more than 10,000 yearly visitors.
The festival aims to bring communities together while celebrating their diversity in terms of their values, beliefs and traditions. The event brings under one roof various Coventry based artists, musicians, dancers and poets. With all the equipment and supplies required for the even being locally outsourced, the Positive Images Festival is in all honesty a Coventry based event.
Being a volunteer led event, CU students play an important part in the organisation and running of the Positive Images festival. With more than 150 activities on the go and most of them being free, you should really take the chance to take part in Coventry’s Positive Images Festival!
So, what’s on?
Pre Festival Events
1st of June- 13:00- 16:00 – Multicultural Big lunch @ War Memorial Park – Do you want to get involved in what will probably be the largest lunch gathering this summer? Bring along your favourite dish and share it with the rest of the bunch! You’ll get the chance to try some delicious free food from various corners of the world J
1st of June- 13:00- 15:00 – Rainbow writers Poetry session @ Stoke Library, Kingsway, CV2 4EA Would you like to listen to some multi-lingual poetry recital in a relaxed atmosphere. You can even share any of your favourite poems on stage!
3rd of June- 14:00- 15:30 – Bands in the park @ Coventry parks Good music, local people and the outdoors, it can’t get any better than that!
4th of June- 9:30- 12:00 – Pampering Morning @ FWT Hillfields Community Hub Would you fancy a free manicure? Refreshments included! Nail art and drinks are available for all the ladies on campus J
6th of June- 10:30- 12:00- Bolliwood Dancing @ FWT Hillfields Community Hub After all that pampering on Wednesday, you can show off your manicure to a dance workshop! Lear how to pull all the right moves and feel like a Bolliwood start for the day! You know you’ll love it. Light refreshments go hand in hand with the free entrance policy 😉
7th of June- 11:00- 15:00 Foleshill Health Festival @ Foleshill Library, Broad Street, CV6 5BG Does bhangra, zumba, arts and crafts, face painting and sari dressing sound good to you? Top it up with some free advice on employment and you got a fun day out with your friends!
7th of June- 10:00- 16:00 – Multicutural Book and Craft Fair @ outside Coventry Central library There will be 20 stalls offering a wide range of books, CD’s, DVD’s, musical instruments and handmade crafts and artefacts from all around the world. Most of the items presented at the fair are unique, and difficult to get your hands on in Coventry. To top it up, you’ll be able to sample some tasty treats from the food stalls!
8th of June – 13:00- 16:00 – Film and Tribute to Stuart Hall @ The Herbert Gallery Support the fight against racism by learning about Stuart Hall, a unique British thinker and a pioneer of cultural studies. What’s the role of culture in defining a person’s sense of identity, gender, race and social belonging? Come along at the Herbert Gallery and find out!
9th of June- 14:00- 16:00 Green IT Workshop @ Central Library Interested in what Green IT can bring to a company, why not learn something new?
9th of June- 9:30- 11:30 Free IT Drop in session (women only) @ Stoke Library Need extra help with you IT skills/feel that your CV and cover letter need a bit of editing? Join the drop in session for free.
9th of June- 12:00- 13:00 Monday Lunch @ St Peter’s Centre, Charles St. CV1 5NP For only £1 you get the chance to spice up your lunch with freshly prepared international dishes and desserts! PS: you also get to take home your favourite recipes.
9th of June- 11:15- 12:30 – Yoga for Wellbeing (women only) @ St Paul’s Church Hall, 346 Foleshill Rd, CV6 5AJ Whether you’re a yoga fanatic or you’ve never tried it before, join others in a relaxed morning for various exercises and meditation!
10th of June- 10:00- 11:00 Exercise to Music and Pilate’s Class @ St Paul’s Community Hall, Foleshill Rd CV6 5AJ Fancy to strengthen some of your core muscles and improve your physical and mental health? You should really take advantage of this fun exercises and pilates session!
10th of June- 11:00- 14:00 Tuesday Coffee Afternoon for women @ St Peter’s Centre, CV1 5NP Enjoy a hot coffee while making new friends.
10th of June- 14:00- 15:00 Meditation Session in partnership with Coventry Brahma Kumaris Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out…
11th of June- 10:30- 13:30 Workshop for adults on the theme of Random Acts of Kindness Decorate your own kindness tree with your stories of random kindness. You’ll get the chance to meet new people and enjoy the sunny weather. Watch out as you might become a published author: the best stories will be included in a publication.
12th of June – 10:00- 15:00 – National Careers Service Event @ Foleshill Library Free support on keeping your job hunt on track: CV writing, job searches and employment advice will be readily available for all the participants.
12th of June- 11:00- 12:00 – Dolki Class @ Sahil 449, Foleshill Rd, CV6 5AQ Learn to play an exotic instrument while building your confidence and meeting new people. Enjoy a healthy meal while you’re at it 😉
12th of June- 13:00- 15:00 – Foleshill Cultural Learning Café @ Foleshill Library Take part in funs workshops where you’ll get the chance to socialise, learn about various communities and celebrate Coventry’s cultural diversity.
12th of June – 16:00- 17:30- Sari dressing and Asian Calligraphy session @ Foleshill Library Have a go at Chinese and Punjabi calligraphy!
13th of June- 10:00- 15:00 – Community information Fair @ Broadgate Square Voluntary Action Coventry is hosting its tenth Community Information Fair, which offers the chance for voluntary and community groups to show off their work and raise awareness of their services. You can join and volunteer for any group; you’ll be surprised how exciting many of them really are: Cook and Eat well, Cha Rambling club, Cycle centre and Relate are some of the titles which will definitely catch your eyes!
13th of June- 18:00- 22:30- Grand Charity Event @ Belgrade theatre Great music, performances and magic in a lovely setting. The British organisation for People of Asian Origin celebrates British identity, societal integration and peace. Tickets £15/person.
14th of June- 11:00- 11:45 Storytime @ Jubilee Crescent Library Do you want to hear stories from around the world and have a go at some exotic crafts? See you there.
14th of June- 19:00- 21:30 Talented Stars Concert @ Methodist Central Hall, CV1 2HA Enjoy an entertaining evening along local dancers, singers and comedians.
16th of June – 11:30- Yoga in the park @ Memorial Park Women’s only outdoor yoga session. Reward yourself after exercising with a healthy lunch in a picnic setting.
17th of June- 7:30- Far from the sea @ Shop Front Theatre 38, City Arcade, CV1 3HW Enjoy a humorous play about the importance of power, place and the industry of war. Tickets: £6/person
18th of June- 9:30- 12:00 – Pampering morning @ FWT Hillfields Community Hub Take advantage of a free relaxing facial while making new friends. Free refreshments are provided. Guys, I’m afraid it’s a ladies only policy!
20th of June-10:00- 12:00- Pampering morning @ FWT Hillfields Community Hub Free Wonderful Mehandi designs and eyebrow threading. Ladies, enjoy!
21st of June- 14:00- 13:00- Martial Arts Demonstration @ Aldermoor Library, Acorn St. CV3 1DP ‘Martial arts performance’ and ‘library’? Those are 2 words you’d never put together, see what happens on Saturday!
21st of June- Multicultural Concert of Music and Dance @ Ukrainian hall, 103 Leicester Causeway, CV1 4HL Enjoy an evening of multicultural music and dance from international artists: African, Asian, Ireland and Ukranian representatives. Food and drink provided. Bar available.
22nd of June-13:00- 15:00 – Multilingual Language Café @ Central library Do you want to practice your language skills? Make new friends and have a taste of foreign languages in a relaxed environment on this Sunday afternoon.
24th of June- 19:45- 21:00- Inter Faith Worship for Mid-Summer’s Day @ St peter’s Centre, Charles St, CV1 5NP You get to explore the topic of cultural differences and share your opinion on various values and beliefs. If you enjoy the experience, you’ll get the chance to meet your new friends on the 4th Tuesday of every month.
25th of June- 9:30- 12:00- Crafty Fun @ FWT Hillfields Community Hub Ever been dissatisfied with your sleep and blamed it on the shape/size/colour of your pillow? Now, it’s the chance to design and sew your own embroidered pillow for free!
28th of June – 12:00- 16:00- Hillfields Readers Open Day with Positive Images Festival @ Hope Centre, Hillfields Enjoy an afternoon of music, poetry and dance by local artists. Crafts, quizzes and prizes will accompany the afternoon.
29th of June- 13:00- 15:00- The Big Musical and Film Quiz @ Herbert Gallery Come and prove you are a Hollywood and pop music walking encyclopedia!
30th of June- 13:00- 15:00- Unravelling the Noise: A Film @ EGO, Jesson House, Tower, St. CV1 1JN If you’re passionate about movies then this film is not to be missed: it’s a poetic journal of war, memory and dialogue by Kuldip Powar. Enjoy!
There are many other activities taking place in the Positive Image Festival, check them out here http://www.positiveimagesfestival.co.uk/festival-programme/
Let us know about your favourite part of the Positive Images Festival!
Roxana
