Across staged portraiture and documentary images, collage, performance, historical and analogue processes, the works in this exhibition explore identity and community, urban and domestic space, migration, memory and the politics of everyday life.
While women make up 75% of photography graduates, only 15% of professional photographers are women – and they earn 40% less than their male counterparts.
Luna is a grassroots network supporting and amplifying women, women-identifying and non-binary people working with photography in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Care & Defiance is a collaboration with @centrala_space
Care & Defiance exhibition
📍 @centrala_space
📅 1-27 May, open Tuesday – Saturday, 12-6pm.
📷 @jaskirtdhaliwalboora
ARCAI aka @kaichareunsy gave a phenomenal performance last week 🇱🇦🥁
Was such a special set at @centrala_space opening for @ganna_music - a spellbinding fusion of live drums, khaen (traditional Laotian mouth organ) and field recordings from the dense jungles and busy towns of Laos.
Thanks to everyone who came! You can support Kai’s music via Bandcamp - highly recommend his debut EP ‘Naak Dan Naak Don’ 🎶
Gorgeous photos by @hayleycsalter 📸
TONIGHT! Sadly @musicbyrooted are unable to play tonight, we look forward to having them back when they're feeling better! But we still have a killer line up of three local heroes - slacker indie from @wiiinceband , demonic Norwegian synth pop from @the.real.jobs , and the twisted math rock of @luxurynansmell . Still a few tickets left, see you later!⠀
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📷 @mx.levi_ ⠀
Back in August we hosted the premier of “Queercore in the Second City”, a documentary exploring Birmingham’s thriving Queer Hardcore (queercore) scene, a subculture rooted in punk’s DIY ethos, community building, and queer resistance. Produced by Centrala and commissioned by the Royal Geographical Society, the film captures a unique moment in time where music, identity, and place collide.
This week we’re welcoming back some of the key players, with exec producer Lexi bringing us a night of Europe’s most exciting queer hardcore TONIGHT, followed by Luxury Nan Smell this Friday performing alongside some of their local faves Rooted, Wiiince and The Real Jobs
May is shaping up to be a loud one here at Centrala! Join us tonight to celebrate @tempertantrumband ’s debut EP release, and swing by next week for a double helping of treats from our Youth Music project, with a special Monday night edition from @0121queercore followed by grunge upstarts @musicbyrooted opening for local faves @luxurynansmell , @wiiinceband and @the.real.jobs . ⠀
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Later in the month we have hyperglitch pioneers @glitch.cool and post-club brats @realist___alive bringing you “placeless computer music pushed to its outer edges of breakage and beauty alongside a Bristolian attitude of generic destructiveness”, and the return of French experimentalists Bégayer.⠀
Here’s a peek behind the scenes at the install for our current exhibition, ‘Care and Defiance’ in collaboration with @luna.photobham ⠀
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Our new Art Programme Coordinator Hasna got hands on last week helping the collective install their inaugural print exhibition, on show until 27th May. Taking inspiration from bell hooks in viewing love as an act of resistance, ‘Care & Defiance’ considers the female photographic gaze in all its multiplicity.⠀
TONIGHT we’re teaming up with @kikimorarecords to bring Ukrainian singer, composer, and producer @ganna_music to Centrala. ⠀
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Since 2013, GANNA has been researching and reinterpreting the ancient folklore of her homeland. Today, she is considered “one of the most impressive singers and musicians on the European jazz and world music scene” (Ö1 Radio, AT). Inspired by research travels to various regions of Ukraine, she breathes new life into old songs and combines them with experimental, electronic, and improvised music. GANNA is actively committed to promoting Ukraine’s cultural heritage internationally.⠀
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Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see GANNA at our intimate Birmingham venue, with support from local composer Arcai @kaichareunsy . ⠀
Here at Centrala we're leading research into health inequalities affecting the Polish community in Birmingham. Our findings highlight a significant need for culturally informed approaches across a wide range of public and community services.
On Wednesday 13th May at 11am we're hosting a unique Cultural Intelligence Training session designed to support professionals across the support sector in building stronger, more informed relationships with one of the city’s largest migrant communities. Do you work in housing, social care, health, education, domestic abuse support, advice services, or other community support roles and regularly engage with the Polish community in Birmingham? Join us! Head to the Centrala website to book your free place.
Care & Defiance exhibition
📍 @centrala_space
📅 1-27 May, free
Thank you to everyone that came to our opening night on @digbethfirstfri and the events and talks on Saturday. A brilliant couple of days for the opening of Care & Defiance.
The artist talk tour on Friday was led by @elliesmithphotographer and was for some of the artists the first time they were speaking about their work in public, a fantastic turnout and attentive audience. thank you to all involved.
The exhibition continues until 27 May.
📷 @jaskirtdhaliwalboora
Back at the start of April we had our first co-promotion as part of our Youth Music Catalyser scheme, getting @beheadedpromotions started out with their first show! With killer sets from @leibnizband , Doll Coven, Hog! And Nuke the Whales, it was a huge success - wouldn’t you agree Noah?
