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Timeline

Transforming Narratives was established in June 2018 as a ground-breaking programme to support creative and cultural practitioners in Birmingham to engage with artists and organisations in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Four years later we have worked with more than 500 artists and cultural organisations, commissioning new works, both in-person and digitally, funded research and development exchanges and led a cultural leadership programme.

Here is a timeline of our story:

2022

Year 4 Commissions – Development Grants

Year 4 Commissions – Development Grants

Our final project profiles for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions are two Development Grants: A collection of narratives by Hira Rasool and ‘Weeping Willow’ a scriptwriting and screenplay development with Sana Noor, Ahmed Ali and Masud ul Haq.

Blacklash: Racism and the Struggle for Self-Defence

Blacklash: Racism and the Struggle for Self-Defence

Year 4 Commissions: Nowka Bais theme song

Year 4 Commissions: Nowka Bais theme song

Our 14th project profile for #TransformingNarratives Year 4 Commissions is Nowka Bais theme song showcasing one of the UK's largest Bangladeshi cultural events, featuring Bangla singer Sheikh Dina & composer/musician Neel Kamrul with Birmingham band Charkon. 

Year 4 Commissions: Saif-Ul-Malook Orchestra: Safar Ul Ishq

Year 4 Commissions: Saif-Ul-Malook Orchestra: Safar Ul Ishq

Our 13th project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions is Saif-Ul-Malook Orchestra: Safar Ul Ishq, which is an international project by Shafaq Hussain (UK).

Year 4 Commissions: Tasbeeh

Year 4 Commissions: Tasbeeh

Our 12th project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions is Tasbeeh, an online workshop between Hira Butt, Ort Gallery, Birmingham & Art Soch Gallery, Lahore. Tasbeeh explored the age-old South Asian cultural ritual known as Khatam.  

Year 4 Commissions: Sign Languages

Year 4 Commissions: Sign Languages

Our 11th project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions is Sign Languages, a series of filmed conversations between Rinkoo Barpaga, UK & Ali Noonari, Pakistan as they share the challenges they & their communities faced through lockdowns. 

Year 4 Commissions: Janus Tussle

Year 4 Commissions: Janus Tussle

Year 4 Commissions: Taiz Larkiyan

Year 4 Commissions: Taiz Larkiyan

Our ninth project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions is Taiz Larkiyan, a utopic project by Fiha Barkat Ali & Asavir Nadeem that is inspired by Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain’s 1905 feminist fiction ‘Sultana’s Dream’.

Year 4 Commissions: debugV20.7.1

Year 4 Commissions: debugV20.7.1

Our eighth project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions is debugV20.7.1, a digital re-projection of the Transforming Narratives Mela and Symposium by BLKBX. 

Year 4 Commissions: Dhaka Say Karachi, Chapter 2

Year 4 Commissions: Dhaka Say Karachi, Chapter 2

Our seventh project profile for #TransformingNarratives Year 4 Commissions is Dhaka Say Karachi, Chapter 2 a short film by Ahsan Bari & Sheikh Dina, which tells a compelling story across borders, languages and different histories.

Year 4 Commissions: Tik Talks – Kotha Kaw

Year 4 Commissions: Tik Talks – Kotha Kaw

Our sixth project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions is Tik Talks – Kotha Kaw by Fateha Begum & Sudip Chakroborthy, a series of ten 2-minute Tik Toks spotlighting Bangladeshi creatives living in Birmingham & Bangladesh.

Year 4 Commissions: Dear… Kindest...

Year 4 Commissions: Dear… Kindest...

Our fifth project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions is Dear… Kindest... which is the crystallisation of Mahtab Hussain's & Shehzad Chowdhury’s collaborative research culminating in a 2 channel HD video of powerful monologues.

Year 4 Commissions: এ্যালহাকার কাথা - Elhakar Katha (A Story of Now)

Year 4 Commissions: এ্যালহাকার কাথা - Elhakar Katha (A Story of Now)

Our fourth project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions is এ্যালহাকার কাথা - Elhakar Katha (A Story of Now), a performance-led participatory artwork created in Thakurgaon, Bangladesh by artist Kamruzzaman Shadhin.

Year 4 Commissions: Mast Qalandar Dancehall

Year 4 Commissions: Mast Qalandar Dancehall

Our third project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions is Mast Qalandar Dancehall, a digital music and dance collaboration with Kalaboration Arts & Art Langar. 

Year 4 Commissions: Emergency Jaruri জরুরী

Year 4 Commissions: Emergency Jaruri জরুরী

Our second project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions was Emergency Jaruri জরুরী a digital presentation of artists’ work from Bangladesh focusing on the complexities of the environmental crisis. 

Year 4 Commissions: The Fabric Under My Skin

Year 4 Commissions: The Fabric Under My Skin

Our first project profile for Transforming Narratives Year 4 Commissions is The Fabric Under My Skin, which reveals an interwoven history of textiles between Birmingham, Dhaka & Lahore, creatively expressed in a series of performative short films. 

Year 4 Commissions – Showcasing 14 new Projects

Year 4 Commissions – Showcasing 14 new Projects

Nowka Bais Theme Song Launch

Nowka Bais Theme Song Launch

Nowka Bais launches its first ever theme song funded by Transforming Narratives at a special event attended by the Bangladeshi community as well as leaders from the Commonwealth Games, Canal and River Trust and the Midlands Rowing Club.

The Transforming Narratives Story film screened

The Transforming Narratives Story film screened

The Transforming Narratives story film gives a flavour our journey from 2018 to 2022 and was screened at the Transforming Narratives Mela & Symposium in March 2022

Transforming Narratives Melã and Symposium

Transforming Narratives Melã and Symposium

My City My Home Facebook live event

My City My Home Facebook live event

Midlands Arts Centre opens two exhibitions featuring work from artists connected to Transforming Narratives

Midlands Arts Centre opens two exhibitions featuring work from artists connected to Transforming Narratives

2021

Transforming Narratives international Cultural Leadership Programme concludes

Transforming Narratives international Cultural Leadership Programme concludes

My City My Home published by Sampad Arts

My City My Home published by Sampad Arts

My City My Home published by Sampad Arts. Sampad invited women in Pakistan and Bangladesh to develop their writing skills through an online literature project titled My City My Home: Connecting Cities that culmaniate in published book including writings from over 180 writers in Birmingham, Pakistan and Bangladesh The book contains writings in Bengali, Urdu and English.

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery – Lost memory Eternalised

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery – Lost memory Eternalised

Lost memory Eternalised was an exhibition located in birmingham's Chamberlain Square. It showcased Mustafa Zaman's artworks, which explore trauma, history, and politics as part of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh independence.

The original development of and collaboration for this exhibition was made possible through Transforming Narratives. The exhibition was a collaboration between Birmingham Museums Trust and Dhaka-based Bengal Foundation, a leading Bangladeshi arts charity.

Critical Dialogue: Kalaboration Arts presented a series of critical dialogue events as part of the Transforming Narratives programme

Critical Dialogue: Kalaboration Arts presented a series of critical dialogue events as part of the Transforming Narratives programme

Nowka Bais takes place on Edgbaston Reservoir

Nowka Bais takes place on Edgbaston Reservoir

Creative Producers appointed for international Transforming Narratives programme

Creative Producers appointed for international Transforming Narratives programme

Transforming Narratives’ Digital Collaborations Programme film launched

Transforming Narratives’ Digital Collaborations Programme film launched

Digital Collaborative Grant: Songs of Solitude released in Pakistan

Digital Collaborative Grant: Songs of Solitude released in Pakistan

Freedom 50 Photos outdoor photography exhibition

Freedom 50 Photos outdoor photography exhibition

International Cultural Leadership Programme launches

International Cultural Leadership Programme launches

Arts Professional article

Arts Professional article

Our Project Director, Sophina Jagot writes for Arts Professional about developing a new generation of artists & cultural leaders.

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery host a panel discussion focussing on Bangladeshi women

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery host a panel discussion focussing on Bangladeshi women

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery host a panel discussion: Women’s Identities in Bangladesh and its Diaspora, focussing on the resilience, rights and roles of Bangladeshi women from independence in 1971 to the present day.

They collaborated with Bengal Foundation who they engaged with on their Transforming Narratives exchange trip in early 2020.

Transforming narratives' Digital Collaborations networking event

Transforming narratives' Digital Collaborations networking event

We held an online event to say a huge thank you to all the participants of the Digital Collaborations Programme – more than 100 artists – which was our way of responding to lockdowns and travel limitations by creating 17 online projects, which are shown in the photo.

Digital Collaborative Grant: Gully Collective first zine released.

Digital Collaborative Grant: Gully Collective first zine released.

Digital Collaborative Grant: Gully Collective first zine released. This collaboration was led by founders of the Gully Collective, Birmigham artists Nafeesa Hamid, Rupinder Kaur and Kamil Mahmood. Taste showcases 15 amazing artists from Birmingham, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The Gully Collective later go on to hold Gully Live in January 2022, an evening event of poetry, music, storytelling and food, focussed on South Asian artists.

Digital Collaborative Grant: Dhaka Say Karachi short film launched

Digital Collaborative Grant: Dhaka Say Karachi short film launched

Dhaka say Karachi is a rich musical, cultural and spiritual experience; a short film with an original music score based on the works of the iconic Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore and the national poet of Pakistan Allama Iqbal, produced by Ahsan Bari (Pakistan) and Sheikh Dina (Bangladesh).

 

Digital Collaborative Grant: Project Dystopia - BMAG, BLKBX and Yas Lime launched two videos

Digital Collaborative Grant: Project Dystopia - BMAG, BLKBX and Yas Lime launched two videos

Transforming Narratives’ Cultural Leadership Programme opens for applications

Transforming Narratives’ Cultural Leadership Programme opens for applications

Digital Collaborative Grant: GRAIN Zine New Narratives published

Digital Collaborative Grant: GRAIN Zine New Narratives published

Digital Collaborative Grant: Launch of Chal Diye a music video

Digital Collaborative Grant: Launch of Chal Diye a music video

Digital Collaborative Grant: CollaborARTISTS

Digital Collaborative Grant: CollaborARTISTS

Digital Collaborative Grant: Birmingham Open Theatre

Digital Collaborative Grant: Birmingham Open Theatre

Digital Collaborative Grant: Mirror Effect a trilogy of videos

Digital Collaborative Grant: Mirror Effect a trilogy of videos

Digital Collaborative Grant: Virtual dance performances by Haal E Raqs

Digital Collaborative Grant: Virtual dance performances by Haal E Raqs

Digital Collaborative Grant: Words, Signs and VV Photo Dictionary

Digital Collaborative Grant: Words, Signs and VV Photo Dictionary

Live Deaf photography event on Deaf Explorer Facebook page. Birmingham-based D/deaf photographer Rinkoo Barpaga of Deaf Explorer worked in collaboration with Ali Noonari (Pakistan) to create a visual dictionary of new signs that have emerged out of lockdown with their project Words, Signs and VV Photo Dictionary. They represent the unique viewpoint of D/deaf people to reveal the local and global inequality during the Covid-19 crisis. 

Download the Words, Signs and VV Photo Dictionary

Digital Collaborative Grant: Bassi News

Digital Collaborative Grant: Bassi News

Digital Collaborative Grant: Mapping Memory

Digital Collaborative Grant: Mapping Memory

2020

Digital Collaborative Grant: ANGON launch a series of podcasts

Digital Collaborative Grant: ANGON launch a series of podcasts

Digital Collaborative Grant: Sreepur Village in Bangladesh

Digital Collaborative Grant: Sreepur Village in Bangladesh

Transforming Narratives Partners and Steering Group have a revisioning exercise to define the direction for the remainder of the programme.

Transforming Narratives Partners and Steering Group have a revisioning exercise to define the direction for the remainder of the programme.

Digital Collaborative Grant: I don’t know you, you don’t know me

Digital Collaborative Grant: I don’t know you, you don’t know me

Year 1 Collaborations: Sampad Arts launch My City My Home international writing competition

Year 1 Collaborations: Sampad Arts launch My City My Home international writing competition

The My City My Home international writing competition focussed on giving women from Birmingham, Bangladesh and Pakistan a platform to publish their writing as part of Transforming Narratives Exchange and Collaboration programme. “We want to give women and girls the chance to tell their story. We need to hear it from them,” said Sampad Arts' Piali Ray, OBE.

17 creative and cultural practitioners awarded grants

17 creative and cultural practitioners awarded grants

17 creative and cultural practitioners awarded grants to create new works as part of the Digital Collaborations Programme.

Developed in response to Covid-19, the Transforming Narratives Digital Collaborations Programme links Bangladesh, Pakistan and Birmingham through creative online projects.

Two online artistic briefing sessions

Two online artistic briefing sessions

To help potential applicants to our Digital Collaboration Programme grants we host digital briefing sessions to encourage and instruct potential applicants.

Launch of Digital Collaboration Programme open call

Launch of Digital Collaboration Programme open call

In response to the pandemic Transforming Narratives allocates £50,000 (later increased to £75,000) to its Digital Collaboration Programme to commission artist, musicians and performers to produce work in lockdown.

Transforming Narratives' plans for two further open calls (for artistic work and for the cultural leadership programme) is put on hold

Transforming Narratives' plans for two further open calls (for artistic work and for the cultural leadership programme) is put on hold

In response to the current Coronavirus situation, talks began on ways to revise our future programming that can facilitate cultural programmes without the need for travel.

World Health Organisation declares COVID-19 a pandemic

World Health Organisation declares COVID-19 a pandemic

The remaining four Transforming Narratives exchange trips are cancelled.

Year I Collaborations: Sahasa by Sonia Sabri Company

Year I Collaborations: Sahasa by Sonia Sabri Company

Exchange Trip: Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) visits Bangladesh and Pakistan

Exchange Trip: Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) visits Bangladesh and Pakistan

Exchange Trip – Midland Arts Centre (Mac) visits Bangladesh

Exchange Trip – Midland Arts Centre (Mac) visits Bangladesh

Deborah Kermode, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Mac in Birmingham and curator Alice Swatton visit cultural organisations in Bangladesh including Epiphania Visuals and Bengal Foundation. This would lead to an exhibition at Mac When Speech is Forced Down, Art Must Speak launched on 5 February 2022.

Exchange Trip: Birmingham Artist Faisal Hussain visits Pakistan

Exchange Trip: Birmingham Artist Faisal Hussain visits Pakistan

Faisal Hussain completes international exchange to Pakistan. Faisal Hussain, the Birmingham-based artist and director of True Form Projects, travelled to Lahore and Karachi in February as part of Transforming Narratives’ first open call for artists.

Photo: Faisal meets Moneeza Hashmi, Chairperson of Alhamra Arts Centre

Ten new artistic projects commissioned as a result of August 2019’s open call.

Ten new artistic projects commissioned as a result of August 2019’s open call.

2019

Open Call for Artistic Programme

Open Call for Artistic Programme

This call for artistic work was for collaborative projects spanning a range of artforms including visual arts, music, literature and theatre, and exchange trips. We were looking for proposals reflecting the project's vision – which is outlined in this video.

Year 1 Collaborations: Birmingham Contemporary Music Group launched Music in Dialogue

Year 1 Collaborations: Birmingham Contemporary Music Group launched Music in Dialogue

Programmes Officer appointed for Transforming Narratives 

Programmes Officer appointed for Transforming Narratives 

Nushin Hussain was appointed as Programmes Officer to support the delivery of Transforming Narratives alongside Project Director, Sophina Jagot

Waterways pop-up exhibition by Aftab Rahman (Legacy WM)

Waterways pop-up exhibition by Aftab Rahman (Legacy WM)

Waterways pop-up exhibition saw Aftab Rahman auction off a selection of photographs taken on his recent R&D trip to Bangladesh funded by Transforming Narratives. His auction raised £3,300 for a water filtration system in Bangladesh.

Watch this short video of the exhibition.

Call out for Community Facilitators to open up the Transforming Narratives conversation

Call out for Community Facilitators to open up the Transforming Narratives conversation

Formal Launch of Transforming Narratives with introductory event at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre and two immersive performances

Formal Launch of Transforming Narratives with introductory event at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre and two immersive performances

R&D Programme gets underway with 16 culturally significant exchanges and a major international study trip.

R&D Programme gets underway with 16 culturally significant exchanges and a major international study trip.

2018

R&D Programme: 16 research grants offered to cultural organisations and individuals to undertake research and development in Birmingham, Pakistan or Bangladesh as well as study visits to Birmingham.

R&D Programme: 16 research grants offered to cultural organisations and individuals to undertake research and development in Birmingham, Pakistan or Bangladesh as well as study visits to Birmingham.

Transforming Narratives is established

Transforming Narratives is established

Transforming Narratives is established as a ground-breaking project that supports creative and cultural practitioners and organisations in Birmingham to engage in exchange with artists and organisations in cities in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

2017

British Council and Culture Central coordinate recce visits to Pakistan and Bangladesh, leading to a joint Awards for Excellence funding application to Arts Council England.

British Council and Culture Central coordinate recce visits to Pakistan and Bangladesh, leading to a joint Awards for Excellence funding application to Arts Council England.