Counterpoints Arts

Upcoming events at Counterpoints Arts

Community

To Re-Cite: Ayat al-Kursi - Sound, Faith, and Collective Listening

We warmly invite you to a workshop as part of the wider development of our newly co-commissioned project with artist Aliaskar Abarkas, exploring sound, music, and listening through faith and collective experience. The session brings together members of our community with Muslim backgrounds to share ideas, and reflections on how sonic practices – from recitation and prayer to breath, rhythm, and silence – shape spiritual, emotional, and communal life. The starting point of the project is the Quranic verse Ayat al-Kursi, whispered across generations, transmitted as both lullaby and sonic protection. This session is the first in a series of workshops forming part of a longer-term project. Further confirmed sessions will take place on: Sun 26 Apr, Sun 17 May, and Sun 31 May. Aliaskar Abarkas is an Iranian artist based in London. Rooted in alternative and communal art education, his practice stages choreographic encounters that move from individual elements into collective expression. Often in dialogue with historical sources, Abarkas builds collaborative frameworks that invite participants to interpret and activate inherited scores through music, exhibition, and performance-making. He is currently an Associate Artist at Sadler’s Wells / Rose Choreographic School (London, 2024–26) and Lead Artist at Autograph Gallery (Acts of Solidarity, in partnership with All Change, London, 2025–28).

Sun 12 Apr10:30Counterpoints Arts

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Comedy

Beyond a Joke - report launch

Counterpoints Arts is delighted to be co-hosting the launch of Beyond A Joke – Comedy and Social Change in the UK, by Sam Beale, supported by Unbound Philanthropy. Dr Sam Beale is a comedy director, writer, teacher and researcher. She is a co-founder and co-director of Palestine Comedy Club (PalCom) and founder/ director of Funny Side Collective. To celebrate and advocate live comedy as a tool for positive social change, Beyond A Joke explores how comedy initiatives are building communities, reducing social exclusion and improving mental health, and examines the effectiveness of using humour as part of social justice campaigns. The launch event will feature a presentation of the report plus a panel discussion from experienced comedy and social change practitioners: – Performer, facilitator and story-maker, Yasmeen Audisho Ghrawi – The Comedy School Founder/Director, Mr Keith Palmer MBE – Critic, K. Biswas – Report author, Dr Sam Beale Chaired by Laith Elzubaidi (Counterpoints Arts) Light lunch will be served. The report features projects and organisations currently working in the sector, to identify existing good practice, and considers opportunities for expansion and key challenges for the field.

Mon 13 Apr11:00Counterpoints Arts

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Community

Take Part in Refugee Week

A partnership event exploring Refugee Week 2026 Join this event to learn more about Refugee Week and the intersection of arts, mental health and displacement with Counterpoints Arts. Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. Refugee Week 2026 will take place from 15–21 June and will explore the theme Courage, marking the 75th anniversary of the Refugee Convention. The session will include a case study and practical guidance on embedding good mental health practice when planning Refugee Week events or working with people from displaced backgrounds. Sign up to the event here This event is a partnership between Counterpoints Arts and a collective of UK creative health networks: The Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance; London Arts and Health; Arts, Culture, Health & Wellbeing Scotland; the Wales Arts, Health & Wellbeing Network; the Northern Ireland Creative Health Network and Arts Care. Agenda 10:30 AM – 10:40 AM Welcome & housekeeping CHWA 10:40 AM – 10:55 AM About the Week Counterpoints About the Week – and how you can take part 10:55 AM – 11:05 AM Case study 11:05 AM – 11:20 AM Counterpoints + Mental Health Guidebook Counterpoints 11:20 AM – 11:45 AM Discussion & Q&A 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM Closing remarks

Tue 14 Apr10:30Counterpoints Arts

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Community

Spaces of Care; Migration, Museums & Mental Health

We are thrilled about this interactive event with the Migration Network, MultakaOxford and Counterpoints Arts at the Museum of Making in Derby. Spaces of Care a free day-long, in-person event kindly hosted by the Museum of Making in Derby. This event is intended for those working with migration and intersecting themes in museums, heritage sites and cultural spaces. It’s particularly for those working across the Midlands and South Yorkshire – to ensure opportunities for connection and potential collaborations. There will be opportunities to hear from the organisers, engage with a carousel of story-sharing activities, share your own work, and network and connect with each other. During the day we’ll explore key questions like: what are the motivations for everyone involved? How do we do it? What is successful and what challenges are we facing? What is the impact and what consequences do we need to consider? If you would like to attend please

Tue 12 May10:30Counterpoints Arts

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Community

Footnote x Counterpoints Prize Readings

Meet the finalists for the £15,000 Footnotes x Counterpoints Fiction Prize for writers from refugee and migrant backgrounds who shine a light on today’s most pertinent topics. The writers reflect on themes of displacement, belonging, courage and creativity both in the selected works and more broadly, touching on highly relevant themes that shape our lives and society. This event brings together the shortlisted authors ahead of the announcement of the winner in June, who will be selected by a judging panel composed of prominent writers. Presented in association with Counterpoints Arts and Footnote. Booking via Southbank Centre Shortlist to be announced in early May.

Sun 31 May19:45Counterpoints Arts

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Community

It Sounds Like Courage: Music and Solidarity

A celebration of music and spoken word shaped by migration – brought together by courageous creative talents for Refugee Week. Co-curated by Southbank Centre with Anoushka Shankar and Counterpoints Arts, It Sounds Like Courage brings a unique blend of artists who stand in solidarity with displaced people all over the world. Full details and booking via the Southbank Centre website. Connected by the unifying theme of ‘courage’, the night features music and poetry born from generations of migration, mapping the sounds and creativity that grew out of resistance movements. Featuring artists with lived experience of displacement, musicians with migrant heritage and high-profile allies in the fight for justice and equality, It Sounds Like Courage is a night to imagine new possibilities together, with community and solidarity at its centre. Hosted by comedian Nish Kumar, with performances from singer and flautist Nai Barghouti with the London Contemporary Orchestra, Mozambican rapper MoYah and spoken word from Nikita Gill and Salena Godden, with more to be announced. This event sits at the heart of Refugee Week during our 75th anniversary year and is presented by Southbank Centre in partnership with Counterpoints Arts. Anoushka Shankar. Photo by Laura Lewis

Fri 26 Jun19:30Counterpoints Arts

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Community

Counterpoints Lecture with Elif Shafak

Global bestselling writer and renowned activist Elif Shafak explores whether creativity can help heal our divided world in the inaugural Counterpoints lecture. For this first iteration of the annual Counterpoints lecture, Shafak explores how imagination and artistic practice shape our understanding of the world. Full details and tickets from Southbank Centre website Shafak reflects on the link between creativity and courage, and how creativity can open paths to belonging, imagination and collaboration in times of conflict, fear and political division. Drawing on academic, literary critic and activist Edward Said’s concept of the ‘counterpoint’ perspective of displaced people, Shafak considers how artists from regions affected by war, violence and political extremism can offer vital insights and new ways of seeing, questioning and imagining. As part of this, Shafak unravels the idea of ‘storyland’ as a motherland. Elif Shafak is an award-winning and highly acclaimed British-Turkish novelist whose work has been translated into 55 languages. The author of 21 books, including 13 novels, she is a bestselling author in many countries around the world. Shafak holds a PhD in political science and is President of the Royal Society of Literature and a Public Humanities Fellow at the School of Advanced Studies (SAS).

Sat 27 Jun14:00Counterpoints Arts

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Community

Our HeartBeats: Courage in Creativity

Join a celebration of global club sounds and community at the Southbank Centre with Our Heartbeats DJ Crew Rooted in the belief of music’s ability to bring people together and defy narratives, Our HeartBeats DJ crew create a space where culture, migration and identity collide on the dance floor. Our HeartBeats is a community-led DJ training and performance platform rooted in the belief that music has the power to unite, empower and challenge narratives. Championing young DJs from refugee and displaced backgrounds, the programme creates pathways into London’s music scene while celebrating the diverse musical identities of its artists. At this event, newly trained DJs from the latest Our HeartBeats cohort will perform their first public sets, supported by alumni artists who have gone on to perform at festivals, venues and radio stations across London and beyond. Special guest DJs will also join the line-up. About Our Heartbeats Part of Southbank Centre’s Refugee Week 2026 programme, presented in partnership with Counterpoints Arts, this event responds to this year’s theme of ‘courage’ – welcoming audiences to connect across cultures through music and shared celebration. Our HeartBeats began during Refugee Week 2024 in collaboration with the Southbank Centre and has since grown into an independent Community Interest Company supporting emerging artists through workshops, mentoring and performance opportunities. Find out more about Our Heartbeats.

Sat 27 Jun14:00Counterpoints Arts

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Community

Arab Film Club: An Afternoon of Shorts and Q&A

Join us for a specially curated programme of short films for Refugee Week 2026 Actor and writer Sarah Agha curates a programme of short films for Arab Film Club on 28 June, followed by a live Q&A with the film-makers. These exceptional films demonstrate how film-makers can use the power of cinema, art and storytelling to humanise narratives of migration, using cinema to champion stories of courage, community and resilience. Full line up to be announced soon. For ages 14+. Book your place on the Southbank Centre website. Photo: Southbank 2025, Suhaib Jaber — Interested in holding your own Refugee Week film screening? Each year we curate a selection of short and feature-length films from across the world exploring themes of displacement, migration, belonging, and community as part of The Refugee Week Film Festival. Organisations and individuals can screen them for free during Refugee Week on 15 – 21 June 2026. Find out more about hosting your own screening.

Sun 28 Jun15:00Counterpoints Arts

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