People's Day

As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, our local community takes over our spaces with a day of creativity all inspired by our ‘Rebels With A Cause’ season theme. 

From performances across music, spoken word and dance, to pop-up theatre, to workshops in poetry and visual arts workshops there is something for everyone to enjoy! 

All events are drop-in and suitable for all ages. We encourage you to explore our spaces and take part in as many things as you can. Get creative and channel your inner activist! 

Artists & Performers:

Canley Samba Band, Butterworth Hall

Join Canley Samba Band on the stage of the Butterworth Hall for a rhythmic workshop and experience some classic Samba Band beats! Band leader Dave Barrett will share the origins of Samba Band as one that brings people together through joy, connection and solidarity as he introduces each piece you’ll play.

Dotti Sallis and Nor Aziz, Uniting Communities, Upper Foyer

Our friends in Canley take over the Upper Foyer with an installation that celebrates key Canley spaces and the importance these have in bringing the community together.  Take part in a lantern making workshop in the morning and have a photo taken with performers from this year’s Canley Parade dressed in their illuminated costumes! 

Emerald Book Club, Upper Cinema Foyer

Emerald Book Club is a vibrant community of readers and creatives, passionate about promoting literacy, culture, and thought-provoking discussions. Join them throughout the day for storytelling and reading sessions, creative writing sessions and the opportunity to share your words from the sessions.

Emilie Lauren Jones, Lower Foyer

Explore protest poetry with Coventry’s first Poet Laureate Emilie Lauren Jones! Create your own poems and share them on our collective poetry blackboards to share your words with all. 

Foleshill Creates, Theatre Bar

Our friends at Foleshill Creates lead a day long drop-in workshop of craft activities in our Theatre Bar, with a focus on reusable and recyclable materials. 

Good Neighbours, Lower Foyer

Discover more about befriending, speak to the team, and take part in activities that celebrate the joy of friendship! 

Imagination Reading Cafés, Helen Martin Studio 

An hour-long pop-up theatre experience led by Pru Poretta (Coventry’s Lady Godiva) and Jah Man Aggrey, with interactive props, unique puppets, live music and audience participation!

Ode Creatives, Foyer Stage 

Enjoy this hour-long showcase set on our Foyer Stage featuring 4 local artists, each performing their own original songs that resonate with the ‘Rebels With A Cause’ theme. A celebration of local talent and amplifying voices. 

Out of Whack, Studio

Join Out of Whack, our Elders Dance Company, and choreographer Liz Agiss as they present a new work made specifically to celebrate ‘Rebels With A Cause’ and what dance means to them. A Q&A will follow their performance. 

Reign The Girl Band, Foyer Stage

Siân Jessica Lewis and Lily Smith from Reign, a multi-instrumentalist girlband, join us for an intimate, dynamic set showcasing original music from their upcoming EP. Blending acoustic and electronic elements the set will demonstrate the power of collaborative female musicianship. The performance will be followed by a short interactive workshop discussing barriers for women in the music industry, encouraging dialogue on how we can collectively rebel against these obstacles.

Sing for Change, Foyer Stage 

Sing For Change is a Coventry based community choir that meets to sing songs for peace, social justice, equality and the environment. Their set includes songs as well as performance poetry, written by poets with experience of the British asylum system. You’ll have the opportunity to learn and sing-along to two protest songs and participate in a Q&A. 

Tarla Patel, Creative Learning Space 

Join artist Tarla Patel for a zine and postcard making workshop that explores the theme of rebellion! Using collage making, drawing, text and colour, you’ll make your own mini-zine booklets based on the ‘Rebels With A Cause’ theme. 

Youth Leadership Collective and Inini with DASH Arts, Foyer Stage 

Members of our Youth Leadership Collective and community partners Inini take to the stage to share powerful and persuasive speeches on topics they feel passionate about created as part of workshops with DASH Arts. Amplifying voices and hearing what matters to the people in our community. 

Schedule: