Wilberforce 2007
Your guide to what's on

January

11 - Launch of 'Small Island Read'. The largest mass-reading project to take place in Britain. Until June, at various venues (see page 34).
17 - Wilberforce Lecture, delivered by His Excellency Archbishop Fitzgerald, the papal nuncio to Egypt: "Combating Modern Slavery." Guildhall reception room. Tickets free from the Hull City Hall box office.
23 - Tiiwa Tiiwa (It's Ours) – a performance of post-modern African dance by the Bode Lawal Sakoba Dance Theatre. Hull New Theatre. Tickets £12.
Between January and April, award-winning poet Jackie Kay MBE, who writes about cultural identity, offers the Jackie Kay writing residency. Includes public readings of her work. Various venues.

February

26 to March 11. Fairtrade Fortnight – events to raise awareness about Fairtrade; including markets, presentations and tasting sessions. Various locations.
February to June - Spring Dance programme. A five-month festival of dance performances, residencies and classes. Various venues. Some events free.

March

1 - March of the Abolitionists - a 200-mile walk to Westminster, starting from Holy Trinity Church, Hull, and on to Scunthorpe, Boston, Cambridge, Greenwich and Westminster.
13 - Book reading. Award-winning novelist Andrea Levy answers questions and signs copies of her novel, Small Island, about the first generation of Jamaican immigrants to Britain. Venue: Zest, Newland Avenue, 7.30pm. Tickets £5.
22 - Launch of Amazing Grace. Hollywood feature film about Wilberforce hits cinemas across the UK.
24 - Performance of Handel's "Israel in Egypt" by Hull Choral Union. Hull City Hall, 7:30pm. Tickets £5 - £12.
25 - 'Together for Freedom' event - a special Christian service in honour of Wilberforce, with a gospel performance by young people from North Hull. Hull City Hall, 5pm. Free tickets from Hull City Hall box office.
25 - Wilberforce Lecture by the Right Hon. Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados. Holy Trinity Church, 2pm. Free tickets from Hull City Hall box office.
31 - World musical premiere of the musical Cargo, by Paul Field, which celebrates the achievement of Wilberforce. Hull City Hall, performances at 4pm and 7pm. Tickets £5-£12. Concessions for early or group bookings. Not suitable for young children.

Don't miss in March
'Greetings! Wilberforce Women' - an exhibition of photographs taken by Hull women, exploring themes of freedom, pride, belief and change. Wilberforce House, dates to be confirmed.

April

2 - 28 - Eye Opener - a self-guided trail exploring some of the more weird and unusual exhibits around Hull's museums, taking in new galleries at Wilberforce House. Admission free.
2 -16 (not weekends) - Hands On...Our Collections - a range of family activities and events designed to help families explore the wide range of exhibits at the city's museums. Ferens Art Gallery, Hands on History, Hull & East Riding Museum, Hull Maritime Museum, Streetlife Museum of Transport, Wilberforce House and the Guildhall. 10am to 5pm.
7 – May 20 - Mind-Forged Manacles by William Blake – an exhibition of rare watercolours, prints and illuminated books by the 18th-century poet and artist. Ferens Art Gallery.
14 - Behind the mask - African mask-making workshop for families. Wilberforce House, 11am to 3pm. Admission free.
20 - August 31 - Wilberforce tours - find out more about the abolition movement with a tour of the new galleries at Wilberforce House. Daily between 2pm and 2.45pm.
20 - London Gospel Choir. Hull City Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £15.50 and £16.50. Concessions available.
21 - Kanda Bongo Man - African artist performs music of optimism and happiness. Hull City Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £15.50 to £17.50.
24 - Wilberforce Lecture by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Right Revd. Rowan Williams. Hull City Hall, 7pm. Free tickets from Hull City Hall box office.

Don't miss in April
Fairtrade fashion show - featuring clothes made from Fairtrade materials. Hull College, Horncastle Building. Date and time to be confirmed.

May

1 - 30 (not weekends) - People, who are we? - a series of photographic exhibitions throughout Hull's museums and galleries exploring themes of people and places to help us discover our past. Ferens Art Gallery, Hands on History Museum, Hull & East Riding Museum, Hull Maritime Museum, Streetlife Museum of Transport, Wilberforce House and the Guildhall. 10am to 5pm.
5 to July 8 - Keith Piper: The Abolitionist Parlour - video exhibition exploring arguments for abolition, including the view of an unnamed African slave. Ferens Art Gallery. 10am to 5pm Mon to Sat, 1.30pm to 5pm Sun.
5 - Wilberforce, saint or sinner? A short talk about Wilberforce. Wilberforce House, 2pm-2.30pm. Admission free.
7 to June 1 - Wilberforce and 18th-century Hull. An exhibition of art and archives exploring the man and his times. Hull Maritime Museum. Admission free.
12 – Christian Aid sponsored walk across the Humber Bridge. Walk over the bridge as many times as you like. Free registration - just turn up, have fun and support the charity's anti-slavery work in Africa and South America. From 2pm to 5.30pm.
12 - Hands on Africa - family workshops about how to use African music and arts objects. Wilberforce House, 11am-3pm. Admission free.
12 - Hull Philharmonic Orchestra play a specially commissioned piece, The Lamp of Liberty. Hull City Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5-£15.
19 - Hull Sinfonietta, University orchestra and choir perform a Wilberforce 2007 celebration concert. Also, contributions from schools, community groups and refugees. Hull City Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £6–12. Concessions available.
21 - 26 - Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Hull New Theatre. Tickets £12 - £26, from Hull City Hall ticket office.

June

June 2006 - June 2007 - Libraries Connect Communities - a year-long programme of events linking Hull's libraries with libraries in Ghana through art and book projects.
1 - Unveiling of a specially commissioned piece of silver to commemorate the end of the British slave trade. To take place at the Guildhall, time to be confirmed.
2 to July 15 - La Bouche du Roi - multimedia exhibition by Romuald Haazoume, inspired by the Liverpool slave ship 'The Brookes', including 300 masks made from petrol cans. Ferens Art Gallery
4 - 9 - African Snow, a play by Murray Watts about the unexpected friendship between a slave ship captain and one of his slaves. Hull New Theatre, 7.30pm. Tickets £5-£15.
30 – Fascinating Rhythms - dance and music-making workshops for families, using African instruments. Wilberforce House, 11am-3pm.

July

2 - Women and the anti-slavery movement - a short talk. Wilberforce House, 2pm-2.30pm. Admission free.
21 – Stories from West Africa – traditional tales bringing culture and history to life. Wilberforce House, 11am-1pm.
23 to October 28 - The Time Travellers! Explore Hull museums to complete your own timeline of the city's history. Ferens Art Gallery, Hands on History Museum, Hull & East Riding Museum, Hull Maritime Museum, Streetlife Museum of Transport, Wilberforce House. Admission free.
23 - Sep 3 - Hands On Our Collections - summer holiday events that offer in-depth access to gallery and museum collections in Hull.
28 – Sankofa Sunsplash. Festival of music, art, dance and food to celebrate African and Afro-Caribbean culture, including performances by the 25-piece Wilberforce Samba Band, from the David Lister School. Queen's Gardens. 12pm-7pm. Admission free.
28 – Wilberforce Cup yacht race - between Hull and Rotterdam will feature ten 68-foot clipper boats. The race will be a warm up to the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 07-08.

August

1 - Yorkshire Day - the Lord Mayor of Hull will be joined by 200 other Yorkshire mayors for a private ceremony at Hull City Hall, after which the party will form a procession through the city centre en-route to Holy Trinity Church for a commemorative service (which the public are welcome to attend, subject to seating availability).
3 - A Day in the Life of B19: Tales of the Tower Block - performed by award-winning sax and rap star Soweto Kinch and his band. Hull Truck Theatre, 8pm. Tickets £13-£15.
4 - Hands on Africa - family workshops exploring slavery through artefacts and objects. Wilberforce House,11am-3pm. Admission free.
8 - A World of Stories - traditional stories from around the world. Wilberforce House, 11am-3pm. Admission Free .
13 - 17 - A Journey Through Africa - a week of activities and workshops celebrating African culture through music, dance and storytelling. Wilberforce House, 10.30am-3pm daily.
23 - September 1 (not Sundays) - Hull Truck Youth Theatre will be performing a play inspired by the life and achievements of Wilberforce, at Spring Street. Look out for more details at www.hulltruck.co.uk
25 - 26 - Cultural Carnival - two-day event exploring the world and its cultures through music and dance. The Museums Quarter, 11am-4pm. Admission free.

September

8 - Cloth and Culture - a family workshop teaching printing methods using traditional African textile designs. Wilberforce House, 11am-3pm. Admission free.
8 - November 3 - Uncomfortable Truths - an exhibition of new and specially commissioned works by international artists. Ferens Art Gallery. Admission free.
20 - 23 - Fairtrade Festival - featuring markets and events to raise awareness about Fairtrade. Locations and times to be confirmed.

October

1 - 5 - Wilberforce Film Festival - a festival of films dedicated to freedom. Hull Screen, times to be confirmed.
13 - Black History Event - exploring African culture through music, food and dance. The Museums Quarter, 11am-4pm. Admission free.
15 - 20 - Disposable People - theatrical work looking at modern slavery, by Croft Creative in association with the Northern Theatre Company. Performance dates and times to be confirmed.
22 - 25 - The Art of Africa - a week of activities and workshops celebrating West African culture through art and design. Wilberforce House, 10.30am-3pm, daily.
30 - EYMS Brass Band concert - by the East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band, in conjunction with the fourth Wilberforce lecture - see below. City Hall, 6pm. Admission free.
30 - Wilberforce Lecture by the Archbishop of York, Dr Tucker Mugabi Sentamu. Hull City Hall, 7pm. Free tickets from Hull City Hall box office.