Black History Month at Southside

Celebrate Black History Month with a series of FREE community activities at Southside

This year’s Black History Month will be marked with a series of free community activities as Southside Shopping Centre hosts a month-long photography exhibition, a new street food market, a Black Creators' Maker's Market, a spectacular fashion show and a mesmerising ballet performance.

Starting on 1st October, renowned artist Kay Rufai is bringing his S.M.I.L.E-ing BOYS PROJECT to Southside’s upper mall. This month-long photography exhibition was inpired by Rufai's mission to empower young black boys through the arts, and showcases their beaming smiles as a celebration of positivity to counteract negative media perceptions.

Later in the month, Southside will also welcome an all-new Black History Month street food market in the Piazza from Thursday 24th October to Sunday 27th October, while inside the shopping centre will see the return of the Black Makers' Market, where you'll be able to shop amazing and unique products from black-owned designers and makers.

On Saturday 26th October, Fée Uhssi, creator of ethical luxury fashion brand Art of Fashion Wrapping, will be celebrating black fashion with a spectacular new fashion show on the theme of ‘Reclaiming Narratives’. This will be hosted on the upper mall, and will see support by a performance from Vibe Squad.

Finally, Pointe Black ballet school will be at the centre with performances of their show ‘Our Windrush Story’ on Wednesday 30th October. The ballet routine pays homage to the Windrush generation, their voyage to the UK, and their incredible legacies, while the ballerinas themselves – some who are as young as eighteen months – will be showcasing a unique style of classic ballet fused with Afro-Caribbean culture.

For the full line-up of events, see below.

Plan your visit here.