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Enjoying Silk Screens Birmingham 2008

Silk Screens was a series of simultaneous outdoor film screenings and live events that happened across the UK on Saturday 19th July 2008.

The afternoon outdoor spectacles took place in four cities -ÌýÌýBirmingham,Ìý London (Leicester Square), Glasgow (River Festival) and Manchester.

Attractions included professional and community dancers, singers, martial artists and Chinese crafts and live screenings of more than 50 films made with the support of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Video Nation, reflecting the culture and lives of British Chinese in the UK.

Silk Screens festival - Birmingham

Birmingham’s Victoria Square in the city centre came alive with an array of Chinese culture including; spectacular dragon dancers, Birmingham’s Pak Ming Cantonese Opera with dance, martial arts and Tai Chi groups.

Silk Screens Birmingham 2008

People of all ages also took a journey through Chinese myths and legends with local writer Tina Freeth and created their own origami boats to float in the fountain.

Chinese breakdancers joined cutting edge sounds from DJ Phat and Suki Mok, and live screenings of short films exploring Chinese culture in the city was shown on the Big Screen throughout the day.

My identity

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Video Nation has been working with people from Birmingham’s Chinese community on a series of short films about being British Chinese.

Julie Sohoo talks about her identity

In their films James Lee talks about his fear of the younger generation forgetting their cultural roots and Julie Sohoo feels she has the best of both worlds being British Chinese.

Their films along with others will be shown on the Big Screen on Saturday 19th July as part of the Silk Screen festival in Victoria Square.

Watch the videos below

China Now festival

Silk Screens is part of a nationwide year long festival called China Now highlighting the run up to the Beijing Olympics (8th – 24th August 2008)

China Now is the largest ever festival of Chinese cultureÌý in the UK, over 1200 events, performances and activities showcasing art, design, cuisine and culture, science, business and technology, education and sport will be a celebration of vibrant, dynamic 21st-century China.

Visit the China Now website for more information about the festival and a full list of events happening across the UK.

More China Now events and exhibitions in Birmingham

China Now events will be taking place across Birmingham throughout the year, special events include:

CHINESE ART DEMONSTRATIONS

VENUE: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
DATE:Ìý 01/01/2008 - 30/04/2009

Celebrating British Chinese culture

A programme of six demonstrations by Chinese artists, exploring a variety of Chinese art techniques.Ìý These events will provide a unique opportunity for visitors to see real artists at work.

ASPECTS OF CHINA: An Exhibition of Chinese Ceramics

VENUE: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
DATE: 08/02/2008 - 01/02/2009

Aspects of China will Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery’s first permanent and rotating display of Chinese art. The exhibition will feature over 50 pieces of historic Chinese ceramics from the Han, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. It will look at the history of Chinese ceramics and Chinese culture.

Dragon dancers

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ China season

On the run up to the Beijing Olympics the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ will be broadcasting a season of programmes throughout the year across radio and televisions exploring the music and culture of China.

Visit the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ China season website for more information