Global Academics to Present Research on Black British Music at First Annual BMRU Symposium
Black British Music: Past, Present and Futures takes place at the British Library on 12 July
Keynote from PRS Members’ Council President + academics, DJs/musicians and writers from SOAS, The University of Liverpool, Florida State University, and more
Part of the first-of-its-kind Beyond the Bassline exhibition (until 26 August)
The University of Westminster’s Black Music Research Unit (BMRU) will host a symposium on 12th July, reflecting on the historical context and legacies that define Black British music.
Black British Music: Past, Present and Futures is the result of ongoing research carried out by UK and US universities, as well as a broader partnership between the BMRU and the British Library on Beyond the Bassline: 500 years of Black British Music – the first major exhibition to document the 500-year musical journey of African and Caribbean people in Britain.
Michelle Escoffery, President of the PRS Members’ Council and Ivor Novello Award-winning singer, songwriter and composer, will deliver a keynote session on the nuances of being a Black woman in music, as well as the challenges facing Black British artists.
Other sessions will trace the geographic landmarks and cultures that have driven Black British music, and unpack Black British music’s representation of women and other genres including grime and drill. The event will also host a music and publishing roundtable considering how Black British Music has been depicted in media. The full programme is listed below.
The speaker lineup, which is predominantly made up of women and covers a diverse range of expertise, includes E. Falade, a Black queer feminist DJ, ethnomusicologist and author of Queering Black British Music, and Estée Blu, an R&B-Jazz Singer, writer and Founder of BLU WAV artist wellbeing, as well as cultural historian Dr Holly-Gale Millette, and more.
Michelle Escoffery, president of PRS Members’ Council added: “This symposium is another opportunity to shine a light on the vital history and impact of Black British music. Our stories and contributions have shaped the music landscape in powerful ways. This event is a chance to celebrate our legacy, address ongoing challenges, and explore how our culture influences our art. It’s crucial to keep these conversations going to ensure our voices are heard and valued."
Dr. Mykaell Riley, Director of the Black Music Research Unit at the University of Westminster and guest curator of Beyond the Bassline, said: “The Beyond the Bassline exhibition, known for its groundbreaking approach, was inspired by BMRU research, so it’s only fitting for the British Library to host our first annual symposium. This conference will distinctively highlight early-career female researchers with a focus on black British music.”
Tickets for the symposium are available to purchase here, which includes refreshments and a sandwich lunch, as well access to the Beyond the Bassline exhibition at a special evening party event running from 18:30 – 21:30 Carnival Warmup and Soca Special with live performance by Triniboi Joocie plus DJs, costume and conversation. Curated by Lin Kam Art.
The BMRU aims to decolonise UK arts and culture, making the study of Black British music’s historical narratives more accessible and representative of the Black community. Previous work includes its landmark research which contributed to halting the Metropolitan Police's controversial Form 696, its 2019 Bass Culture exhibition which explored the evolution of UK music post-Windrush, and a student-led soundtrack for the BBC hit series ‘Boarders’.
Inspired by the British Library’s sound archive, Beyond the Bassline explores the people, spaces and genres that have transformed the landscape of British music. It is the first major exhibition to document the 500-year musical journey of African and Caribbean people in Britain and celebrates music as a form of entertainment and vehicle for community, as well as a source of liberation, protest and education.
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Symposium Programme
(timings may be subject to change)
09:30 Registration
10:00 Beyond the Bassline: Introductions
10:15 – 11:15 Keynote: Michelle Escoffery, President of the PRS Members' Council
11:15 – 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:40 Methodologies and Approaches to Black British Music
Dr. E Falade, Gayle Murchison, Pitchou Bulay and Adriel Elijah Miles, Daniel Burdsey. Chair Julia Toppin.
12:40 - 13:30 Lunch and performance
13:30 - 14:40 Black British Musical Geographies
Holly-Gale Millette, John Doyle, Matthew Flynn and Maria Ryan. Chair, Dr. Aleema Gray.
14:45 - 16:00 Black British Genres and Possibilities
Esther "Estée Blu" Lenda Bokuma, Dionne Taylor, Adèle Oliver, Cheraine Donalea Scott Chair, Chris Christodoulou.
16.00 - 16:15 tea and coffee break
16:15 - 17:30 Black British Music and Publishing Roundtable
Chair Mykaell Riley
17:30 – 18:30 Drinks and networking
18:30 -20:00 Post- Symposium party Carnival Warmup and Soca Special and exhibition visit
About the BMRU
Established in 2015, the BMRU is the first academic research space dedicated to collecting, archiving and sharing evidence to support the cultural recognition of Black British Music. Its first major project, Bass Culture, ran from 2016-2019. It was a world-first academic study spearheaded by Dr Mykaell Riley, that employed community-based ethnography and cultural historical inquiry to spotlight the heritage and legacy of Jamaican music in Britain over the past 60 years. Bass Culture was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and produced a documentary, interviews with pivotal musicians across the UK, conferences and an exhibition. That exhibition, and the overwhelming public response to the project, laid the groundwork for Beyond the Bassline – a national exhibition of Black-British musical history and culture at the British Library, curated by the BMRU’s head, Dr Mykaell Riley.
About the British Library
We are the national library of the UK and we are here for everyone. Our shelves hold over 170 million items – a living collection that gets bigger every day. Although our roots extend back centuries, we aim to collect everything published in the UK today, tomorrow and far into the future. Our trusted experts care for this collection and open it up for everyone to spark new discoveries, ideas and to help people do incredible things.
We have millions of books, and much more besides. Our London and Yorkshire sites hold collections ranging from newspapers and maps to sound recordings, patents, academic journals, as well as a copy of every UK domain website and blog. Our public spaces provide a place to research, to meet friends, to start up a new business or simply to get inspired by visiting our galleries and events. We work with partners and libraries across the UK and the world to make sure that as many people as possible have the chance to use and explore our collections, events and expertise. And we’re always open online.
About the University of Westminster
The University of Westminster offers a vibrant learning environment attracting more than 21,000 students from nearly 170 nations and we continue to invest in our future with new developments, research projects and new ideas. The University ranked in the top 20 in the UK and in the top 30 in the world for international students, according to the Times Higher World University Ranking 2024.
The University has also been recognised as one of the top 15% out of over 1,400 universities globally for its work on contributing to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs). We also rank 2nd for social mobility among English universities, according to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and educational charity the Sutton Trust.
Established as London's first polytechnic in 1838, we have, from our earliest days, opened our doors to provide educational opportunities to people regardless of their background and supported them on their journey to develop their skills, knowledge and expertise.
We offer highly attractive practice-based courses which are independently rated as excellent, many with international recognition. Our distinguished 186-year history has meant we lead the way in many areas of research, particularly Politics, Media, Art and Design, Architecture and Biomedical Sciences, and our position in the city of London allows us to continue to build on our close connections with leading figures and organisations in these areas as well as in the worlds of business, information technology, politics and law. Our commitment to educating graduates for the needs of professional life attracts high quality students from within the UK and around the globe.