Bilingual Black History Month wording over a green, red and yellow background

The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre is proud to partner with Caribbean Heritage Cymru and Urban Circle to celebrate Black History and Culture on Friday 29 October in a special Live at The Riverfront event for Black History Month.

Performing at the free event will be Newport based musician Matthew Scott who has over 30 years’ experience touring nationally and internationally. His performance will blend soul, funk, and the blues.

Also performing throughout the evening will be talented young people and professionals from Urban Circle, Newport’s independent youth arts charitable organisation who have worked in the arts with young people for over 10 years.  

About the evening, Sally-Anne Evans the Riverfront’s Community Arts Development officer comments “We are really looking forward to this Live at The Riverfront as we focus on Black History and Culture.  Our partners Caribbean Heritage Cymru and Urban Circle create fantastic work and we look forward to a great night of celebration.   Matthew Scott will definitely bring the party and seeing some of the amazing talent through Urban Circle is always a pleasure.  It gives people a chance to come together celebrate but also to reflect on what we need to happen in order to continue moving forward with positive steps to equality of opportunity.”  

Marilyn Bryant-Jones Chair of Caribbean Heritage Cymru said of the evening “We are looking forward to celebrate with our friends and community. Come down to join us as we come together and enjoy some great music. We are also giving a Special Award for a community Support who has gone over and above in their actions.”

Loren Morris of Urban Circle said “Our Young people have been busy practising and we have some amazing talent in Newport. They have worked hard on some of our training events throughout the last 2 weeks and this gives a chance to celebrate and share with our communities.”

Held on the last Friday of the month from 6-10pm, Live at The Riverfront is a free live music, poetry and performance event that takes place on The Riverfront’s ground floor foyer stage. These sessions celebrate and promote local musicians and performers and give them a chance to perform in front of an audience in a relaxed and informal space. Past performers include Krystal S Lowe, Niques, Selena Jerome, The Honest Poet, Wahda Placide and Araby.

Also celebrating Black History month, The Riverfront will be screening of music documentary Summer of Soul (… Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) on Thursday 28 October. In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary; part music film, part historical record, created around an epic event that celebrated black history, culture and fashion.

Live at The Riverfront continues on Friday 26 November with a special evening marking the start of the Art on the Hill weekend and on Friday 17 December with a festive special. Explore everything that’s coming up at the Riverfront, including Live at The Riverfront and the full cinema programme at newportlive.co.uk/Riverfront.