Celebrate 50 years of Jamaican Independence

We have a full weekend of events for you to celebrate 50 years of Jamaican Independence. See below for the Saturday, Sunday and Monday programme ranging from a beach party to the Marley film with traditional Jamaican brunch and calypso singing workshops to political debate on Independence for Scotland. More details will be posted on Monday afternoon about how you can reserve tickets. For now take a look and get filling up your diary, we look forward to celebrating with you!

Saturday 4th August - Reggae Beach Party Charity Fundraiser

Let's Get Together and Feel Alright

This Saturday, 4th August, to celebrate FIFTY YEARS of Jamaican Independence, we're having a Reggae Beach Party. Highlights include:

Live! The fabulous, amazing, 7 piece lover's rock reggae band The ifoundation!!!! 

Limbo Dancing Competition!

Calypso singing!

*Caribbean Cocktails and Buffet - food served up to 9.30pm!

* Not getting away this summer? Have your photo taken on a beach with a cocktail in one hand and our Bob Marley lookalike on your arm!

*Prize draw with more than £1000 worth of prizes.

Ticket price for this charity fundraiser (raising money for the African Caribbean Network) is only £7.50.

Make sure you come early because we've had a lot of interest and we are limiting the numbers - nobody likes a beach that's too crowded. To book in advance email Anne on accglasgow@gmail.com

* Not included in the ticket price

Ease yourself into Sunday with Marley n Brunch

What better way to recover from the late night partying Jamaican style than to get yourself comfy on our big leather sofas (if you’re in early) and watch this fantastic insight into the life of the Late great Bob Marley.
With interviews with his family and closest friends, lots of previously unseen footage of the man himself and lots of music, you will be kicking yourself if you miss it. I don’t have the patience to watch movies lasting more than 90 minutes and this is 140 minutes but I was entranced, absolutely mesmerised from start to finish.

In addition to that the ticket price will include a late breakfast/brunch of callaloo, salt fish and ackee with eggs on toast all washed down with mugs of tea or coffee. What better way could you possibly find to spend a lazy Sunday?
Tickets £10 for film and food. If you really want to see the film, please book early, we have limited seating and only one screening. Email Anne or Graham at accglasgow@gmail.com for details of how to secure your ticket.
As the man himself said "Let's Get Together and Feel Alright"!

Monday - Independent Jamaica. Independent Scotland? Political discussion lead by YOU the audience

On the day that Jamaica celebrates 50 years of Independence, we ask, will Scotland follow suit? With speakers from the Yes and No campaigns alongside Jamaicans living in Scotland and a Glasgow councillor who was there, in Kingston, Jamaica on 6 August 1962. 

This is a discussion with a difference. Lead by Jamaican poet, fiction writer and Glasgow University lecturer Kei Miller he will tell you a little bit about each of the speakers but before they utter a word, he'll be coming to YOU the audience and you will be invited to tell the speakers what you want to know from them. They will then respond to your questions drawing on their own experiences.

Starting at 6pm and ending at 8pm we expect a lively and good natured discussion and we hope you will hang around for the Jamaica 50 Open Mic Night which starts at 8.30pm.

Speakers will be confirmed closer to the time.

Bank holiday Monday, Jamaica 50 Open Mic Night

Open mic at the African and Caribbean Centre is back once more due to popular demand!

All talents, acts and troupes welcome! Whether you sing, dance, perform comedy, poetry or drama, all are welcome at open mic at the African and Caribbean Centre as we bring a packed weekend of events 

celebrating Jamaican independence to a close! 

So, as long as you can tie your act in with Jamaica, independence or the number 50, you'll do for us.

Come earlier at 6pm and get involved in the political discussion.

Entry is £2.00 and there is a licensed bar to help us raise a toast to 50 years of Jamaican independence until the small hours! 

Acts returning to the stage will be announced soon!

What you've missed

Below are the events we've already held and you missed them - unless of course you didn't miss them and just wanted to reminisce :-)

So you don't miss any in future email Anne or Graham on accglasgow@gmail.com and we'll put you on the mailing list. You'll get an email roughly once a week and we won't share with anyone else.

Friday Merchant City Festival talk on Glasgow's slaving history

FRIDAY 27TH JULY 2012 - The African Caribbean Centre is the venue for a public meeting with invited guest speakers to discuss Glasgow's slaving history. This event will launch the new Audio Trail of the Merchant City.

"The imagined voices of merchants, slaves and abolitionists in Glasgow's sugar and tobacco trade make up this self-guided audio tour, which you can download online and follow at any time."

To formally launch the new trail, a public debate will be held which looks at the legacy of slavery from the 18th century, after which there will be the a guided walk around the sites of the dramatic audio installations.

Speakers include:

Historian and author of "It Wisnae Us" Stephen Mullen 

Award winning author & co creator of the Merchant's Voices Audio Trail, Louise Welsh

Jude Barber architect & co creator of the Merchant's Voices Audio Trail

Graham Campbell, Scots Jamaican Community Development worker and political activist

For further information please call  0141 353 8000.

Entry is FREE - 7pm to 9pm

This Saturday it's time for Club Africa people!

"Unashamedly .... completely ..... utterly ...... uncompromisingly ...... authentically ...... AFRICAN" is how they describe their night ...

Which is funny because that's EXACTLY what the African Caribbean Centre is.

So, a better meeting of minds and bodies you won't find in Glasgow that night.

Featuring the fabulous DJ YAW plus guests.

Entry is £5 and it's on Saturday 21st July, 9pm to 2am.