Exclusive Performance from the Sensational Ghanaian Band Kakatsitsi

We are VERY excited to announce an exclusive one off show THIS FRIDAY 4TH OCTOBER at the African Caribbean Centre (66 Osborne Street) in Glasgow with Kakatsitsi as part of Black History Month! 

Kakatsitsi are a group of traditional drummers, dancers and singers from the Ga tribe of Southern Ghana, with their roots in the fishing community of Jamestown, the part of Accra where the British based their colonial headquarters. Their music takes traditional rhythms and chants from their own Ga tradition and those of a variety of other West African cultures, rearranging them in a modern and accessible way.

Since 1996, Kakatsitsi have toured the UK 9 times, working with a wide variety of festivals including the main stage at Glastonbury where they performed with the legendary act The Orb.

The recent addition of a strong dance element, to complement the already outstanding drumming and singing components, has established Kakatsitsi as the leading African traditional group in the UK.

With support from Rebecca Vasmant and Mark Robb. 


Doors Open from 8.30pm

Show will start from 9pm 


Tickets available on the door


£5 Entry

I Have a Dream will be our theme this October

Marking 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr made 'that' speech

50 years ago today Dr Martin Luther King Jr addressed a 250,000 strong crowd who had marched on Washington to fight for jobs and an end to segregation. The speech he made has become one of the most memorable in history and is commonly referred to as his "I Have a Dream" speech for obvious reasons.

The African and Caribbean Network has decided that October, Black History Month will be devoted to honouring his legacy. The theme for the month will be "I Have a Dream" and every event will tap into people's hopes wishes and dreams.

The full programme will be published in the next few weeks but is likely to include:

* Martin Luther King Jr exhibition of words and images;

* Cabaret showcase of African and Caribbean talent;

* Eritrean Human Rights Public Meeting;

* South African night marking 20 years since Nelson Mandela came to Glasgow;

Africa's Alive & Kicking Party

Meantime, don't miss this Friday's tribute to Martin Luther King. African artists from hip hop to reggae will be performing in tribute to the great man. More information here. 

Free party this Friday to celebrate EID!

ALL WELCOME Africans, Scots, Asians and Afroscots and anyone else who wants to party ...

EID PARTY

come celebrate the end of Ramadan with

FREEDOM CHANT

SOUND SYSTEM

FRIDAY AUGUST 16^TH 2013

8pm - 2am

Dancehall Reggae, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Sudanese and East African Bashment styles

Soft drinks available

SPECIAL GUEST DJs – MOKAENAN (Eritrea)

DJ JACK MZ

GUEST SINGERS: MOZAMEL;

AL-ROBO3, YASSER ABROOF

Doors Open 8pm – til 2am

Contact: DJ JAC MZ: 07455882224 - ALADIN 07453320841

Email: freedomchant@yahoo.com

 YOU ARE WELCOME TO ACC – EID PARTY – WELCOME TO INTEGRATE AND COMMUNICATE WITH DIFFERENT CULTURES AND PEOPLE AND DANCE IN THE PARTY.

FREEDOM CHANT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1998 IN WEST AFRICA FROM 2002 – 2010 TOURED EUROPE APPEARING AT 

AFRICAN CULTURAL VILLAGE IN VIENNA AND AT 

AUSTRIA’S AFRIKA TAGE FESTIVAL; 

CASA MAMA AFRICAN FESTIVAL (CZECH REP/AUSTRIA)

BABA SOUND SYSTEM (VIENNA) is the twin system to Freedom Chant playing the clubs of Germany, Austria and Poland.

PERFORMED ALONGSIDE SUDAN ROOTS BAND AND ETHIOPIAN ROOTS BAND AT OCTOBER 2011 ON THE NILE IN  KHARTOUM, SUDAN

NOW RESIDENT IN GLASGOW!!!

 free entry

Happy Birthday African Style! We are 8 today!!!

Give just 67 minutes in honour of Nelson Mandela

Today is Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday and the African & Caribbean Network extends its best wishes for as comfortable a birthday as possible. 

In South Africa, ordinary people are donating 67 minutes of their time to a good cause in honour of the 67 years of public service Madiba (as he is affectionately known to Africans) has given in his lifetime. 

We are asking anyone and everyone to do the same this Saturday and come along to help us reorganise and freshen up the African Caribbean Centre. We are going to be cleaning, painting, wallpapering, fixing doors, locks, taking pictures down, putting them up, sticking posters to walls, reorganising our boxes and just generally making the place a better organised place to be. If you can give us 67 minutes of your time on Saturday we will be eternally grateful. There will of course be free (non alcoholic) refreshments and a lot of love :-)

Please pass this on to your friends and family. If you want any more info email Anne or Graham on accglasgow@gmail.com

Summer activities for children at the ACC

Free children's activities

Not sure how to keep the children occupied this summer while the teachers take their well earned break? Why not bring them along every Monday morning to the African Caribbean Centre in Glasgow's Merchant City? And no, you don't have to be African or Caribbean, wherever you come from on the planet, you are welcome.

You must stay on the premises but we're offering free tea, coffee, juice and biscuits to the grown ups and juice for the kids. 

Activities this coming Monday (8th July) will be:

* Board Games - all morning

* Art corner - with an environmental twist - all morning with Lou

* Storytelling - various times with Anne

* Rhythm and movement workshop - 10.30am & 11.30am - with Tina, pictured above right

* Puppet making workshop - all morning with Caroline, picture above left

If you would like more information contact Anne on accglasgow@gmail.com.

The ACC is at 66/68 Osborne Street, Glasgow, G1 5QH. It's next to the back entrance to TJ Hughes and the street runs parallel to Trongate. 

Basement Techno at the ACC

Techno is what's happening this Friday night in the Basement of the ACC. 10pm to 2am. Get there before midnight or you'll have to pay 3 pounds in. Before that it's only 2 pounds leaving you more money to spend at our very reasonably priced bar. The crowd that comes to this night are lovely, it's a great atmosphere, you are guaranteed to enjoy!

Eritrea - the horrors being visited on its people

This Saturday 6th July, the ACC will host a political conference starting at 5pm. The conference is organised by the Eritrean Youth Solidarity for National Salvation (EYSNS) and the aim is to raise awareness of the 'horrific situation our people are going through both home and abroad as they try to escape the tyrannical rule'. 

This youth led event is open to anyone interested in the issues and they are hoping for sympathisers to advocate, lobby and campaign alongside them. 5pm at the ACC, 66 Osborne Street, Glasgow, G1 5QH.

African & Caribbean Network at the West End Festival Mardi Gras Parade

Sunday 9th June was a fabulous day for the A&CN. We had a small but colourful and lively group who made costumes and took part in the parade. And it was all thanks to Noel Bridgeman, a great friend of the A&CN and producer of the parade and Isabel the fabulous art workers. Next year we'll have 5 times as many of us on it. Enjoy the pics ...

Liberation themed Open Mic Night

This Saturday is African Liberation Day and we will be holding our AGM. That night to celebrate we will be staging an open mic night and the theme is Liberation. 

It starts at 8pm and we would encourage you to come early because it's also Eritrean Independence Day and we are expecting many Eritrean friends will join our celebrations.

You can look forward to some fantastic Eritrean entertainment and some of our regular open mic contributors including:

Unoma Okudo - click here to hear her dulcit tones.

Citizen Smart - Scottish liberation is his theme, preview right here.

Jim Monaghan - here's some of what's in store from Jim.

We'll also be hearing from the powerful Kirsteen Fraser, the hilarious Gayle Smith and probably the youngest performer of the night, the ACC favourite, Toniann Christie pictured below.

It's free, the open mic slot will be between 8 and 11 and the bar will be open till 2am so join us in celebrating African Liberation Day and Eritrean Independence. 

Experience a Night of Afro Love ... 26 April

Wow! Just look at the array of African acts appearing LIVE right here at the African Caribbean Centre on Friday 26th April. They'll be playing all kinds of music, funky house, afro house, semba, kuduru, you name it they'll be doing it! And it's only 4 pounds to get in leaving you lots of money to sample our well stocked bar. So get your red and black gear on and get yourself down here for a night of Afro Love!

CANCELLED - Annual Bob Marley Never Died Night

CANCELLED

Saturday 11th May on the Anniversary of his passing,

we pay tribute to the legend that is Bob Marley

FILM FOOTAGE, REGGAE FROM BOB AND FRIENDS, JAMAICAN FOOD, RUM, RED STRIPE, CARIBBEAN COCKTAILS & ONE LOVE ...

8PM TO 2AM

Ban the Bomb After Demo Social

Live music, DJs and a very reasonable bar,

Saturday 13th April

Happy 100th Birthday Rosa Parks

'The only tired I was, was tired of giving in.'

This amazing woman changed the course of history and everyone involved with the African Caribbean Centre owes her a huge debt of gratitude. In fact, our Christmas cards last year featured Rosa Parks. For those who don't know she is the woman, a seamstress, who got sick and tired of being treated like a second class citizen simply because of the colour of her skin and decided to stand up to a bus driver who told her she had to give up her seat to a white man. That lead to a long boycott of the bus company in question and that in turn was one of the events that sparked off the civil rights movement.

Here's an interesting piece from Democracy Now about how Rosa Parks is often portrayed as a comic book heroine who was just too tired and a bit rebellious on that particular day. In fact Rosa Parks was a strong and long term civil rights campaigner. Let's all take a moment today to be thankful to her and those like her and remember her legacy on what would have been her 100th birthday.

Fri 5 Oct - Proud of Black History themed Open Mic Night

Popular demand has got us bringing back the cabaret style open mic night. If you’re a poet, can sing, play an instrument, dance, make us laugh or just fancy watching everyone else do all of that, you are welcome to come to this fun event. Performances should be on the theme ‘Proud of Black History’ although we’ll still cheer you on if it’s not.

DATE: Friday 5th October

TIMES: 8pm – 2am

TICKET INFO: Entry suggested donation of £3 but all welcome regardless

VENUE: African Caribbean Centre, 66 Osborne Street, Merchant City, Glasgow G1 5QH

Wed 17 Oct - Jamaican Blues Party

In the spirit of the Jamaican blue’s shindig we provide the venue for some Black History Month celebrations with a modern twist.

Ankur Productions presents a Jamaican Blues Party - come and enjoy the music and words of an exciting array of urban artistes. If you’re feeling brave join them at the mic or simply dance the night away.

DATE: Wednesday 17th October 2012

TIME: 8.00pm to 1am (bar license times tbc)

TICKET INFO: Tickets £2.50. Contact Ankur On 0141 559 4935 to reserve your ticket.

VENUE: African Caribbean Centre, 66 Osborne Street, Merchant City, Glasgow G1 5QH

MORE INFO: Rhea Lewis, 0141 559 4935, rhea.lewis@ankurproductions.org.uk

Fri 21 Sep - Launch night + GOODBYE PARTY! for the Glasgow - South Africa Activism Training Delegation

Presented by 'So We Stand', an exciting launch night focused on community activism and international solidarity.

“Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to

 be neutral. ”― Paulo Freire

Come and hear from the activists involved + performers - spoken word artists and youth justice activists from Glasgow. 

Want to fight injustice? Want to share ideas to transform and empower our communities?

Presenting the following + much more:

Feedback and ideas to continue the Summer Activism Schools -www.sowestand.com in collaboration with the African Caribbean Network Scotland www.acnglasgow.org/

Volition Scotland - 'Volition' means 'of your own free will' - home to a growing Community of like minded individuals who want to take control of their lives using things like: Music, Dance, Visual Art, Photography, Film, Recording and Live Events. Volition is unique because it was set up and is run by Young People who want to take responsibility for themselves.

Legendary community activist - Cathy McCormack with a screening of 'The War Without Bullets'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nmMHhKM9WE

CANCELLED Thurs 20 Sept - The Reggae Lounge

APOLOGIES EVERYONE BUT WE WERE NOT GIVEN A LICENCE FOR THIS EVENT AND HAVE HAD TO CANCEL. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED NOW AND ALL OTHER EVENTS WILL GO AHEAD BUT TONIGHT'S IS SADLY OFF.

Let's be honest September is a tough time for us all. The nights are fair drawing in, the leaves 
are starting to fall off the trees and the Glaswegian weather takes a turn for the worse giving us all a dose of the pre-winter blues. 

But new blood is descending on this fine city of ours as students from across the globe descend on Glasgow, and the African and Caribbean Centre is dusting off some of the most chilled reggae in our record collection to welcome them. 

So come on out to The Reggae Lounge and ca

st all your cares away as we work out all of that end of week stress, and feed you up on some quality Caribbean food while tempting you with our licensed bar.

The decks will be manned by the legendary MIGHTY BASS WARRIOR SOUND SYSTEM as we soothe your soul at the most easy going place in town.

Freshers and the less fresh alike are welcome, so bring a friend or a few dozen.

DATES: Thursday 20 October
 

TIMES: 8pm to 1am

TICKET INFO: £3 unless you have a FRESHER'S PASS / 1st year matriculation card 2012 in which case it's FREE!

VENUE: African Caribbean Centre, 66 Osborne Street, Merchant City, G1 5QH

Sat 15 Sept - Habeshian New Year Party

Join Glasgow's Sudanese, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Somalian communities as they celebrate Habeshian New Year. Dance to the sounds of DJ Leo who is flying over from Italy for one night only. Find out how we celebrate New Year Habeshian style. Experience something new and you will be warmly welcomed.

DATES: Saturday 15 September
 

TIMES: Children and families from 5pm, bar opens 8pm right through to 2am

TICKET INFO: Five pounds on the door

VENUE: African Caribbean Centre, 66 Osborne Street, Merchant City, G1 5QH

Reggae Lovers' Dream Team Sat 1st September

If you've ever been to one of our regular reggae nights you will know how much everybody LOVES Bass Warrior. The guy is a legend and you all make sure he knows it. Tonight, however, we have the complete dream team for you. 

Bass Warrior meets ..... the sensational reggae-tastic (sorry!) Argonaut Sounds!!!

And for some reason, we're only charging 3 pounds to get in. Madness but we really love our reggae crowd so whatever it takes to get you through our doors, we'll do it. See you at 10pm tonight at the African Caribbean Centre, 66 Osborne Street, Glasgow, along from 13th Note.