Past FLUXCON Event
Thank you everyone who made the last FLUXCON all that it could be!
For our first independent event it was truly a special one. Connect with the creative energies that made it happen on this archived page, and explore the photo gallery and film from the day. See you at the next one!
After an energising day with AFROFLUX at B-Side Hip Hop Festival, we’re hosting another FLUXCON on Saturday 8th October from 12noon until 5pm at 7SVN on Upper Trinity Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, to bring together ideas around the theme of Space.
October is Black Futures Month, so like we usually do when we get together, we’ll be celebrating the radical imagination and creativity of the Black and brown community through sonic sounds, cosmic comics, capoeira sessions, live cosplay drawing, Pan-African dance, real talk, star talk, exploring the theme of SPACE, and what that means to you here, now, then and in the future
We warmly welcome everyone of all ages to come along and discover the space to be yourself and connect with other Fluxians through creative expression.
Cosplay
We invite you to pay tribute to the power of SPACE through dressing up, cosplay, art work, comics, anime, discussions, screenings, music, you name it. Come as you are or as a character, element, artefact or with an idea that represents what SPACE means to you.
Expo
Explore the work of makers from across Birmingham and around the UK as they present DIY creations, crafts, hair care products, t-shirts, comics and more for you to discover, buy and trade.
Workshops
Drop in to a workshop to get moving, making, crafting and connecting with others. Expect an open space to learn new skills throughout the day, where you can spend as little or as long as you like, with sessions also being added and popping up on the day.
Star Talk
In the Observatory room, we’ll be having open discussions, asking: Who are your favourite characters from space? How do we make spaces like FLUXCON financially sustainable? Are we going to space? What does that mean for us now, and our home, on Earth?
Regenerative Book Shop
We’ll have a box of books from our own book shelves on-site that we’re offering on a pay as you feel basis. If you want to add yours to the stack, please feel free to!
Food & Drink
Vegan food will be available on deck and the cook tells us it will be at decent prices. We’ve tried it for you – it tastes great!
After Party
Channel 7, Gibb St, Deritend, Birmingham, B9 4AT
From 5.30pm we’ll leave 7SVN and will head over to the bar Channel 7, a five-minute walk away from the FLUXCON venue. Channel 7 play mostly Dancehall, Rap, R&B, Grime and Hip Hop, and have booths and a bar where we can carry on the conversations and energy into the evening.
It’s a relaxed atmosphere that we’re looking to find you in too.
FLUXCON | July 2022 Recap
What’s On
For this FLUXCON we have a line up largely made up of local gems; movers, makers, seekers and creators. If you’ve got something(s) you want to share, we’d love to hear from you – get in touch.
Get Involved
Check out what’s happening and when below. Keep in mind that because we’re working with people, we might needs to change things up a bit, but we’ll keep you as informed and up to date as we can on this page, and on the AFROFLUX Facebook + Instagram.
Textile Turntable Art Installation
with Feed My Creative | Janet Douglas
All day
On display will be an interactive art piece by Janet from Feed my Creative, a multi-award winning collective that aims to reduce waste, encourage folks to become more sustainable with fabric, and inspire creativity through craft workshops. It was founded by Janet Douglas who wanted to give people the freedom to learn in a relaxed ‘No Limits’ environment, learn basic skills and the means to know how to create things for themselves at a relatively low cost.
For the art exhibit that will be on display, Janet used recycled parts of mixers and turntables that would have otherwise been thrown away, as well as denim, tapes and an A to Z map of Birmingham to create a mixer table that you’ll be able to touch and have a play with to mix your own sounds.
We came across it at an interactive tactile textile exhibition called ‘The Chapters of Our Lives’ , a Creative City Project by Janet which aimed to capture generational stories but with a difference.
Connect with Feed my Creative on Instagram @feedmycreativecic
Twitter @feedmycreative
Introduction to Archery
with Afrokiin
12.30 – 1.30pm (3 x 20 minute sessions)
Afrokiin is Ink-soul Sorcerer, muralist, bassist and qualified archery instructor who will be your guide for getting some hands-on experience with archery in the shooting range behind the venue.
- Limited spaces
- £5 for a 20 minute session
- You must be over 14 years old to take part in this activity
Connect with Afrokiin on Instagram @afrokiin_creations
Gaming & Occulus VR
with King Otaku Gaming
All day
The King Otaku Gaming family organises online gaming sessions and tournaments in venues around Birmingham. Drop by the Holo Deck for classic fighting games such as Street Fighter and Tekken, or try Occulus VR gaming with other players, both seasoned and new. There will also be family friendly games to play.
Connect with King Otaku Gaming on Instagram @kingotakugaming
Drawing Workshop
with Ben from The 21 Pirates
12:30 – 2pm (duration 1.5 hours)
Hone the craft of creating your own characters from scratch with a professional visual artist. Find out how to draw a monster, hero or a monster hero. For this workshop paper and pens will be provided, but feel free to bring your own drawing tools.
Ben is a graphic designer and illustrator who works a lot with gaming brands such as Bandai and Namco. He is also a member of The 21 Pirates, a yearly exhibition based on the themes of film, comics and video game crossover artwork.
Connect with Ben on Instagram @22spacehead
Where It’s Warm DJ Set
1pm
One half of this high vibes selector duo will be playing warm, soulful grooves for the Fluxcon community.
Connect with them on Instagram @whereitswarm_
Introductory Capoeira Session
with Denise Pantera
2pm – 3.30pm (duration 1.5 hours)
A gentle intro into the world of Capoeira with Denise Pantera, a dancer and Capoeirista with over 20 years of experience in this Afro-Brazilian art and culture.
Many people know of capoeira as a very flashy and acrobatic martial art style that takes a lot of energy to practice, but in this session Denise will be showing a more relaxed and easy going introduction into this fascinating artform. Please bring loose fitting clothes and a flexible mind.
Connect with Denise on Instagram @deniseamory.r
Asase Yaa Psyber Priestess Dance Performance
with Diana Abankwah
1.45pm & 3.45pm (5 mins & 8 mins respectively )
From the Ashanti space church of Asase Yaa Psyber Priestess Circus, Diana will be honouring us with two Afro-psychedelic dance performances:
This 4-minute performance is not one to miss. The character is based on Asase Yaa, the Akan (largest Ghanaian tribe) goddess of fertility, love and the earth. The character also marries elements of Kali, Hindu goddess and symbol of mother nature, known as the “force of time”. Considered to stand outside of the constraints of space-time.
She will also be doing a seven minute hoop performance and walkabout interactive hoop dance performance as a cyberpunk rave character, around the theme of Afro punk, West-Indian carnival and festival culture.
Diana is a visual artist and circus performer based in Stoke-on-Trent, and performs hoop dances, fire dances, stilt walking, and object manipulation.
Connect with Diana on instagram @psyber_priestess.circus
Cosplay Workshop
with SUN REI
2pm ( duration 1.5 hrs)
Sun is an insanely talented, enthusiastic bubble of Manga and K-Pop knowledge who, as well as being an engineer, will guide us through the ins and outs of making our own cosplay outfits. Sun has hosted a few cosplay workshops at AFROFLUX events over the years and they are always popular and great fun, well worth giving it a go. Cosplayers will have the chance to present their outfits to the rest of the Flux-Con later in the day. This workshop is free and is for ages 9 and above.
Connect with Sun Rei on Instagram @sun.rei77
Painting Workshop
with ArtsyParty Brum | Ashanti Anderson
3pm & 4pm ( duration 1hr each)
Ashanti is the founder of ArtsyParty Brum Paint n Sip events, will be holding a painting taster workshop with easels, canvases and paints, where attendees can create some space -themed art with glow-in-the-dark paints!
Artsy Party Brum provide the best vibe and atmosphere to get your creativity flowing, so that you can paint, meet new people, learn new skills, and take home a painting you are happy with and excited to show off! We’re very excited to have them with us at FLUXCON.
Connect with Artsy Party Brum on their website artsyparty.co.uk
Connect with them on Instagram @artsyparty.uk
“I Object!” Create your own intervention algorithm zine
with Florence Okoye
3.45pm ( duration 1.5hrs )
What are the futures you want to see? How do you want to make a difference in the everyday things you encounter? Sometimes it can seem pretty daunting trying to make a change but there are simple steps to draw out the world around us to see how the pieces fit together. Putting those steps together will give us an algorithm for how we can intervene and start creating our futures together.
Through this workshop, we will use storytelling to create our own personal algorithms that can help make a difference in the world around us. By the end of the session, you will have your own “I object!” zine – a reminder of the steps you can take to make a change.
Wavey Lines | Life Drawing Session
with Alexandria
3:30 – 4.10pm (duration 40-minutes)
A life-drawing session for people of all abilities. Practise the art of drawing with Alex, a Birmingham-based body confidence and empowerment model, who will be doing short 2, 5 and 10 minute poses for us to practise our form and proportions. Drawing materials will be available, and feel free to bring your own tools.
Over the years, Wavey Lines has been a space for Afroflux to connect and catch up with each other while practising our drawing skills in a non-pressured environment. It’s a fun, relaxing activity to do, whether you’re a seasoned visual artist or picking up a pencil for the first time in a while. Hope to see you there!
Connect with Alex on Instagram @shaktiglow_
DJ Set + DJ workshop
with Rizmi
3pm – 5pm
Rizmi (Selextorhood, Sable and Narr Radio) will be doing a DJ set and workshop with sonic black and brown sounds. She is interested in how the dimensions of music bring about collective movement – dissolving perceived boundaries between people and time – into the present and Oneness of inter-connection.
The name ‘Rizmi’ is sampled from and pays homage to Al-Khwarizmi, the great polymath of the Islamic Golden Age. In the early 800s, Al-Khwarizmi revolutionised scientific thinking through combining Greek and Hindu Sciences — demonstrating the universality of science beyond cultures, borders and language, through techniques we still use today, and to paint visions of the future (the word ‘algorithm’ is based on the latinisation of his name).
Connect with Rizmi on Instagram @rizmi_____
Soundcloud rizm-i
B-Boy Dance Performance
with Nene Taps
TBC
Nene is a focal point within Birmingham’s reborn hop hop dance scene. Partly because of his skill level, partly because he’s danced internationally and is now an organiser of hip hop events. There was a time when hardly anyone was dancing to hip hop anymore. People quit, got bad knees, moved on, and he was someone who never stopped bringing the boom box to host Hip Hop dance sessions.
Watch or join in with Nene and crew as they cipher.
Connect with Nene Taps on Instagram @nenetaps85
EXPO
The expo will be open to the public for the duration of the FLUXCON from 12noon until 5pm. We’ve listed the makers and creators who will be selling their work below. If you’d like to sell your work or goodies at this event we’d love to here from you, reach out via this form.
Get Involved
Uzuri Asili Skincare
Uzuri Asili is a holistic, self love sanctuary based in Birmingham. They’ll be selling their plant based, vegan friendly, organic skin care products ‘powered by nature, inspired by spirit’
Connect with Uzuri Asili Skincare on Instagram @uzuriasili_uk
SqBizz Clothing
SqBizz is a black-owned street clothing brand. Their designs are afro futuristic, themed towards ecology, black liberation, Pan-African ideas, De La Soul, Malcom X, classic Reggae and Hip Hop albums, remixed and reimagined. They’ve also have been very supportive of Afroflux over the years.
Connect with SqBizz on Instagram @sqbzz
Dr Martin Glynn | New Moon Artz
Dr Martin Glynn is a criminologist, dramatist, poet, children’s author, and data storyteller, with over 4 decades experience of working in criminal justice, public health, and educational settings. Through the lens of black art, Martin explores the relevance black artistic contributions have for understanding crime and justice.
Connect with Dr Martin Glynn on Instagram @newmoonartz
Find out more about Dr Glynn on this website
Florence Okoye
Florence is a UX designer, artist, scientist, historian and Afro futurist who, at our last FLUXCON, facilitated a part story-telling session, part (community-centred) design-jam, rethinking how the future of Birmingham could look through comics, music, art and code. This time Florence is showcasing artwork and zines.
Connect with Florence on Instagram @finnokoye
Ben | The 21 Pirates
Ben is a graphic designer and illustrator who works a lot with gaming brands such as Bandai and Namco. He is also a member of The 21 Pirates, a yearly exhibition based on the themes of film, comics and video game crossover artwork.
Connect with Ben on Instagram @22spacehead
De’Vaughan Gayle
De’Vaughan is a talented digital artist with a colourful realist / street art aesthetic who will be selling some gorgeous prints at the Expo.
Connect with De’Vaughan on Instagram @devaughan_gayle_
Richie The Caterpillar
Richie is a multi-talented artist with a slant towards genre film and horror. Richie’s illustrations have graced zines and film screenings where supporters have noted his skill level and attention to detail.
Connect with Richie on Instagram @richie_the_caterpillar
Loi the Bird
Fantasy, surrealism, portraits
Connect with Loi the Bird on Instagram @loithebird
Visit her website siennathebird.com
Crystal Creations
Crystal Creations make beautiful handmade jewellery and gifts using healing crystals that can bring balance to mind and body.
Connect with Crystal Creations on Instagram @crystalcreations_uk
El Therapy
El therapy holds beautiful healing spaces and will be at Fluxcon with organic products for skin care, like soap, body scrub, bath salt, sea moss, incense, sage, frankincense and Palo Santo.
Connect with El Therapy on Instagram @el.therapy
Connect with El Therapy website
Kettorah | Sandra Carter
Award-winning CEO, Director and creative entrepreneur, Sandra Carter, has worked within the youth and creative arts sector for numerous years. Her passion for afrofuturism has birthed her first in a series of fantasy and sci-fi books called Kettorah and the Autom Scrolls of Light. Sandra always raises the game higher for black women within the fantasy and Sci- fi genres.
Connect with Sandra on Instagram @ket_torah
Connect with Sandra on Facebook @AuthorSandraCarter
Visit her website kettorah.com
Earth Elixir Haircare
Handmade, haircare products that use natural, vegan, Ayurvedic ingredients. After suffering from psoriasis, Tayshan was fed up of the lack of understanding of Afro hair from doctors and noticed a big gap in the market for hair care products that really focus on scalp conditions and health.
Connect with Earth Elixir Haircare on Instagram @earth_elixir.haircare
Visit their website earthelixirhaircare.com
My Mini Learners
Christia is a Bermudan-born, Birmingham-based, Early years educator and mother who, after coming off of maternity leave and into a pandemic, started making personalised educational books for young children.
Connect with My Mini Learners @myminilearners
Visit their website myminilearners.com
Holistic Si
Birmingham-based Natural Women’s Health Store providing Womb Healing & Vaginal Care through oils, packages and more products, which have healing affects due to the aromatic and essential properties as well as natural sanitary products.
Connect with Sianna on Instagram @holisticsi or on @goddessmoonflow
Afrokiin
Afrokiin is an Ink-soul Sorcerer, muralist, bassist and qualified archery instructor whose work you’ll see all around the venue. He’ll be selling his art work in the Expo.
Connect with Afrokiin on Instagram @afrokiin_creations
Be a stallholder at FLUXCON
FLUXCON is a platform for self exploration, freedom and creative expression, and we warmly welcome applications to sell what you make or to lend a helping hand:
Get Involved
Gallery
SOON COME
We’ll announce more workshops and stallholders as we go.
Keep up to date with AFROFLUX online:
Afroflux facebook group | Instagram @afroflux_uk | Twitter @AfrofluxUK