Crafternoons - Decorate your own Diya, make a badge or enjoy colouring activities inspired by the themes of the weekend. During the First and Second World War Indian soldiers had to celebrate Diwali under challenging conditions as they were far from home. Diyas are made from clay and symbolize the triumph of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and light over darkness. Women in India would light them for those who had gone to war and men would light them from the trenches in hope of being back together

National Literacy Trust - Pick up a free book from the National Literacy Trust and discover something new, as they join us to encourage a love of reading.

Meet the Curator - Meet Kiran Sahota, curator of Forgotten India at 80 and founder of Believe in Me CIC. Hear more about the new exhibition, explore some of the stories and objects behind it, and find out about Kiran’s journey into heritage.

Sounds of India - Get hands-on with the tabla in this 45-minute instrument-handling session. Discover more about about traditional Indian music and the tabla entwined Sikh and Islamic sounds. Jaskaran Singh will take you through the history of the tabla and why it’s still heard in Sikh sounds today, followed by a musical object demonstration.

Listening Session with Dipps Bhamrah - In this special listening session, Dipps draws upon his deep archive expertise and industry insight to curate 10 pivotal records. He will map the rich sonic journey of how new musical genres traveled to the UK via migration, exploring the foundational influence of the Commonwealth and the shaping of the modern South Asian Diaspora soundscape.

Listening Session with DJ Manara - In this special listening session, Manara curates 10 pivotal records representing the Commonwealth, Birmingham and the South Asian diaspora. Tracing how genres like Bollywood, Reggae, House, Jungle, and Garage traveled to the UK via migration, she explores the foundational tracks that shaped the modern British sonic landscape.

Marvellous Makers - Alongside activities inspired by the weekend, take part in a special fashion collage activity connected to both sari's and the story of Professor Black, whose work and life form part of the wider stories being explored.

Meet the Curator - Last chance to meet Kiran Sahota, curator of Forgotten India at 80 and founder of Believe in Me CIC. Hear more about the new exhibition, explore some of the stories and objects behind it, and find out about Kiran’s journey into heritage.

Meet Professor Black - Join Professor Black, aged 93, one of Birmingham's celebrated carnival costume makers, who created the costumes for the Birmingham Carnival and was inspired by Bollywood music/films whilst living in Handsworth.

Kiran is a Heritage and Education Consultant, Project Manager, history researcher and public speaker for South Asian history. She currently works with young people and women from marginalised communities and low social economical areas, educating them on histories that are often not taught in mainstream education. She is especially passionate about empowering women to their culture and heritage, by producing projects that they can be involved in.

Jaskaran Singh is a tabla player and teacher from Wolverhampton, preserving hundreds of years of musical heritage. He has many years of experience, and even performed at England’s largest Raag Darbar event and at Sri Akal Takht Sahib in Amritsar.

Dipps Bhamrah is a highly respected British music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and long-standing BBC Asian Network broadcaster. Affectionately known as the "Captain of Bhangra", Dipps is an expert sound engineer and World Music Tutor who has spent decades preserving and innovating within the global South Asian music scene. A master of traditional Indian percussion instruments (such as the Dhol and Tabla) alongside melodic arrangement, his profound knowledge spans both historic heritage folk and contemporary UK urban fusion.

A well-versed DJ who doesn’t believe in guilty pleasures, Manara is legendary across world club circuits for her uninhibited blend of underground club cuts, pop divas, garage, and Bollywood samples. Following her iconic 2017 Boiler Room appearance and acclaimed BBC Asian Network shows, her signature sound has traveled everywhere from Berghain to Glastonbury. As The Guardian put it: "Her sets involve the kind of methodical stimulation of pleasure neurohormones normally conducted in a medical research facility."

Olton Brown, aka Professor Black, from Handsworth had designed carnival costumes for over 30 years. He was well known for his vibrant, flamboyant designs. He designed and built costumes for over 150 dancers that would take part in carnival. Each of the outfits were created at the Birmingham Carnival Youth and Art Development Project, founded by Professor Black.