Celebrating Sanctuary

This annual event which celebrates the art of refugee communities in the UK reaches its tenth birthday with a profusion of new talent across its three stages.

Hosted by DJ Ritu from BBC London 94.9 FM, this year's Celebrating Sanctuary features the wild Serbian Roma Indie Rockers KAL, prejudice-busting UK female Hip-Hop act Poetic Pilgrimage and Book Slam, London's most cerebrally sexy club night, featuring cutting-edge literature and acoustic music presented by award-winning novelist Patrick Neate.

Refugees and immigrants have a transformative and invigorating effect wherever they arrive, making a real contribution to the cultural life of their new home countries. Celebrating Sanctuary gathers together musicians, dancers and artists who have arrived here from all corners of the globe and gives us a snapshot of our culture evolving. It abundantly demonstrates that such a vibrant panorama of sight, sound, aroma and taste would not exist had it not been for the UK's hard won tradition of providing sanctuary to those fleeing persecution.

It also showcases the talent of the future with its many young dance troupes and the singing pupils from Charles Dickens Primay School who join forces with Bosnian singer Tea Hodzic and her trio.

There will also be a multitude of stalls selling mouth-watering dishes and drinks from all over the world, a dedicated dance stage, workshops/ activities for children, information stalls in the Festival marketplace and a chance to join the Simple Acts campaign to help remove prejudice against refugees.