African Crafts Workshop

Nottingham Playhouse is hosting a free African crafts workshop on Saturday 31 October, from 12:00 to 14:00. It's run by Kwame Bakoji-Hume, founder of African Activities, who'll be leading two 45-minute sessions: one on recycled bead making and another on Adinkra printing. The workshop was created in celebration of UK Black History Month and takes its inspiration from the production Once Upon a Time in Sokoto, which is running at the Playhouse around the same time.

Kwame brings a fair bit of history to the table. He was born into the herbalist drumming traditions of Buipe and later became an artist in residence at the Kumasi Centre for National Culture after a scholarship at the Ghanatta College of Arts. He's also a SEND workshop specialist, so the session is designed to be accessible. The two activities — bead making from recycled materials and Adinkra printing, the traditional West African symbols used to convey messages and proverbs — are distinct enough that you can get a feel for both within the two hours.

If you're curious about the play it's tied to, Once Upon a Time in Sokoto is a drama about an unlikely friendship that defies faith and culture, set during the creation of Nigeria. It's recommended for ages 14 and over, and you'll need a separate ticket for it, so the workshop stands on its own as a separate thing to do on the day.

The workshop itself is open to all, with under-18s needing to be accompanied by an adult. It runs from 12:00 to 14:00 at Nottingham Playhouse, and it's free.