'Multicultural open mic' marks 10th anniversary

Group founder Malcolm Atkins said they were "always trying to reach out to communities"

"When we're playing a song, it feels like everyone is included in that moment."

Confluence Collective Oxford celebrates a decade of representing the diverse cultures in the city through music, dance and poetry at St Luke's Church on Saturday.

Since its initiation, it has been meeting every month to give voice to contributors from backgrounds including Punjabi, African, Korean, Middle Eastern and Lani.

Founder Malcolm Atkins described it as "a multicultural open mic at its best".

The idea started with his work for homeless charity Crisis Skylight Oxford.

"I was getting a lot of different people from different cultural groups come into those classes and when they finished, it seemed quite good to start something that represented all the people who'd been coming in," he said.

Mr Atkins, who is a retired musician, said he had become "increasingly committed to music within communities".

"If you look at the music that Oxford is associated with [such as] Radiohead, all these bands tend to be white, indie, rock kind ... and you've got the high art music," he said.

"It's a much bigger, a much more interesting place than just this very limited elitist kind of place."

British-Iranian singer and dancer Della Izadi said the collective had created a community where was "accessible for everyone"

Mr Atkins said they were "always trying to reach out to communities".

"If you do standard publicity, it doesn't reach the marginalised," he added.

"They just don't they don't tend to respond and don't always feel welcome.

"We worked with a lot of Syrian refugees a few years ago but ... they can't afford to live in Oxford, they move out, so you have a constant flow of people."

Co-founder British-Iranian singer and dancer Della Izadi said they had wanted to create a community where music was "accessible for everyone".

"When we're playing a song, it just feels like everyone is included in that moment," she said.

"Whether you're there to sing, to join in with the music, play drums, dance, recite your poem, or you're just there to listen ... you're part of that collective atmosphere."

Ms Izadi said that growing up in Iran, "as a woman I couldn't really express myself through art and dance and music".

"Coming to Oxford as a teenager, it was so refreshing and so wonderful to see so much art, there are so many wonderful opportunities to participate in art and also to enjoy art," she said.

Core member Nuzhat Abbas said the monthly sessions had been "empowering" for all participants

Nuzhat Abbas, another of the group's core members, said the collective had given her "strength" to share her musical traditions.

"Living in this country, integration with local people and communities is so important," said Mrs Abbas, who was born in Faisalabad, Pakistan.

"It's a privilege to be living in this city and ... we really want people to get together and share their music, their life, their history".

The anniversary celebration will feature special performances such as a set from folk legend Peggy Seeger who lives in Iffley.