Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE, FRSA

Arts & Culture Professional / former professional dancer / loves music, dance, theatre, tennis, sea-kayaking, outdoor swimming. @kenneththarp.bsky.social

[Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE, FRSA @KennethTharp]

Between Jan and March 2021, I had the privilege of hosting a series of conversations on @colourfulradio, with six amazing trailblazers in classical music, who were all featured in The African Concert Series, founded by @RebecaOmordia.

You can listen here: https://t.co/ISZfwrOaJL

[Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE, FRSA @KennethTharp]

Excellent news!

Thanks for this @wperrondancemag.

[Wendy Perron @wperrondancemag]

So glad that American Dance Festival will be honoring the wonderful Dan Wagoner. A great dancer/choreographer/teacher, he partnered Pina Bausch in Tablet by @paultaylordance at @SpoletoItalian in 1960. Designs by Ellsworth Kelly. Read more about Bausch in those times here: https://t.co/p1iYioVUuL

[African Film Press @africafilmpress]

Barbican’s "Project a Black Planet: Film" Traces Pan-African Cinema From Algiers to Lagos

The Barbican, an arts centre and cinema venue in London, United Kingdom, will present "Project a Black Planet: Film" from Wednesday, 8 July to Sunday, 6 September 2026.

The programme accompanies the exhibition "Project a Black Planet" and brings together historic films, rare archival works, and contemporary moving-image works on Pan-African ideas in cinema, art, and cultural practice from the 20th century to the present.

It opens on Wednesday, 8 July 2026 at 19:00 with "The Pan-African Festival of Algiers," William Klein’s documentary on the 1969 Festival Panafricain d’Alger in Algiers, Algeria.

Listed screenings include "Mueda, Memoria e Massacre," "Soul in the Eye," "Abolição," "Hyenas," "Dread Beat an’ Blood," "Handsworth Songs," and "Black Goddess," directed by Nigerian filmmaker Ola Balogun.

The programme also includes events on FESPACO, the Burkina Faso-based pan-African film festival; the Tricontinental Conference in Havana, Cuba; the First World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal; the 1969 Pan-African Festival of Algiers; and FESTAC 77 in Lagos, Nigeria.

The closing listed event is "Ambiguous Encounters: LAGOS: FESTAC 77" on Sunday, 6 September 2026 at 16:00, with a screening of "Black Goddess."

The listing states that audiences booking two or more films in the programme at the same time receive 20% off.

Full details: https://t.co/5IjSBmVSBt

[Mayor of London's Culture team @LDN_Culture]

Refugee Week starts today.

It is the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

See what's happening near you⬇️

https://t.co/lTbsEwsI2S

[Acyn @Acyn]

De Niro: I hate to say it, but loving our country is starting to sound like an abused spouse saying they love their abuser.

I can’t love a country that starts stupid and inhumane wars, killing thousands of innocents and indirectly causing the deaths and suffering of millions more.

I can’t love a country that takes healthcare away from millions of people and uses that money to enrich their pals in the Trump-Epstein class.

I can’t love a country that sends out masked militias to shoot citizens in the streets, torture our neighbors, and separate families.

I can’t love a country that’s led by a racist, misogynist, xenophobic tyrant.

And let me just say it: I can’t love a country that’s led by Donald Trump and his sycophant Congress.

[Amnesty UK @AmnestyUK]

Today's ruling by the Court of Appeal is deeply disappointing.

This case remains about much more than one group.

What’s important for all of us to understand is that proscription is one of the strongest powers the government has.

Treating protest as terrorism leaves the door wide open for governments to suppress other protest movements in the future.

We have long said that the banning of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation is a grave misuse of counter-terrorism powers with serious consequences for human rights.

It is a huge overreach to treat direct action protest as terrorism.

Amnesty will continue to defend the freedoms that allow people to speak out and hold the powerful to account.

[Frank Douglas, Hon. PhD. @fdoug23]

We are losing too many of the good ones this month: South African jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim dies aged 91 RIP https://t.co/szUo2XYm10

[Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE, FRSA @KennethTharp]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

After Japan battled the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw, the Japanese fans stayed behind and cleaned up every single piece of trash from their section at Dallas Stadium after the game.

[Misan Harriman @misanharriman]

Never ever forget!

[Jenny Jones @GreenJennyJones]

Today with very brave campaigners, outside Court, waiting for the ruling that eventually went against us; the judges upheld the Govt's appeal.
We now have a very repressive law where the Home Sec can spot *future* crime and proscribe campaign groups before they become terrorists.

[Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE, FRSA @KennethTharp]

Meanwhile in the USA 🇺🇸 …

[Michelle Obama @MichelleObama]

Barack and I were so honored to have @AkunyiliCrosby create our portrait for the Obama Presidential Center. Her artistic brilliance shines through — and the way she infused such life and joy into the piece is truly extraordinary. We love it, and we think everyone who visits the Center will too!

[Amnesty UK @AmnestyUK]

Tomorrow the Court of Appeal rules on the ban of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation.

In February, the High Court ruled the ban unlawful.

The Government decided to appeal this decision and police have continued to arrest people who have peacefully opposed the ban.

Amnesty International has intervened in this case because the Palestine Action ban was a grave misuse by the government of sweeping counter terror powers.

[Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE, FRSA @KennethTharp]

Prominent Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has accused a hospital in Lagos of obstructing an inquest into the circumstances surrounding her baby son's death. https://t.co/j1qSNdHkBn

[Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE, FRSA @KennethTharp]

👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾

[Jenny Jones @GreenJennyJones]

A @We_OwnIt campaign move, getting DEFRA to accept a letter advising a move to public ownership for water and sewage.
I'm here with @Feargal_Sharkey and the two stars of #DirtyBusiness, @ashsmith43 and @watervole3

[Sam Jackson @classicjacko]

A very special edition of Opera on 3 tonight @BBCRadio3. We celebrate the remarkable artistry of Dame Felicity Lott, with this 2004 performance of Der Rosenkavalier from @rbo_org — conducted by another much-missed musician: Sir Charles Mackerras. https://t.co/d7AbAExGdi

[BlackHistoryStudies @BlkHistStudies]

TOMORROW! Don't miss the FREE screening of 'Ancestral Voices: Esoteric African Knowledge' with Director Q&A on Sun 14 June 2026 at 13:00 at The Black Cultural Centre Islington. Book your ticket here https://t.co/dwBKbnnd6r #africanspirituality

[Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE, FRSA @KennethTharp]

The irony of this …

… when current USA border control policy is doing everything it can to prevent Black and Brown people entering the country.

⚽️⚽️⚽️

@franklinleonard @JamallBufford

[Amnesty International @amnesty]

🚨The recent images of Dr. Hussam Abu Safyia are shocking evidence of Israel's abuse against Palestinian detainees.

Dr. Abu Safyia has been arbitrarily detained for one and a half years without charges, while being physically abused and denied healthcare.

His recent solitary confinement adds a further layer of concerns over his deteriorating health. Dr. Abu Safyia must be immediately and unconditionally released. Israel must release all Palestinians arbitrarily detained. States must pressure Israel to stop abusing Palestinian prisoners.

#FreeDrHussamAbuSafiya

[Financial Times @FT]

Opinion: You might have thought the world’s richest man had enough on his plate teeing up history’s biggest IPO. Yet he has been devoting many of his waking hours to stoking up racial hatred in Britain on his social media site. https://t.co/1C09ebAgPg

[The Black Curriculum @CurriculumBlack]

We’re excited to introduce one of our speakers for Anti-Racism in the Curriculum: Taylar Carty ✨

A history PhD researcher at the University of Glasgow, Taylar’s work explores the lives and experiences of enslaved and apprenticed Black girls in Barbados between 1750–1838. Through a powerful, body-centred approach, her research challenges traditional narratives and offers a deeper understanding of girlhood and gender in Barbadian slave society.

Passionate about education and heritage, Taylar has also worked as a consultant and curator across UK museums and heritage sites; helping to bring more inclusive, honest histories into public spaces. 🌍

Click the link to secure your ticket ➡️ https://t.co/k63IyVLPNU

#Antiracismintheconference2026 #ARITC2026 #TBH385 #Safeguarding

[Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE, FRSA @KennethTharp]

⚽️🔥🤎🔥⚽️

[BBC Sport @BBCSport]

The award for the most stylish World Cup arrival goes to DR Congo 😎🇨🇩