Please note that during this national moment of mourning all programming for PoliNations has been paused until further notice. The PoliNations garden will remain open to the public as a place of reflection and contemplation. We will update our website with further information as soon as possible.
PoliNations invites you to step into a city-centre forest garden of magical proportions where you will be welcomed by an epic array of colour and nature.
Giant architectural trees drink rainwater as the forest garden plays host to a vibrant and spectacular free events programme situated in an oasis of thousands of plants and flowers co-planted by the city’s residents.
This super-natural wonderland uncovers the origin stories of the plants we know so well, in a celebration of colour, beauty, and natural diversity.
The entire PoliNations programme is free to enjoy and everyone is invited!
8AM - 8.10AM | Sound & Light | The Awakening
Early risers are invited to stretch and welcome in the day or sit under a tree as the forest wakes up.
Influenced by the sounds of nature, an original piece by Composer and Co-creator Max Perryment and Olivier Award winning and PoliNations Sound Designer Tom Gibbons, will gently awaken the super garden, hailing the start of a new day, every day. Take a seat, take a breath, or walk a little slower through the flowers, under the trees and out into your day.
Every day, you can also join us among the flowers and trees for a free guided session of Yoga, Meditation and Gong baths led by local teachers. Bring your practice to Polinations, wrapping nature into your sessions as you awaken with the super garden. Meditation is always welcome in the super garden, so even if you're not part of a class, feel free to take a moment among the trees.
8AM - 9AM | Activity | Yoga
60-minute morning yoga sessions, that will wake up your body in unison with the Awakening of the super-natural wonderland all around you.
Yoga is all about finding your inner peace and calm and how we can protect that inner garden of sanctuary regardless of the chaos, uncertainty, and stress of the outside world. By turning our attention inside ourselves we can take the time to tend our garden, building mental strength, resilience and better equipping ourselves to navigate the inevitable twists and turns of this ride we call life.
Expect an introduction to yoga, breathwork and meditation. We will move and breathe mindfully while enjoying the urban oasis. No need to book - just come along!
Audiences are encouraged to bring their own matts if they are able. There will be spares for those who don't have them.
8AM - 9PM | Everything | Iconic Plant Audio Tours
Put on some headphones and travel throughout the super garden in a zen like experience, as you listen to music and audio responses to our iconic plants, and found out how they came to be here.
You can choose to listen to the audio and music, or the music only channel.
Estimated time: 40mins – 1 hour
The Audio Tour features text by renowned author and environmentalist Jon Drori (author of bestseller "Around the World in 80 Trees") set to original music from cutting edge musicians and created by Olivier Award winning sound designer Tom Gibbons. Around each plant you’ll also find creative responses from award winning poets.
Follow this link for Jon Drori's full texts.
Writers: Romalyn Ante, Casey Bailey, Sujana Crawford, Olga Dermott-Bond, Isabel Galleymore, Sam J Grudgings, Emilie Lauren Jones, Roy McFarlane
Musicians: Tingying Dong, Meesha Fones, Petter Grevelius, Rakae Jamil, Fizz Margereson, My Panda Shall Fly, Sam Lee, Rosie Tee
Sound Design: Tom Gibbons
Audio Descriptions: Ask the Information Point for information on accessing Audio Descriptions of the sculptures through the headsets
Braille: Identification panels are found at the signs by each of the Iconic Plants.
11AM - 12PM | Activity | Tuk Tuk Chaiwallah
Enjoy a free cup of chai every day, whilst exploring the history of tea and its journey to the UK.
Thank you to our friends at Dishoom for taking us on this fascinating chai-filled journey!
11.10AM - 11.50AM | Performance | Tuk Tuk Chaiwallah Performance
Immerse yourself in the world of Tuk Tuk Chaiwallah - an uplifting performance using influences of Kathak and live Indian classical music with the award-winning Jaivant Patel Dance. Prepare to be taken on an intercultural journey full of influences inspired by the Silk Road.
Knowing that the very landscape and plant life that surrounds us each day is multicultural; this experience reimagines the narratives and lived journeys of the global South Asian diaspora and its connection to the multi-layered influences that contributed to shaping its heritage and culture; with roots in travel and trade on The Silk Road such as tea, spices, poetry, dance and music.
Tuk Tuk Chaiwallah is created by Jaivant Patel Dance in collaboration with live musicians Sanyogita Kumari (vocals), Hardeep Singh Sodhi (tabla) and Alec Cooper (sitar) and will feature stunning costume pieces created by PoliNations’ Costume Designer Joey A Frenette with Pakistan based Yousuf Bashir Qureshi and Riffat Aliani during a residency in Karachi, as part of British Council’s UK/Pakistan Perspectives season in June 2022.
This performance is presented as part of an exciting partnership with the British Council UK/Pakistan season.
12PM - 5PM | Activity | Plant Giveaway!
Come down and pick up a plant for free. We'll be giving the plants and shrubs from our super garden away both to local community groups and audiences, where they will contribute to the growth and development of Birmingham's green spaces.
12PM - 12.30PM | Music | Rosie Tee | Main Stage, Victoria Square
Rosie Tee is a composer/performer who forges innovative, atmospheric music and produces immersive events amongst the industrial backdrop of the UK's second city.
Through an explorative approach to song writing Rosie emits joy for the experimental. She creates orchestral-style arrangements for her band's live shows and records, that are often mirrored n her compositions for professional ensembles.
This event will feature BSL interpretation throughout.
12.30PM - 7PM | Performance | Iconic Works of Plant Life
Led by the illustrious Symoné, a talented cast of walkabout performers, from stilt walkers, voguers and a contortionist to a ballet dancer, roller skater and world-record holding hula hooper, will animate the PoliNations super garden throughout the day, moving through the space in stunning costumes that represent our 9 Iconic Plants.
Walkabout performers include Symoné's cast of Yos Clark, Rosie Bartley, Zeb Simpson and Beth Sykes as well as renowned costume artist and walking work of art, Daniel Lismore, professionals from the Sonia Sabri Company, and drag artist and PoliNations Resident Artist Yshee Black.
The day will then culminate when the sunset shift begins. Symoné's cast will join together to perform Euphorica - a mesmerising performance of movement and dance.
Euphorica is a queer ritual that explores the infinite pulse, imperfections, and non-binaries found within nature.
Like the natural world, humans are boundless and in a continuous state of exchange, reinvention and renewal, Euphorica celebrates our inner wilderness mirroring patterns of connectivity, harmony and underground networks that feed one another.
Threading voguing, contemporary dance, juggling, roller-skating and ballet, we invite audiences to join us at sunset to watch and daydream around our time-lapse micro drama of an imaginary forest floor.
- Symone - Creator / Director / Performer
- Bex Ansen - Director / Dramaturg
- Yos Clark - Choreographer
1.15PM - 1.45PM | Music | NeOne the Wonderer | Main Stage, Victoria Square
NeOne is a musical alchemist, mixing genres to create unique, signature sounds. His music is an eclectic Jazz-grime fuson, taking inspiration from Neo-soul, intertwining captivating stories between his instrumental environment and lyrical journey through myth, wonder and life experience. He produces and vocals contagious tracks, incorporating live musicians to create a wholesome feel and his recordings come to life on stage, generating a charged but immersive, safe space for self-exploration. Through metaphor, NeOne shares his vulnerability giving listeners an artistic, uplifting approach to confronting inner demons to develop strength and self-love.
This event will feature BSL interpretation throughout.
2.30PM - 3PM | Music | Cariss Auburn | Main Stage, Victoria Square
Underpinned by universal emotion and unbothered by genre, Cariss' recent releases culminating in EP 'Refraction' garnered praise from Notion, COLORS, gal-dem, The Line of Best Fit and many more whilst earning support from BBC 1XTRA, 6Music and Radio 1.
Steadily growing confidence in her effortlessly unique sound and captivating stage presence, Cariss marked the start of 2022 with shimmering anti-loneliness anthem 'Fantasy' and a storming debut London headline show at Notting Hill Arts Club.
This event will feature BSL interpretation throughout.
2.30PM - 3PM | Performance | Tuk Tuk Chaiwallah Performance
Immerse yourself in the world of Tuk Tuk Chaiwallah - an uplifting performance using influences of Kathak and live Indian classical music with the award-winning Jaivant Patel Dance. Prepare to be taken on an intercultural journey full of influences inspired by the Silk Road.
Knowing that the very landscape and plant life that surrounds us each day is multicultural; this experience reimagines the narratives and lived journeys of the global South Asian diaspora and its connection to the multi-layered influences that contributed to shaping its heritage and culture; with roots in travel and trade on The Silk Road such as tea, spices, poetry, dance and music.
Tuk Tuk Chaiwallah is created by Jaivant Patel Dance in collaboration with live musicians Sanyogita Kumari (vocals), Hardeep Singh Sodhi (tabla) and Alec Cooper (sitar) and will feature stunning costume pieces created by PoliNations’ Costume Designer Joey A Frenette with Pakistan based Yousuf Bashir Qureshi and Riffat Aliani during a residency in Karachi, as part of British Council’s UK/Pakistan Perspectives season in June 2022.
This performance is presented as part of an exciting partnership with the British Council UK/Pakistan season.
3PM - 4PM | Activity | Tuk Tuk Chaiwallah
Enjoy a free cup of chai every day, whilst exploring the history of tea and its journey to the UK.
Thank you to our friends at Dishoom for taking us on this fascinating chai-filled journey!
3.45PM - 4.15PM | Music | TrueMendous | Main Stage, Victoria Square
Creatively fusing genres, TrueMendous often explores introspective lyrics which discuss problems and approach issues that are clearly important to her, but are often left out of politics - a sentiment that can be heard throughout Black music today. She's freestyled on BBC1 XTRA, JDZ Media and SB.TV - proving herself as a unique lyricist. Even finding praise from Akil the MC (member of the legendary group, Jurassic 5) who named her as 'One to watch out for' - so don't miss out!
This event will feature BSL interpretation throughout.
5PM - 5.45PM | Music | SANITY | Main Stage, Victoria Square
The Birmingham native's relentless lyricism places for front-and-centre of a creative new wave defined by embracing fluidity and dismantling categories. Powerful messages are backed by unconventional instrumentals, as seen in her 2020 releases including EPs Lying in Truth and A Problem Shared, alongside her appearance on DEEP It produced by the legendary DJ Zinc, all crafting deep soundscapes loaded with energy.
Sanity's sharp commentary has a fearless instinct, expertl balancing smoothness and potency with each line, while navigating current themes from empowerment to self-examination. As the artist took to the stage at the 2018 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in Australia, her bold authenticity has captured global audiences. Sanity's ascent as one of the most exciting voices in the UK scene is no surprise for the two-time Birmingham Music Awards winner, having made the 2020 shortlist for the BBC Introducing West Midlands One to Watch. Setting the tone for 2021 and beyond versatility is the benchmark of an artist creating captivating, genre-bending experiences.
This event will feature BSL interpretation throughout.
6.30PM - 7.15PM | Music | Kofi Stone | Main Stage, Victoria Square
Hailing from Birmingham UK, Kofi Stone is described as an artist with an introspective and relatable brand of soulful honest hip-hop. He first made his presence known in 2017 with his debut single 'Stories in Pyjamas' followed up that same summer by 'Nothing Ain't Free'.
With the hype beginning to generate around Kofi's narrative driven style, and a core fanbase in its development stages, Kofi got to work on his debut project 'Nobody Cares Till Everybody Does.' Kofi's debut project released at the end of 2019, well and truly arrived as one of the most exciting rappers in the UK. Featuring collaborations from Loyle Carner, Maverick Sabre and Ady Suleiman, Kofi delivered a characterful debut, digging deep to draw from real life experiences, masterfully painting pictures of the highs and lows of everyday life.
This event will feature BSL interpretation throughout.
7.15PM - 7.55PM | Sound & Light | Sunset Shift
Every day at dusk, our super will undergo a beautiful transition into night. Enjoy a mesmerising light show, nature-inspired soundscapes and ethereal performances, taking a moment to pause and reflect before moving into the evening's activities. The soundscapes centre around the ancient ritual musical instrument, the Bullroarer, and are developed and recorded by brass and percussion players from BCU’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University in collaboration with PoliNations’ Sound Designer Tom Gibbons.
From Thursday 15 September, led by Symoné, a talented cast of walkabout performers in gorgeous, bespoke, plant inspired costume will join together in Euphorica - a mesmerising performance of movement and dance.
Website: unboxed2022.uk and polinations.com
