Exhibition success for centre:mk as part of Black History Month

The biggest Exhibition in Milton Keynes’ history showcasing art, culture, organisations and businesses from Milton Keynes’ black community opened Tuesday 18^th October at the heart of the city centre, in Middleton Hall, centre:mk. The free 2-day event, with over 70 stalls, was a colourful and interesting collection which delighted and engaged over 96,000 visitors and shoppers across the two days.

Nana Oguntola, the exhibition organiser said: “It is so important that black communities occupy prominent spaces. It ensures visibility of these communities, creates new partnerships and collaborations with the mainstream community and opens up far more opportunities. We look forward to coming back to centre:mk for future events, as it has been so well received in this space, at the heart of the city.”

The exhibition brought together talented artists and businesses who are doing some amazing work in the city, yet up until now, have been relatively unknown. This gave them the platform to share their fantastic work and tell their stories to the wider community, putting a spotlight on their businesses and creating new opportunities for engagement, collaboration and growth. This is the first time the exhibition has been in such a prominent space in Milton Keynes and they plan to make the event even bigger and better next year.

Kevin Duffy, centre:mk’s centre director, commented: “ We are really proud to be able to have hosted this fantastic exhibition, providing these incredible businesses within the black community with the exposure they deserve. Being able to offer a space for community groups and artists and a space to showcase new and emerging talent from across the community is an important part of our role as the heart of the city centre and ensures Milton Keynes is recognised as the diverse, vibrant city it is today.”