Beyond the Bassline: 500 years of Black British Music
Welcome to the upcoming exhibition "Beyond the Bassline," a collaboration between Coventry Libraries and the British Library.
"Our upcoming exhibition Beyond the Bassline (26 April – 26 August 2024) shines a spotlight on different voices and perspectives to celebrate Black British music as a form of entertainment and vehicle for community, as well as a source of liberation, protest and education. Stepping into carnivals, clubs and record shops across the country, Beyond the Bassline draws on different places that have cultivated creative expression and inspired a number of Black British music genres."
Highlights at Central Library
- Engage with interactive exhibition panels.
- Immerse yourself in the "museum in a box" featuring an interactive audio player with headphones, offering samples, interviews, and sound clips.
- Watch short films to experience Coventry's rave culture and dance music scene providing an unfiltered portrayal of the city's working-class culture.
Available from all libraries
- Access curated Spotify playlists and podcasts via QR code posters.
- Enjoy the BFI replay list available at all libraries to experience archive films.
- Discover recommended reading lists with Record Reads flyers and bookmarks.
- Explore music-based e-magazines on Libby App.
- Discover how music can enhance quality of life for those with dementia through Playlist for Life resources.
- Engage with activity sheets
- information available in large print and easy read format
Hublets are available to use for free at Tile Hill, Foleshill, and Central Libraries:
- Access a wealth of resources including photographs from the Coventry Digital archive, Spotify playlists, podcasts, and GILIL Hotwax voxpops.
- Explore dementia and music links, including Playlist for Life and BBC memories.
- Enjoy curated videos and documentaries, including child-friendly stories like "The Story of John Blanke" and more.
Contact us
- Share your thoughts and experiences on comments cards available throughout the exhibition or email libraries247@coventry.gov.uk
- Connect with us on social media using #beyondthebassline and tagging @covlibraries and @britishlibrary.