Ankur Festival Backyard Europe

Romania? Vampires, prostitutes and leeches on the UK’s benefit system, sucking dry all the vital fluids. Demonised in literature, the media and in popular culture for centuries, this four part event aims to deconstruct the stereotyping of Britain’s European neighbours. Mona Bozdog writes and directs Shortcuts, a play set in the UK Border Agency, followed on by her talk Romanian’s, the suckers of Europe. Rachel Jury leads a presentation sharing the experiences of arts project The Music of Strangers with the Roma community in Govanhill Glasgow. This event will end with further discussion by Professor Duncan Light on Romania’s Dilemma with Dracula.

Ankur Festival is a free, multi-artform weekend event, where local artists, academics and the general public interrogate the issue of race and ethnicity in contemporary Scotland. Driven by questions “Where are you really from?” and “Do you have to be white to be Scottish?”, as well as examining the subject of growing up mixed race. A compelling range of responses, notions of dual heritage, immigration and clashes of culture will be explored through an eclectic programme of performance, art, music, poetry, film, comedy and discussion.