In October 1945, Manchester became the stage for one of the most important gatherings in modern history. The Fifth Pan-African Congress brought together activists, thinkers and leaders from across Africa and the Caribbean, laying the groundwork for movements that would go on to shape the independence of nations across the globe. Eight decades later, the city is once again a meeting point – this time through SEE MY WORLD, a festival series dedicated to archiving, celebrating and reimagining the stories of the Pan-African diaspora.
SEE MY WORLD isn’t new to Manchester. Since launching in 2020, the project has built itself into an ongoing programme that blends heritage with contemporary culture. This year is special: it marks five years of SEE MY WORLD as well as 80 years since the Congress. Fittingly, the 2025 programme is designed as a triptych — three distinct events that connect dance, dialogue and music under one umbrella.
The first is HOMAGE (Thursday 16 October at Contact). The name says it all: a showcase that pays tribute to Manchester’s African and Caribbean dance heritage. Co-directed by choreographers Joe Price and Kieron Simms, HOMAGE blends movement with film, narration and poetry to create what they call a “living archive.” It’s not just about preservation, but about showing lineage: three generations of dancers and crews taking the stage together, from pioneers who helped define the city’s scene to the younger artists carrying that energy forward. Collaborations with 0161 Dance Company, The Ash Company, Home of the New Wave and KXT Dance ensure it’s a cross-section of Manchester talent. If you’ve ever wondered about the roots of the city’s club-adjacent dance culture, this is where it gets its flowers.
Two days later, PAC 80th Anniversary takes the form of a roundtable and community gathering at Manchester Metropolitan University (Saturday 18 October). It’s less about spectacle and more about strategy. The focus is on connection between Pan-African and global majority groups across the North West — with conversation centred on what liberation, self-realisation and self-determination look like in 2025. Expect a mix of reflection and forward-thinking debate, plus the very Mancunian tradition of breaking bread together over food, art and shared history. For anyone interested in how cultural heritage informs real-world organising, this one is unmissable.
Finally, SEE MY WORLD closes with a one-night festival at Contact on Friday 24 October – a celebration of Manchester’s Pan-African music legacy past and present. The line-up leans into both established names and newer voices: expect sets from CHUNKY, LayFullstop and Isaiah Hull alongside Sinead D’Abreu-Hayling, DJ Silva, Ms Dee, Papuraf, DJ Fya and DJ FB. It’s billed as an immersive evening that flaunts the sound culture rooted in diaspora communities here – a reminder that Manchester’s global reputation for music isn’t just about indie guitars or rave heritage.
Behind SEE MY WORLD are Big People Music and Big People Community CIC, two organisations that specialise in putting artists and communities at the centre of cultural production. They’re supported this year by Arts Council England, the National Heritage Lottery Fund and the National Lottery Community Fund, alongside local partners from Contact and MMU to networks like The Black Creative Trailblazers.
For Director Babatunde Adekoya, the fifth anniversary feels like a milestone worth pausing on: “It’s amazing to look through the archives of what we’ve achieved over the last five years. To be able to explore the stories of the 1945 Pan-African Congress, and of the world, through the eyes of some of the most talented beings this earth has to offer. I’m in awe, and can’t wait for another five more.”
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