The arts charity Be United has announced a live show titled Bloom – A Live Music Experience, set to take place on Thursday 22 May at Edinburgh’s Leith Arches. Tickets for the show are on sale now. 

With themes of growth and community at its centre, the acts announced were curated by emerging event producers aged between 18 and 25, all of whom have participated in Be United’s Producing The Future programme. Across ten weeks, the participants were provided with mentorship, guest lectures, and collaboration opportunities to give them insight into the industry. 

Speaking on both Bloom and Producing The Future, programme participants said: ‘There were some events where you just left feeling goosebumps. We want this event to have the same effect. We want attendees to feel inspired, connected and ready for new growth.’

Performing on the night is Viv Latifa, a gospel-tinged singer-songwriter and dancer who’s featured on BBC Introducing and 1Xtra. Heavily influenced by Destiny’s Child, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Usher and Alicia Keys, she’s currently working on her debut album. She’ll be joined by Tayoh, who fuses elements of blues, soul, hip-hop, dance, country, alternative and pop. 

Established in 2013, Be United has aimed to help integration and representation of the Black community within Scotland’s art scene. Last year, it was part of a cohort of arts organisations to receive support from Creative Scotland’s multi-year funding programme, enabling more than £200 million to be provided to 251 organisations over the next three years. 

Discussing the funding, representatives for Be United said: ‘The three-year funding cycle will allow the organisation to deliver an ambitious programme of events and development opportunities building on the success of this year’s Creative Partnerships Conference. 

‘This programme of events and initiatives to both upskill Black talent and develop more opportunities for emerging creatives and event staff will allow the organisation to deliver on its goal to support 500 Black people into and up in the creative industries over the next five years. The milestone demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to our community and to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion within the sector.’

Earlier this year, the charity held a Creative Partnerships Conference, curated to provide an inclusive platform for Black creatives, professionals, and industry organisations to connect, collaborate, and develop their skills. Featuring model, actor and filmmaker Eunice Olumide as a keynote speaker, the day also welcomed contributions from MoneyMatix CEO Tynah Matembe, artist and choreographer Ashanti Harris, Be United founder and executive director Emma Sithole, Be United creative director Collin Hills, creative producer Serena Piotto, mindfulness coach Natasha Iregbu, anti-oppression trainer and therapist Ellie Muniandy, and film director, critic and cultural communications expert Monika Navickaitė.

Bloom – A Live Music Experience, Leith Arches, Edinburgh, Thursday 22 May.