Salaam! A triple-bill of brilliant live acts came together during MIF21 for a mini-festival presented at Manchester Central in partnership with the Salaam Festival, Manchester’s new celebration of Islamic art and culture:

• Orchestral Qawwali: Abi Sampa, Rushil Ranjan, Amrit Singh
  A blend of ancient islamic poetry and music with modern orchestral arrangements and production techniques – sung by Abi Sampa, composed and produced by Rushil, and with Amrit Dhuffer playing dhamma tabla.
• Sona Jobarteh
  A Gambian singer and master of the kora, the 21-stringed African harp – and the first female kora virtuoso in the unique centuries-old African griot tradition.
• Muneera Pilgrim
  A poet, artist and co-founder of female Muslim spoken word duo Poetic Pilgrimage, who both performed at and hosted the evening.

The concert was a sneak preview of the Salaam Festival, which will take place in Manchester in summer 2022 – bringing together music, film, visual art, dance and much more to dream and explore a new future for Islamic art and Muslim culture.