Soho Media Club has announced its new collaboration with Outernet London, the recently opened media and culture district in central London. Located next to Tottenham Court Road tube station and hidden four stories under the centre of London, HERE, part of London’s new Outernet district, will host the BE YOU Festival on 13 July 2023. Outernet London is the new culture, arts and media district which features the most advanced immersive screen technology in the world.
Media champions including actor, comedian, singer, television presenter and writer Sir Lenny Henry; radio & television presenter and filmmaker, Mobeen Azhar, award-winning disabled drama producer, Bryony Arnold and television and radio presenter, Melvin Odoom will participate in compelling fireside chats and interactive panel discussions during this one-day festival of media culture.
BE YOU is designed to spark honest conversation about the whole slate of film, TV and multimedia cultures, including the visible and hidden challenges of diversity, inclusion, belonging wellbeing, having your voice heard and inspiring and nurturing this and future generations of talent. A mix of over 200 industry heavyweights and newcomers come together in Soho to discuss the challenges of media culture and celebrate successes. Everyone attending is encouraged to participate in frank discussion, get stuck into candid conversations, share ideas and express themselves, so that attendees leave feeling empowered and armed with ideas, inspiration and contacts.
Attendees will have the opportunity to attend ground-breaking sessions in HERE, view thought-provoking content from talented filmmakers in the Pop Space and join the BE YOU Festival Party at the Lower Third.
Featured speakers include:
● Sir Lenny Henry, Actor, Comedian, Singer, Television Presenter and Writer
● Bryony Arnold, Award-Winning Disabled Drama Producer
● Mike Whittaker, CTO, Outernet
● Debbie Ramsay, Commissioning Editor, Youth Strand, News & Current Affairs
Channel 4
● Islah Abdur-Rahman, Actor, Filmmaker, Presenter, thecornershopnetwork
● Angela Ferreira, Managing Director, Douglas Road Productions
● Des Gayle, BAFTA Award Winning Producer and Founder, Altered Gene
● Ria Hebden, Television Presenter and Broadcaster
● Anne Morrison, CEO and Creative Director, Nevision
● Fatima Salaria, TV Executive
● Neil Mullarkey, Actor, Writer and Comedian and Founder of Comedy Store
● Navi Lamba, Head of Development BBC Comedy, BBC
● Ted Evans, Writer & Director
The Festival will come to a joyous end with multi-award-winning gospel group Volney Morgan & New-Ye performing at the BE YOU Party which takes place at the Lower Third, Outernet.
“Since opening, the district has played host to an enormous range of immersive cultural and arts experiences,” said Philip O’Ferrall, CEO and originator of Outernet. “We are hugely excited to work with Soho Media Club to host the BE YOU Festival. It’s vital we support and grow film and TV talent and move the dial towards a more inclusive and representative media workforce.
Co-founder of Soho Media Club, Jaisica Lapsiwala says: “Being adjacent to Soho, with all of its diversity and vibrancy, our collaboration with Outernet amplifies our commitment to driving equity and inclusion and dismantling barriers,” said Jaisica Lapsiwala, co-founder of Soho Media Club. “It is the perfect destination for the media community to come together to have their say and change the narrative of film and TV culture.”
BE YOU takes place on 13th July 2023 in Soho, London. More information and tickets are available at www.sohomediaclub.com/beyou
