10 Years of Confluence Collective: Oxford’s Multicultural Open Mic Celebrates a Decade

Confluence Collective Oxford marks its 10th anniversary

Confluence Collective Oxford is celebrating a decade of bringing the city’s diverse communities together through monthly multicultural open-mic nights. The anniversary concert will take place at St Luke’s Church on Saturday and will feature music, dance and poetry from contributors representing Punjabi, African, Korean, Middle Eastern and Lani traditions.

The group began after founder Malcolm Atkins, a retired musician, encountered many different cultural groups while working with the homeless charity Crisis Skylight Oxford. “I was getting a lot of different people from different cultural groups come into those classes and when they finished, it seemed quite good to start something that represented all the people who'd been coming in,” he said.

“It's a much bigger, a much more interesting place than just this very limited elitist kind of place.” — Malcolm Atkins

Atkins describes the project as “a multicultural open mic at its best” and says it fills a gap in the city’s musical landscape, which is often associated with mainly white indie and rock bands and other formal “high art” offerings. The collective focuses on welcoming artists and audiences who are often missed by standard publicity, including refugees and marginalised communities. Atkins notes that high living costs mean some participants, such as Syrian refugees they have worked with, cannot always remain in Oxford, creating a constantly changing mix of contributors.

Co-founder Della Izadi, a British-Iranian singer and dancer, says the collective was created to make music accessible to everyone. “When we're playing a song, it just feels like everyone is included in that moment,” she said. Whether people sing, play instruments, dance, recite poetry or simply listen, Izadi says they become part of a shared, collective atmosphere.

“Growing up in Iran, as a woman I couldn’t really express myself through art and dance and music. Coming to Oxford as a teenager, it was so refreshing to see so many opportunities to participate in and enjoy the arts.” — Della Izadi

Core member Nuzhat Abbas, who was born in Faisalabad, Pakistan, says the collective has given her the confidence to share her musical traditions. “Integration with local people and communities is so important,” she said. “We really want people to get together and share their music, their life, their history.”

The tenth-anniversary programme will include special sets, notably a performance by folk music legend Peggy Seeger, who lives in Iffley. The event promises an evening of varied performances that reflect Oxford’s wider cultural life beyond familiar musical stereotypes.

Practical details

Venue: St Luke’s Church, Oxford. Date: Saturday (anniversary celebration). The Collective continues to host monthly events year-round to showcase new and established local artists from diverse backgrounds.