Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason
To Be Young Gifted and Black
In conversation with Stewa
Date: Thursday 5 November
Venue: St Mary’s Church
Time: 2.30pm
Ticket: TBC - Price band B
The Petworth Summer Festival has celebrated the talents of the extraordinary Kanneh-Mason family over several years since their emergence as world class musicians, but Sheku, Isata, Braimah and their siblings have not been immune from racial slants and attacks. Watching her eldest daughter, Isata, made her solo debut at the BBC Proms in 2023, mother Kadiatu could not have been prouder. All fractured when her younger daughter turned to her in tears a few days later, having read the online abuse about her sister. Isata, it was declared, did not deserve to be there.
Following in-depth conversations with her exceptional children, To Be Young Gifted and Black is a passionate and moving account of her children’s turbulent journey to be recognised on their own terms; a searing indictment of our divided times.
‘A graceful, dignified and impassioned defence of Black excellence in the arts, which attempts to find a hopeful future for Black artistic self-expression.’ The Bookseller