British art icon Keith Piper to headline All Shades of Brown 2026 as Midlands’ leading creative industries conference returns to leicester

Piper — a founding member of the influential BLK Art Group — will bring five decades of artistic activism, critical reflection, and cultural leadership to the event when it returns on 5 February 2026 at The Venue, De Montfort University, Leicester.

Known for bold, politically charged work that reshaped contemporary discussions on race, class and representation, Piper will deliver a keynote exploring his artistic journey, the transformation of the UK’s cultural landscape, and the urgent work still required to achieve genuine equity for Black and Brown creatives. His appearance comes almost 45 years after the formation of the BLK Art Group, whose legacy remains a cornerstone of Britain’s Black art movement.

A Conference Built to Shift the Creative Landscape

Spearheaded by Opal22 Arts and Edutainment, All Shades of Brown is the Midlands’ first and only creative industries conference created by and for creatives from the global majority. Returning for its second edition, the 2026 event builds on a widely praised debut described as “necessary, overdue, and energising.” Running from 10am to 5pm, the conference aims to reclaim space, amplify regional talent, and confront the systemic inequalities that continue to shape the UK’s creative economy.

Sector Leaders Join the Line-Up

Alongside Keith Piper, several major cultural figures will take to the stage. Abid Hussain, Arts Council England’s Director of Diversity, and Jennifer Francis, Director of Public Affairs at the Museum of London, will explore the persistent barriers facing Black and Brown creatives in the Midlands, examining issues ranging from limited job opportunities to the lack of representative creative spaces. They will consider what meaningful structural change must look like for the region.

Artists Jade Foster and Jagdish Patel will deliver an in-depth workshop focused on maintaining authenticity within artistic practice, offering practical insight into how creatives can remain true to their voice while navigating institutional expectations. Further additions to the programme include a Talking Point session on the Clore Leadership programme, discussions with funders including Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund (to be confirmed), a curated marketplace for independent creatives, exhibitions from Midlands-based artists and a series of gallery showcases. Early partners include LCB Depot and De Montfort University, who will work with Opal22 to bring artwork beyond traditional gallery settings and into public spaces across the city.

Representation within the UK’s creative industries remains starkly unequal. According to Creative PEC and Arts Council England, 83.6% of jobs in the sector are held by white workers, while Black creatives make up just 2.8% of the workforce despite representing over 4% of the population. In sub-sectors such as heritage and theatre, representation falls even further, with more than 90% of workers identifying as white. Meanwhile, nearly 30% of all creative jobs are concentrated in London, leaving cities like Leicester — where Black, Asian and other ethnic minorities form the majority of the population — with limited access to cultural career pathways despite their extraordinary diversity.

“All Shades of Brown exists because the creative landscape has not always made room for everyone,” says Jule McKinnon, Programmes Coordinator at Opal22. “It’s a space where global majority creatives are centred, celebrated, and equipped with tools to thrive.”

“We’re building more than an event — this is a movement,” adds Tara Munroe, Creative Director at Opal22. “Global ethnic majority creatives don’t belong on the margins of the cultural world. They belong at the centre of it.”

The 2026 conference will weave together panel discussions, keynote talks and practical workshops to explore themes such as cultural authenticity, sustainable creative careers outside of London, the structural barriers facing Midlands-based creatives and the future of funding for Black and global majority-led artistic work. A curated exhibition, artist marketplace, and opportunities to engage directly with creatives and organisations from across the region will run throughout the day. Applications for exhibiting artists, stallholders, volunteers and partners are now open via the Opal22 website.

Early bird tickets are now available via Eventbrite, with discounted tickets for Early Career Creatives aged 18–24. The event will be fully accessible, with disabled access and designated quiet spaces throughout the venue.

Date: Thursday, 5 Februar, 2026

Location: The Venue, De Montfort University, Leicester

Tickets: Early bird now available on Eventbrite