To celebrate Deaf Awareness Week, an event that is celebrated annually by over 100 deaf charities and organisations across the UK, BID Services hosted a Variety show called “In Tune”, on Friday, 2nd July, at 7.30pm at the Deaf Cultural Centre.
 
BID Services has been supporting the Deaf community for over 100 years and wanted to put on an event at their Deaf Cultural Centre that explored the many ways in which deaf people celebrate and explore their musicality. Being Deaf is not necessarily a barrier to experiencing and enjoying music and the Deaf community have a very rich culture in interpreting music through sign language and visual representation.
 
The event is being supported by the new Mayor of Birmingham, Len Gregory and the Lady Mayoress, Gillian Gregory, who have chosen BID Services as one of the charities they will fundraise for, during their year in office.
 
A number of talented deaf artists and musicians, who each have their own extraordinary talents, performed in front of of the Lord Mayor and his wife alongside a large number of people.
 
All of the artists work were enjoyed by both deaf and hearing audiences. For instance, we have a profoundly deaf flute player Ruth Montgomery and her work can be enjoyed by hearing people through sound, and as a visual experience for deaf people, where graphics techniques and video play an important part.
 
The artists who performed included a deaf poet, Richard Carter, who has a natural gift for poetry, a sign-song performer Jayne Fletcher, who marries the sound of music with music to the eyes, transforming the music into a truly visual experience, Ricky Ricardo Hoyte, who dances and signs to songs, and InteGreat, a theatre company, who perform using sign songs and drama.

Click here to have a look at the photos