Rizwan Iqbal

Creative Producer, Designer and Artist

Bridging the Gap Between Mainstream Art and Diverse Cultures

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Artistic Direction and Programming: Rizwan Iqbal

Rizwan Iqbal is a creative producer, community engagement lead and director, and visual artist. With 20 years of experience in working with arts organisations, institutions and grassroot communities and schools in the North West of England, he specialises in diverse art and culture, he uses a local and international approach to raise the aspirations and quality of art and culture across multi-disciplinary platforms, creating relevant connections to transform lives and experiences. His vision and ambition for artistic and cultural innovation have led him to collaborate with an array of artists and organisations to promote diversity and representation in the arts.

Image credit: Nathan D'Amour

Selected Projects

Salaam Festival

Rizwan is the lead curator and director for Salaam Festival which explores the future of Islamic art from around the world. Through the festival he aims to curate a platform for diverse artists and performers to showcase their work in music, dance and visual art, to inspire the next generation of audiences and increase the representation of artists and communities from minority ethnic cultures.
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Bruntwood

Developing a community programme and strategy for business customers across the city. Delivering a full, authentic and inclusive community programme tailored to business, creative and social needs of individuals and organisations that occupied new and old Bruntwood buildings in the city centre. This included digital and physical design of all content and connectivity across several key buildings in the city and a regular community programme for business customers to experience and network.
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Factory International / Manchester International Festival

Rizwan developed and delivering a ground-breaking project called 'Festival in My House' across Manchester and Greater Manchester. This involved co-designing and co-curating each micro-festival in homes and neighbourhoods with diverse communities and abilities. Supporting the wider vision of MIF/Factory International to ideate, produce and deliver a more diverse programme and outlook in the city in particular with minority ethnic communities across Manchester.
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Love & Etiquette

A ten year project that saw the introduction of grass-root community projects and festivals with BAME artists and communities to increase representation and engagement in the arts sector as well as address health and well-being and community engagement priorities. Projects included workshops, exhibitions, live performances and collaborations with wider projects in Lancashire, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham.
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Sundook

Sundook, translation: suitcase/trunk/chest, is a community project collecting and preserving memories of migration to Burnley by South Asian men aged 60+. Participants understood art and history through unpacking culture, collecting objects, resulting in a beautiful portrait exhibition and film. Sundook is a heritage and place-making project which promises to preserve local cultural narratives and stories in a modern chest of memories which will live on for generations.
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Freelance

Since 2022, Rizwan has successfully worked on freelance roles and projects from Manchester, Greater Manchester and across the North West. These have included designing and curating programmes with diverse artist and communities in both outdoor and indoor settings. Work includes leading and designing end to end art and marketing programmes, community engagement, visual and performance arts and workshops for both artists and clients.
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Schools

Rizwan has delivered hands on art workshops with schools across Lancashire and Manchester. These include illustration, digital design as well as cultural and traditional classes on Arabic calligraphy, Islamic art and design. He has also recently been developing the first girls Nasheed (songs of praise) choir in the UK who recently performed to the public for the first time in Manchester.
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Unveiling the Beauty of our Differences through Art and Culture

As a creative producer and artistic director, Rizwan Iqbal is dedicated to promoting and showcasing the richness and diversity of art and culture. Through his work, he aims to bridge the gap between different communities and bring people together through a shared love of creativity and expression.

With years of experience in the field, Rizwan has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing diverse artists and broader communities. He has worked with a wide range of organisations and individuals to create unique and engaging cultural projects that showcase the beauty and diversity of art and culture.

At the heart of Rizwan's work is a commitment to diversity and community engagement. He believes that art has the power to bring people together and break down barriers, and he is passionate about creating opportunities for diverse artists to share their talents and ideas with the wider world.

Whether you're an artist looking to collaborate on a project or an organisation looking to create a unique cultural experience, Rizwan has the skills and expertise to help you achieve your goals. From conceptualising and developing projects to designing art brands and marketing campaigns, managing budgets and logistics, Rizwan can provide a fresh outlook through creativity and a comprehensive approach to your ideas and projects.

Programme and project management
Artist development and ideation
Co-designing and co-curating projects
Cultural programming and community engagement

Get in touch

hello@ryzwaniqbal.com
ryzwaniqbal@gmail.com
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