Live music: Yijia Tu

Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham presents live music by Chinese singer Yijia Tu.

This performance marks the opening of Ikon’s exhibition with Birmingham-born artist Ayesha Jones, Leave A Light In My Room (17 – 20 August 2023). Complimentary Chai is served by Dishoom Birmingham in the Events Room.

This event is presented as part of The Migrant Festival 2023. 

About the artists

At the age of 16, Yijia Tu was already an established singer-songwriter in China, known through the televised music show Sing My Song. At 17, Yijia released her debut album with Sony Records, produced by the legendary music figure Liu Huan, and recorded by Grammy-winning engineer and producer Luca Bignardi, and the world-class China Philharmonic Orchestra. The album won one of the biggest music awards in the country, CMA(China Music Awards) for 2015 Media’s Choice Awards. Yijia is currently studying music in London. Having started her traditional-fusion band project The Sages, Yijia draws inspirations from traditional sounds from her upbringing and music experienced in the contemporary cosmopolitan world.

Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham works through the arts to celebrate and raise awareness of the contributions that refugees make to Birmingham and more widely the UK. They work collaboratively with artists in exile and local communities to build relationships, share cultural identities and provide opportunities for artists to perform, network and develop their careers in Birmingham. Their events celebrate the tradition of offering sanctuary in the UK to those fleeing persecution, affirming the message that sanctuary is a human right. Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham are committed to promoting and showcasing the very best artistic practice from artists originating from or connected to areas of conflict, turmoil and/or unrest. Their programme seeks to highlight the positive impact arts can make in transforming people’s lives.