Birmingham 2022 ceremonies creative team announced

Taking place on 28th July 2022, and broadcast to 1.5 billion people around the Commonwealth, the Opening Ceremony will host a live audience of 30,000 at the newly redeveloped Alexander Stadium.

Some of the UK’s brightest and best creative names have been assembled to deliver this once-in-a-lifetime showcase for the region, with the team boasting a compelling blend of global prestige and homegrown talent.

The Birmingham 2022 Opening and Closing Ceremonies team consists of:

• Iqbal Khan – Artistic Director
  A globally-renowned, Birmingham-born, Theatre Director. Most known for modern retellings of the classics and has worked in the UK and abroad on the world’s most high-profile stages.
• Maeve Clarke – Writer
  A published novelist and short story writer from Birmingham, Maeve’s credits include Whispers in the Walls, an anthology of new Black and Asian voices from Birmingham.
• Joshua ‘RTKal’ Holness – Music Director
  International rapper and music maker, Joshua has used music to unite and entertain audiences across the world. In 2018 he co-created a project offering music education and recording facilities to youths and underprivileged groups in Birmingham.
• Misty Buckley – Production Designer
  Recently nominated for a BAFTA Award for Stormzy’s performance at Glastonbury Festival, Misty has extensive international experience of set design for large-scale ceremonies and live events. This includes Coldplay’s 2016 Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show, London 2012 Paralympic Closing Ceremony and the Rugby World Cup 2015 Opening Ceremony.
• Hamish Hamilton – Broadcast Director
  Hamish has directed and executive-produced countless ceremonies, award shows, concerts, and unique special events across the world. He is a twice BAFTA Award winner, plus Grammy and Emmy nominated global authority on live event broadcast.
• Steven Knight CBE – Executive Producer
  Creator and writer of Birmingham’s most famous export, Peaky Blinders. Steven has also written screenplays for the films Closed Circuit, Dirty Pretty Things, and Eastern Promises, and has directed and written the films Locke, and Hummingbird (also known as Redemption.)

Full details of the story of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be revealed in the coming months, as well as the musical performers, special guests and moments that will make up the shows.

Created in Birmingham, the Ceremonies are set to be a platform for the voices, cultures and talent of the West Midlands to be represented on an international stage through the lens of innovative broadcast, cutting-edge technology, and spectacular creative production.

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden said:

The opening ceremony of Birmingham 2022 will be one of the highlights of an extraordinary year of major events here in the UK. British creativity will once again take centre stage – showing the world our incredible talent of leading directors, writers and set designers, and the dedication of the 1,200 volunteers taking part.

After such a difficult time for us all, this will be a wonderful chance for us to come together and celebrate the very best of Birmingham, the West Midlands and the whole of the UK.

Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin DBE said:

The Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies provide a unique platform for a city and country to showcase itself to a global audience.

Birmingham 2022 has assembled a truly exceptional and diverse creative team that boasts genuine, world class talent and I have no doubt that they will work tirelessly to create unforgettable Ceremonies. These will live long in the memory and showcase the very best of Birmingham, the West Midlands, the country and the Commonwealth.

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