Lemar from the BBC's Fame Academy, the award winning collective, Shaanti and Jonzi D, leader of the Lyrical, Physical Hip Hop theatre movement and others kicks start the festival.

dB Xpo 2004, decibel is one of the major exciting arts festivals in the West Midlands which runs from February to April 2004. The festival aims to showcase culturally diverse arts in the region from Hip Hop theatre to Chinese art, South Asian dance and Latin American film. Artists and audiences will come together to celebrate the work of local, national and international artists.

dB Xpo aims to increase the development of culturally diverse arts activity by bringing together venues, agencies and artists, reaching as many people from different lifestyles and backgrounds as possible

Music
The world-famous Bollywood composer AR Rahman joins the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for an evening of Bollywood blockbusters (5-6 March, Symphony Hall) as well as excerpts from his hit West End musical, Bombay Dreams.

Theatre
Mother Courage and Her Children (16-20 March The REP) is a new adaption of one of Bertolt Brecht’s greatest plays. Commissioned for the Eclipse Theatre Initiative and Directed by Josette Bushell-Mingo it is an epic masterpiece of one woman’s survival and a story of our time.

Dance
Exciting dance performances will be showcased throughout the festival from South Asian dance and flamenco with Anurekha Ghosh in Bonded Passion (30 April, mac) to a combination of Brazilian martial art (Capoeira), ballet and jazz in Union Dance (12 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Room).

Folk Dances of India (8 April, Coneygre Arts Centre) by the Chitraleka Dance Company will represent the traditional community art form and the lifestyles and festivals of people from different regions in India.

Art
Do We Think Too Much? I Don’t Think We Can Ever Stop (4 Feb - 28 March, Ikon Gallery) will be the first exhibition of work by African-American self-taught artist Lonnie Holley to take place outside of the US.

Film
A Latin American cinema season focussing on the region’s key social and political issues, both historical and contemporary will feature Battle of Chile (1 Mar, mac).

Numerous diverse acts, mini festivals and special events will appear during the festival including the Stella Chisweshe Band from Zimbabwe, Abdullah Chhadeh, one of the Arab world’s most innovative musicians, the Funjabis, an Asian comedy show, In Celebration of My Sisters with writer Iyanla Vanzant, Kodo, masters of Japansese Taiko drumming and Collide, a restless celebration of experimental new art.

The dB Xpo 2004 festival launches on the 9 February 2004 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. For further information
click here.