A Podcast Festival
for
Birmingham
Friday 4th April 2025
11:00 - 6:30 PM
Birmingham City University
Presented by
Celebrating the super-diversity of Birmingham by platforming diverse voices and growing the podcast eco-system in the West Midlands.
Whether you are already podcasting or if you are thinking to start a podcast, or just curious to find out more, then this is the place to come to learn and be inspired.
Come and join podcasters and audio professionals in the heart of Birmingham city centre, to pick-up podcast skills to jump-start your podcast or to develop your podcast idea. It’s the ideal place to learn the ‘how to’ of podcasting whether you have a podcast to showcase your expertise and passions, or professionally, to showcase your company or brand.
Key Partners
VIP Special Guest Headline Podcaster
UniPodFest is pleased to welcome our headline podcaster for 2025,
Kelechi Okafor.
Nigerian-born London-raised writer, cultural disruptor, Tarot consultant and fitness professional, whose award-winning podcast, ‘Say Your Mind’ reached nearly 300 episodes and a loyal following of listeners. Last year, Kelechi launched her new subscription-based channel for her new weekly podcast, ‘Meet Me At the Altar’.
She is firmly anti-colonial, anti-white-supremacy and anti-heteropatriarchy, known online as @Kelechnekoff, she has over 250k followers across social media platforms and has amassed millions of likes views and downloads from her fully engaged community.
UniPodFest Bursary
We are pleased to offer five ticket bursary places for UniPodFest, supported by The Radio Academy.
Schedule
The day runs from 11.00 am – 6.30pm, but please arrive anytime from 10.00 as that’s when registration opens.
UniPodFest 2025 is a Podcast Festival in a friendly and inclusive space. UniPodFest is proud to platform and celebrate diverse voices.
Host: Marverine Cole
Marverine Cole is an award winning journalist and broadcaster who is newsreader for ITV’s Good Morning Britain. She is also a regular commentator on Channel 4 and has worked as a reporter and broadcaster at Channel 5, Classic FM, and the BBC.
Panel discussion on the current lack of women at the top of UK podcasting; a snapshot of top 25 podcasts in the UK recently showed UK podcasting continues to be a very male dominated space with an over representation of white male hosts. 4 podcasts included Black male hosts but there were ZERO black female hosted shows and only 9 podcasts featuring white female hosts. Of these 9, only two were solely hosted by females. Speakers for this session include representatives from The Radio Academy, the BBC, Amazon and Spotify podcasts.
Enjoy a hot or cold drink at the Curzon café on the first floor.
Ex BBC World Service Commissioner, former VP of content at WNYC Studios in New York and Founder of Sea Salt and Mango production company, Dr Tony Phillips is in conversation with award winning sound designer Axel Kacoutie. They worked together on a podcast exploring the lost archives of the African American writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin who died in 1987. It was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and included soundscapes and interviews about the treasured artefacts that Baldwin left behind. Tony and Axel discuss sound design and the creation of images for the mind.
Tips and Ideas to getting your podcast discovered and out there with Stephanie Kuo from PRX live online from the USA. PRX is home to global number one podcasts inc. Radiotopia and This American Life. There will also be an overview of future trends with Sam Sethi. Sam is the CEO of Truefans and the co-host of Podnews Weekly Review. He brings his lifelong passion for all things podcasting and tech.
The Girlfriends: How to tell a True-Crime story with heart ❤️
Producer Anna Sinfield explores how her discomfort with the True-Crime genre shaped the ethical and creative framework behind the global no.1 podcast, The Girlfriends. The workshop will leave you with a toolkit for how to navigate the (sometimes opposing) principles behind journalism, duty of care and storytelling craft. Anna Sinfield is a multi-award-winning Senior Producer, Journalist and Presenter who specialises in scripted narrative podcasts. She has produced and written global number one podcasts such as The Girlfriends (IHeartPodcasts) and Stolen Hearts (Wondery).
Tortoise Media workshop with Chloe Hadjimatheou;
Narrative Editor at Tortoise Media and ex BBC Long Form. Chloe has produced and presented many hit audio documentaries and podcast series. Her credits include The Gas Man, Burning Sun, Mayday, Islamic State’s Most Wanted and many more.
Audiotrain workshop with AudioUK MD Chloe Straw.
Chloe was previously Head of Content and Production at award winning production company We Are Grape, and has worked as a social media strategist, at the BBC and leading production company Somethin’ Else.
The Nila Extract with Nila Varman.
Nila is the winner of the Student Radio Association, BBC and Global Best Student Radio Presenter 2021. She has also been on the top 10 of Spotify’s New Wave. Nila explains her journey through student podcasts to forging a media niche for herself as a Tamil woman voicing body positive and activist conversations both on socials and podcast. Follow her @thenilaextract
Podcast Tech Skills Workshop
BBC Sounds workshop with BBC Sounds Commissioning Executive Khaliq Meer.
UniPodFest 2025 headliner is Kelechi Okafor.
Nigerian-born London-raised writer, cultural disruptor, Tarot consultant and fitness professional, whose award-winning podcast Say Your Mind reached nearly 300 episodes. In 2024, Kelechi launched her new subscription-based channel providing exclusive access to members of her weekly podcast, ‘Meet Me At the Altar’; she is firmly anti-colonial, anti-white-supremacy and anti-heteropatriarchy, known online as @Kelechnekoff, she has over 250k followers across social media platforms and has amassed millions of likes, views and downloads from her fully engaged community. Photo Credit: Jennie Scott
Details will be provided after you have registered for your ticket.
*Please be aware that the programme may be subject to change
Speakers
Organisers + Advisors
Nina Robinson
Festival Director
As CEO of Birmingham based production company, Soundtruism, Nina has helped establish the Podcasting, Seriously Fund to the UK and brought you the Birmingham Podcast Festival 2023.
She is a Fellow of the Radio Academy and winner of a Peabody Award. She worked for the BBC World Service as a documentary maker and correspondent for over 15 years.
Dylan Hayward
Festival Producer
Dylan is an award-winning journalist and reporter for the Leicester Mercury. He graduated with first-class honours in journalism from Birmingham City University. Since then, he has contributed to a BBC World Service documentary.
Dylan works hard behind the scenes to bring you the best line-ups and ensures that the Festival runs smoothly.
Harshad Mistry
Co-Founder Springboard Pictures
Harshad Mistry has 22 years experience in production at the BBC and is an RTS Award winner through his work executing ideas such as ‘Syria from Space’ , ‘World Cup in my Village’ and ‘One Night in Bhopal’. Springboard Pictures was a recent recipient of Channel 4’s emerging indie fund.
Sumit Sharma
Executive Audio Producer
Sumit Sharma is an audio producer and podcaster co-host of the rap podcast, Breaking Atoms and has featured in Forbes, The Independent and The Guardian. He has worked on audio projects for Amazon, MTV, and the BBC. Now based in Wolverhampton, Sumit appeared on a PodFest panel in 2023.
Marverine Cole
ITV Good Morning Britain Newsreader
Marverine Cole is UniPodFest Host and an award winning journalist and broadcaster who is newsreader for ITV’s Good Morning Britain. She is also a regular commentator on Channel 4 and has worked as a reporter and broadcaster at Channel 5, Classic FM, and the BBC.
Roifield Brown
Executive Podcast Producer
Roifield has 30 years of experience in media and is an experienced teacher and speaker on podcasting. His podcasts have been downloaded over 5 million times with credits including Audio Up in Los Angeles and The New Statesman. Roifield put on a workshop at BhamPodFest on connecting audiences.
Athar Ahmad
Documentary Maker
University Partner: UCL
Athar is a reporter and documentary maker whose work has featured across radio, television and online. From presenting documentaries for Radio 4 and the BBC World Service, to undertaking global investigations for Panorama, Athar’s work aims to shed a light on untold stories. Athar is currently Programme Director for the MA in Audio Storytelling for Radio and Podcast at UCL.
Dr Gurvinder Aujla
Associate Professor
University Partner: Derby
Dr David Gyimah
Associate Professor
University Partner: Cardiff
Dr David Dunkley Gyimah is a filmmaker and Reader/ Associate Professor at the School of Journalism, Culture and Media at Cardiff University. Previously he worked at Channel 4, WTN, BBC World Service, Radio 4, BBC Breakfast and BBC Two Newsnight. Recipient of several global awards that include the Knight Batten for innovation in journalism.
What People Say about UniPodFest
Today, UniPodFest in Brum has been the bomb. So many people, so much talent, so glad I was there, privileged to be a part of it.
A quick email just to offer my hugest of huge congratulations for UniPodFest. You put such a fantastic program together – I learnt so much from the speakers and came away burning with thoughts and ideas. Well done – an amazing job!
Had a great time at #UniPodFest. Great panel discussions and workshops. Overarching themes for podcasting being authenticity, building community, being consistent and knowing who your audience is.
What an inspirational day I had recently at #UniPodFest. The room was packed with independent podcasters who are passionate about sharing the stories they care about, giving diverse voices a platform, plus having great conversations.
Thanks to Nina Robinson and the Soundtruism team for putting together such a thought-provoking event!
Had the most fabulous day at #UniPodFest met some wonderful people who inspired me to get on with my podcast.
Be inspired
Come to meet audio professionals with years in the industry and to listen to insightful panel discussions and podcast craft workshops.
enter the #UniPodFest
podcast award
UniPodFest is pleased to announce a Podcast Competition awarded to the best podcast already published or for an idea for a podcast, yet to be made. If you want to pitch your podcast idea, please write us a paragraph which explains what the idea for the podcast is and what it is about, give it a title and email contact@UniPodFest.co.uk
If you already have a podcast that has been published in the last year and has not been broadcast on a major network (such as the BBC) student radio is fine – then email us the link to be in for a chance to win a great prize.
The prize:
A Podcast Microphone
Development feedback advice from an industry expert.
#UniPodFest Podcast Award's Terms & Conditions
Only one entry per person is allowed. It is free to enter but you must be in attendance at UniPodFest on Friday 4th April 2025 to be declared the winner and receive the prize. Contact@UniPodFest.co.uk
University Partners
Directions to #UniPodFest
Walking Directions from New Street station:
Ascend the escalators at the A end of platforms, choose the exit where you see Five Guys and walk outside walking towards Boots. Cross the road at the crossing and walk left. You will walk under an underpass. Cross the road at the end of the underpass and walk left along Moor Street Queensway. Turn right at Clayton Hotel. Walk around towards Millennium Point building. You will see BCU Parkside as the next building along and Curzon Building is across the road as you continue straight, past Parkside.
Transport:
By Train:
Birmingham New Street or Moor Street Station.
By Bus:
14, 55, 66, 94 (buses stop on Jennens Road)