A podcast festival

for Birmingham

Wednesday 5th June 2024

9:30 – 5:30 PM

Birmingham City University, Curzon Street B4 7BD

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

#UniPodFest's Special Tribute to the late, great Benjamin Zephaniah

Sadly, the West Midlands lost one of its most respected and well-loved creative icons; Benjamin Zephaniah. The poet, author, academic, activist and spoken word artist loved Handsworth, which he called ‘the Jamaican capital of Europe’. UniPodFest pays tribute by exploring his rich contributions to podcasts, with special guest George The Poet, hosted by Benjamin’s lifelong friend, Dr Martin Glynn. Not to be missed.

George the Poet is a London-born spoken word performer of Ugandan heritage. His innovative brand of musical poetry has won him critical acclaim both as a recording artist and social commentator. His work has been broadcast to billions of people worldwide. ‘Have You Heard George’s Podcast?’ has won a prestigious Peabody Award, 5 Gold British Podcast Awards, including the highly coveted ‘Podcast of the Year’, an NME Award, two Gold ARIAS, three New York Festival Awards and more. The University of London presented George with an honorary doctorate in literature and his PhD research at UCL focuses on the socio-economic potential of black music.

Dr Martin Glynn has been a long-time friend to Benjamin Zephaniah and spoke at his funeral. Dr Glynn is an author and senior academic and one of the last remaining British based dub poets of his generation. Recipient of the Churchill Fellowship for a project on fatherlessness in Baltimore USA, Dr Glynn’s other books and writings include, ‘Invisible Voices’, Black Men, Invisibility and Crime as well as ‘A Who Seh: Reflections of a Lost and Found Dub Poet’.

Benjamin Zephaniah loved to say he was, ‘born and bred in Brum’ although he struggled at school and faced many terrible instances of racism, he was a steadfast activist and campaigner for justice.

Fighting for Justice

His cousin Mikey Powell was killed after being arrested by West Midlands police in 2003. Mikey – a father of three from Lozells – died from asphyxiation. He was hit by a patrol car, restrained and stopped breathing in Thornhill police station, Handsworth.

Ten West Midlands police officers were charged with criminal offences and were cleared of any wrongdoing in 2006.

Black Lives Matter

Following the death of George Floyd in the USA and the global Black Lives Matter protests, Benjamin Zephaniah recounted what had happened to Mikey, highlighting a poem he had written 42 years earlier called, ‘Dis Policeman Keeps Kicking Me To Death’. Zephaniah’s words and activism are pressing, important and extremely relevant today.

schedule + speakers

The day runs from 9.30 am – 5.30pm, but please arrive anytime from 9.15 as that’s when registration opens.

Panellists and speakers have been invited from the BBC, Spotify, Goalhanger Podcasts Serial Productions (New York Times audio) and ITV this year again and more very special guests are joining the line-up. Keep an eye on our socials for regular updates!

Passionate about sports podcasts?

How can sports podcasters cut-through the noise by engaging and growing their audiences in a competitive podcasting landscape? Chaired by Adrian Goldberg host of The Liquidator podcast for West Bromwich Albion fans.

‘Pod-trepreneurs'

Getting into the podcast business mindset and understanding the marketing and media landscape relevant to all podcasters. What are the entrepreneurial methods you need to know to get your podcast noticed and working for you?

We hear from a panel of business-minded podcasters.

Networking Social - Chit Chat Chai

Meet audio industry insiders from the BBC and independent audio production companies, journalists, producers and podcasters over chai and chat.

An informal networking space facilitated by a wonderful woman you will want to meet!

Speakers and Special Guests

Co-host of the global number one hit podcast, ‘The Trojan Horse Affair’; an investigative podcast series by Serial Productions at The New York Times. Hamza delivers the UniPodFest keynote address on video from New York.

Co-Founder of ‘Unedited’ an independent production company making content for Amazon Music and BBC 1Xtra and companies such as Spotify and Audible. Bernard explains how to pitch your podcast.

Influencer and Birmingham based podcaster, Emma’s podcast ‘The Phonebox Podcast’ has reached 200,000 downloads from launch in 2023. Emma has over 400k followers on socials and is a true ‘pod-trepreneur’.

Taylor James is the host of the top 10 music and mental health podcast, The Waffle Shop that has featured guests such as Ed Sheeran and Sean Paul. Taylor has also built Coventry’s first purpose-built podcast studio.

Ninna is an organisational psychologist and coach. She has facilitated workshops and social networking spaces and is currently a Teaching Fellow at Warwick University.

Perminder is a senior journalist (ex-BBC) and podcast producer for True Thought Productions working on investigations. She is also a trustee of The Radio Academy.

Organisers + Advisors

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.

Having passed his journalism degree from Birmingham City University with first class honours and a prize for his journalism work, Dylan has since helped produced a BBC World Service documentary and has worked for a variety of local news publications.

Dylan works hard behind the scenes to bring you the best line-ups and ensures that the Festival runs smoothly.

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.

Since leaving BCU with a journalism degree, Saskia has been working as a reporter for Coventry Live and has also presented a BBC World Service documentary on the subject of Spiritualism and the Soul. She is passionate about audio documentaries and is currently working on a long-form programme on understanding neuro-diversity informed by her own experiences growing up.

Rachel-Ann is a Course Director and lectures across undergraduate courses within the School of Media. She is also a Researcher and is an expert on community media in Trinidad and Tobago.

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.

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 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.

Amy is a freelance audio producer and recent graduate of Birmingham City University, receiving a first class degree. She hosts the ‘Would You Wanna Be Gen Z’ Podcast and has had her work played on BBC Radio.

What People Say about UniPodFest

Today, the PodFest 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 Saturday’s event. 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!

The podcast tech workshop was incredible, Lisa really knew her stuff, she was being asked some highly technical questions and it was impressive how she provided high value answers that you could see were appreciated.

Great event, please do another one next year!

Had the most fabulous day at the #bhampodfest23 met some wonderful people who inspired me to get on with my podcast.

Typically these kinds of events – and I’ve been to quite a few, can be quite dry, but this one was genuinely interesting, engaging and a lot of fun. I would love to be involved with it again next year.

Be inspired

Come to meet audio professionals with years in the industry and to listen to insightful panel discussions on topics such as sports and influencer podcasts and narrative storytelling techniques.

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 this 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. The feedback will be delivered to the winner in an online call lasting approx 30 mins.

#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 Wednesday 5th June to be declared the winner and receive the prize. Only entries received before Sunday 19th May 2024 23:59 will be considered, so get your email into us before then! Contact@UniPodFest.co.uk

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.