When Dr. Abdoulie Sanneh founded the Black Business, Arts & Music Festival (BBAM) four years ago, his vision was simple: to create a platform where Black businesses, artists and musicians could be seen, celebrated and supported, and African-Caribbean communities in Southampton could come together and celebrate their cultures. At the time, this blended seamlessly with the responsibilities of his job as Community Cohesion & Diversity Officer for the Southampton City Council.
Recognising the need for change
As Chair and President of TUVAA (The United Voice of African Associations), an umbrella organisation established in Southampton in 2012, Dr. Abdoulie had witnessed the inequalities facing Black communities across the city. Talented musicians and artists struggled to find opportunities to showcase their work, while Black-owned businesses lacked funding, visibility and recognition. Even within their own communities, people often had little knowledge of the businesses and talent on their doorstep.
We have people with so much talent, but without a platform, they don’t get recognition. There was no specific Black cultural celebration in the city that anyone could point out and say ‘this is our identity’.
Bringing a shared vision to life
Determined to change this, Dr. Abdoulie brought community leaders together for a meeting attended by more than 70 people, including business owners, musicians, singers and visual artists. The meeting became an opportunity to exchange contact details, build connections and begin creating a stronger, more united community. A WhatsApp group followed, and the foundations of BBAM were laid.
He continued by approaching potential partners, including Mayflower, Southampton City Council, Black History Month South, Go Southampton, SOCO Music, Solent University, and the police and fire services. With just four months to organise the first festival, he had no funding and no previous experience of delivering an event of this scale. Instead, he focused on securing support in kind, bringing partners together around a shared vision.
At Mayflower, we offered venue access and staff support for the festival and, over the following years, have extended contribution to providing rehearsal space for performers, supporting artists financially, hosting exhibitions and promoting events. Dr. Abdoulie particularly values Mayflower’s willingness to build relationships and create opportunities for communities to engage with the venue.
A commitment to community
Dr. Abdoulie’s commitment to community building began much earlier. Arriving in Southampton from The Gambia as a student in 2002, he experienced first-hand the isolation that can accompany moving to a new country. When his wife struggled to find a sense of belonging, he began connecting with other Gambians, eventually helping establish an association. He then encouraged people from other African countries to form their own groups, bringing them together through TUVAA.
For him, this support goes beyond a single annual event. It is about ensuring Black communities feel that cultural spaces belong to them, too. He believes opportunities to celebrate Black culture should extend throughout the year, rather than being concentrated around Black History Month alone. Free events, accessible venues and opportunities for community groups to meet, perform and share their work are essential to achieving this.
Creating opportunities beyond the festival
Today, BBAM builds on that legacy, connecting people, celebrating creativity and strengthening relationships across communities. For Doc (as he is affectionately known by the community), its success lies not simply in staging a festival, but in creating lasting connections and ensuring that talent, culture and opportunity are accessible to everyone.
