Black History Month
Black History Month 2026: Putting Black Men’s Health Centre Stage
October 2026
This October, as communities across the UK come together to celebrate Black History Month, Barbershop Uncut Stories is putting Black men’s health centre stage.
Black History Month is a time to celebrate Black history, culture, achievement and contribution. It is also an opportunity to shine a light on issues that matter to Black communities today.
In 2026, the theme for Black History Month UK is “Honouring Our Communities” — recognising the people and communities whose everyday contributions help shape and strengthen Black life across Britain.
Bringing Black men’s health into the conversation
Our Creative Health production, Barbershop Uncut Stories, uses theatre, storytelling and community engagement to open up conversations about health in a setting that feels familiar and accessible.
Set in a barbershop, the production explores prostate cancer and the importance of knowing your risk, understanding the signs and symptoms, and having conversations about early detection.
For Black men, these conversations are particularly important. They have approximately twice the risk of developing prostate cancer compared with other men, with around 1 in 4 Black men expected to receive a prostate cancer diagnosis during their lifetime.
But awareness of that increased risk is not always as high as it needs to be.
That's why we believe that health information needs to reach people where they are — and sometimes, a theatre stage can be the starting point for an important conversation.
The power of storytelling
Through Barbershop Uncut Stories, we bring characters, experiences and conversations together to explore prostate cancer in a way that encourages audiences to listen, reflect and talk.
The production is not simply about delivering a health message.
It is about creating a space where people can ask questions, share experiences and continue the conversation beyond the theatre.
Our post-show discussions also bring audiences together with healthcare professionals and community voices, creating an opportunity to connect the story on stage with real-world health information and support.
This Black History Month, let's talk about health
Black History Month provides an opportunity to celebrate the strength, creativity and contribution of Black communities — but it can also be a time to think about the health and wellbeing of those communities.
At C & Hair CIC, we believe that health is part of the community story.
Through our work in Creative Health, we are bringing together culture, theatre, storytelling and health education to create conversations that can make a difference.
And this October, we're taking Barbershop Uncut Stories on tour.
Our London performance is already sold out, but there is still an opportunity to join us in Reading.
See Barbershop Uncut Stories in Reading
Join us in Reading this October for an evening of theatre, real conversations and an opportunity to learn more about prostate cancer and the importance of early detection.
If you haven't already booked your ticket, please hurry and book your tickets for our Reading performances.
Don't miss your chance to be part of the conversation.