Freedom Festival is returning to Hull with four days of art, music, dance, circus and community events.
From August 28–31, the city’s streets, squares and marina will host more than 76 performances from 29 artists and companies representing six countries.
In total, more than 150 performers and community members will take part, delivering more than 100 hours of free arts and culture.
Phil Hargreaves, festival director, said: “With three distinct zones across the city centre, you can cram as much in as possible, have a chilled experience or pop in for a particular highlight. The team at Freedom Festival has pulled together some highlights to get you in the mood.”
Highlights include Genesis by the internationally renowned Copenhagen Collective, fresh from a five-star run at the Edinburgh Fringe, and Night of the Werewolves, a live theatre experience where the audience plays the original game that inspired hit TV series The Traitors.
Music features strongly across the programme. At Hull Truck Theatre, The Torch pays tribute to Ghanaian legend Ebo Taylor, led by his grandson Kobby Taylor. A citywide busking trail will feature brass bands, DJs, local artists and pop-up pianos.
Parades and street theatre will take over public spaces, including Autin Dance Theatre’s Parade: The Giant Wheel, featuring local community performers, and Posse, a lively music procession with Hull’s Freedom Chorus.
Audiences can also explore interactive installations such as Microworld at Ferens Art Gallery, Into the Light: Pioneers of Black British Ballet at Hull Central Library, and Devour, an exploration of female identity in a pop-up space on Humber Street.
Family highlights include Pirate Taxi, a circus taxi ride; Castaway, a high-impact aerial show; and Family Catwalk Extravaganza, an interactive party. Creative workshops, chess battles and Hull’s Beats Bus will also feature.
Spectacle is promised on the marina with Dutch theatre company Vloeistof’s Sliding Slope, Breath – a circus performance using a crane and 30-metre rope – and Sound De Seca’s energetic Saturday evening celebration.
Film screenings will also form part of the programme through a partnership with Hull Independent Cinema, with Screen at the Dock presenting new voices and perspectives.
The full programme is available at freedomfestival.co.uk, with guides to follow on the festival’s social channels in the coming weeks.