Lancaster Arts and The Gregson Community and Arts Centre will come together to present a Festival of Dissent - a day-long celebration inviting people to question, imagine, create and explore what it means to think differently.
Taking over the Gregson on Saturday 5 September, the festival brings together artists, filmmakers, musicians, academics from Lancaster University and local people for a day of surprising creative experiences, conversations and festivities.
The festival explores dissent as a starting point for change - from small acts of resistance and everyday choices to imagining entirely different ways of doing things.
One of the activities, What Happens If, was born from a summer residency bringing artists and academics from Lancaster University together to explore ideas of dissent.
Across the festival, three artist and academic pairs will share experiments with audiences, inviting them to encounter the questions they have been exploring together.
Lecturer in French Studies Benjamin Dalton and artist Nicola Dale will create Unarchitects, inventing architecture without a blueprint and building structures blindfolded. Lecturer in Politics and Policy Temidayo Eseonu and artist Lora Krasteva will present Sweet Resistance, asking: what happens when we confront the things that hold us back? And Senior Lecturer in Marine Biology Sally Keith and artist Imogen Ashby will offer What Happened to the Magic?, inviting audiences to put on headphones, listen, and consider how focusing our attention differently might let wonder back in.
Another highlight on the day will be The Lightbulb Moment by nationally renowned theatre company Proto-Type, an immersive digital experience where visitors peer into a miniature apartment building and discover the animated and intertwined lives of its residents.
Artist Ellie Barrat will be running an unexpected sculpture making workshop, Jessica Emsley will take participants on a creative walk, Adam York Gregory and Gillian Jane Lees will present unconventional local films, while attendees can create personal placards and take on secret missions throughout the day.
In addition to the creative workshops, there will be a host of opportunities to have conversations to uncover what dissent means to different people and there will be surprises springing up all day before the festival concludes with the Party of Dissent in the evening, featuring a DJ, dancing and music.
Jocelyn Cunningham, Director of Lancaster Arts, said: "At Lancaster Arts we have been programming work in all our venues on our annual theme of Dissent since the start of the year. It can make us think of protest and activism, but it can also start with something incredibly small - a question, a conversation, a moment when we decide to look at something differently. This festival is an invitation to be curious about those moments. We're delighted to be working with The Gregson to create a day where people can encounter art, ideas and each other in unexpected ways and, most importantly, have fun!"
Festival of Dissent will take place on Saturday 5 September at the Gregson Community and Arts Centre on Moor Lane in Lancaster from 11am-10pm. All activities are free to attend but some require advance booking. Visit the Lancaster Arts website to explore the full line-up.
