Roll Up Store Street at Bloomsbury Festival (Image: ©Foteini)
When: 17th – 21st October 2018
Where: At venues in Bloomsbury, London
£: Most events are free
What is it?
Bloomsbury Festival will present a trailblazing programme of science, literature, performance, music, and discussion, from Wednesday 17th to Sunday 21st October; shining a light on the radical imaginations, institutions and 11,000 residents of contemporary Bloomsbury.
Inspired by the centenary of the Representation of the People Act, the theme of the 2018 festival is Activists and Architects of Change. With Bloomsbury’s rich history of activism, and the pioneering developments of its world-leading institutions, artists and scientists, the festival will present a unique creative programme.
This year’s festival will take place at venues across Bloomsbury, from major institutions like The British Museum and University College London (UCL), to small and quirky spaces like The Horse Hospital, the historic garden squares and streets. There will be more than 140 events popping-up in this lively cultural quarter.
Highlights of the 2018 festival will include Roll Up Store Street on the evening of Friday 19th October. For one night only, the festival celebrates #Circus250, bringing circus artists and inspiring young performers together with Bloomsbury’s musicians, performers and artists for a spectacular street party. Visitors can enjoy the London premiere (outdoor version) of circus company Levantes’ show, The Band. Visitors can also have a go at synchronised hula-hooping and juggling.
The festival’s weekend hubs will each focus on a particular aspect of the 2018 theme, Activists and Architects of Change. Activism! at UCL on the Saturday will invite visitors to come and change the world. Find your inner radical through drop in workshops, performances and music. Join in with discussions or get competitive with activist card games (recommended for ages 12+).
Sunday Funday will pop up in Brunswick Square for a day of play, performance, crafts, games and fun for families. Also on the Sunday, Rights of Woman at Conway Hall, will have rousing talks, vital debates and thought-provoking exhibitions from some of the boldest and bravest voices around. The event is named after Bloomsbury resident Mary Wollstonecraft’s famous 1792 paper.
Other events at this year’s Bloomsbury Festival will include lunchtime concerts, new theatre and dance performances, architecture talks and workshops, and a Suffragette Scavenger Hunt.
More info: bloomsburyfestival.org.uk