Freedom Festival - Friday-180

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Creative Freedom for University of Hull students thanks to Freedom Festival partnership

University Of Hull students and academics have the chance to take part in a range of creative learning, work experience and leisure opportunities thanks to a new three-year partnership with Freedom Festival.

The three-year deal begins this year with the University contributing to the event’s line-up, two student internships within Freedom Festival’s core production team and a new ‘creative responses’ initiative. University of Hull students are invited to submit creative responses to the festival – such as reviews or creative writing, music and drama pieces inspired by the programme – for a chance to win a £50 gift card and being featured on Freedom Festival’s website, newsletters and YouTube channels.

This University of Hull’s contributions to this year’s festival programme include:

  • the Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation co-curating the festival’s online ‘Freedom Talks’. Five Freedom Debates, chaired by the Institute’s Director, Professor Trevor Burnard, will to be broadcast as part of the Freedom Festival online/on-demand programme as well as creative debates with Dr Nick Evans and Andrew Smith taking place in the Freedom Festival Sympoisum; relating to modern-day slavery and its’ impacts on society today.
  • a unique digital film and audio representation of a binaural concert originally created for Hull Minster, created by music academic, Dr Mark Slater.
  • Laura Skinner from the Wilberforce Institute’s input into the podcast series ‘Sirens Transformations’ which accompanies the ‘Sirens’ sonic installation and audio-visual experience produced by Liminal Creative in partnership with Pan Intercultural Arts.
  • The ‘Risky Cities: Follow the Thread’ exhibition, which explores Hull’s watery histories and futures through textiles and sound to help drive climate action for the future. The exhibition is a collaboration between communities in Boothferry and Cottingham; textile artists Life and Loom and Thread and Press; and Broken Orchestra, associate artists of Freedom Festival.
Freedom Festival 2018

From next year the partnership will develop further with selected Freedom Festival events, artist residencies held at the University’s campus. Additional work experience opportunities for students will be created – including summer internships, and roles through the year across production, technical, marketing and the arts. Members of the Freedom Festival and colleagues from their international artistic networks will also be delivering guest lectures to students across a range of degree programmes.

The partnership builds on the long-standing relationship between the University and the International Arts festival which is named after the city’s association with the abolition of the slave trade.

Chrissa Beaumont, Interim Director of Student Recruitment and Marketing at the University of Hull, said: “Freedom Festival is a fantastic example of the vibrant cultural experience the city of Hull offers students. We’re proud to have a long-standing relationship with the festival, built upon our natural alignment around key issues such as social justice and sustainability. Through the work of our Wilberforce Institute, we’ve formed a key part of the programming for many years, delivering debates and exhibitions to promote the festival’s integral freedom theme. We’re looking forward to developing our partnership longer term to continue to support the festival and work with the team to create fantastic opportunities for students!”

Freedom 2016 Friday_Freedom Festival 2016 - Friday Teaser-21_(c) Thomas Arran-min

Mikey Martins, Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive of Freedom Festival Arts Trust, said: “Freedom Festival Arts Trust is thrilled to have the University of Hull on board for this three-year partnership. The University has been a core part of Freedom’s programme, hosting important conversations about the social activism that the festival has upheld for since it began. Many students at the University have been directly involved behind the scenes through internships and work opportunities, offering valuable experience for young people looking to build a career in the arts. We’re looking forward to creating further opportunities for the festival and students as our partnership develops.”

Professor Simon Green, Associate Dean for Research and Enterprise in the Faculty of Arts, Cultures and Education, University of Hull, said: “The Freedom Festival is a beloved regional International Arts festival drawing hundreds of thousands of people to its programme of activities all year round as well as during its annual festivals. Arts-based researchers at the University have worked closely with the Freedom Festival for a number of years and both organisations share a common set of values regarding ‘social justice’ and ‘sustainability’. Together, we will deliver new and exciting experiences for students, people within the region and beyond through our extensive international networks”

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