"We are thrilled to partner with the Wilberforce Institute on this pioneering initiative," said Jo Hawkes, General Manager of the Freedom Festival. "By combining our artistic expertise with their academic rigour, we aim to shed light on the profound impact that art and culture can have on societal issues.
"The concept of freedom is deeply embedded in everything we do at Freedom Festival. Our work not only addresses freedom from slavery but also tackles many forms of injustice worldwide. We explore barriers to freedom and how to overcome them through creative projects that highlight societal injustices. This pioneering project will help the arts sector at large, to gauge the impact performances can have on audiences."
The Wilberforce Institute, awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2016 for outstanding excellence, uses lessons from the past to shape a freer future and challenge the root causes of modern slavery.
The pilot study will be conducted during the Freedom Festival, which attracts an audience of approximately 90,000 people annually. The festival will commission and present performances, installations, and exhibitions that address themes of social justice. Post-show discussions will allow audiences to engage directly with artists, academics, and professionals working in related fields.
Audiences will interact with the artworks and performances, through live surveys, conversations, and streamed recordings of the talks. This multi-faceted approach will enable the collection of valuable data to inform the development of a "free at the point of access" toolkit.
In September 2022, the Freedom Festival Arts Trust and the University of Hull announced a three-year partnership deal, building on the long-standing relationship between the University and the international arts festival. Research projects, work experience for students and other opportunities are just some of the benefits of the partnership.
Story credit: Divine PR Ltd.