Don't Miss A Moment
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August 29, 2025
August 26, 2025
August 22, 2025
August 18, 2025
August 10, 2025
In partnership with Hull Truck, this year’s Freedom Festival will feature limited capacity shows that are not to be missed!
August 5, 2025
The Freedom Festival 2025 Lineup is here! It’s packed with world-class performance, powerful storytelling, and unforgettable moments across Hull.
Zone 1 is full of energy! From Ferrensway to Trinity Square, this area features joyful performances, parades, and surprise moments across the weekend. It’s your go to zone for bringing joy to the streets of Hull.
Zone 2 – the streets come alive. Connecting Princes Dock Street right through the Hull Minster. Brace yourself for gravity-defying circus, feel the beats in the street with incredible music and cultural surprises on every corner.
Zone 3 brings the vibe. From Humber Street to Stage@The Dock, you’ll find music, floating theatre, family-friendly experiences, and food all in one place. This is your go-to for energy, creativity, and festival buzz.
December 23, 2024
December 21, 2024
August 1, 2024
We are delighted to announce that Phil Hargreaves will be joining us in September as our new Festival Director.
July 18, 2024
KCOM has been announced as a major sponsor for Hull’s biggest annual cultural celebration; Freedom Festival.
June 19, 2024
Book Now
June 10, 2024
Celebrating 150 Years of Excellence and Community Engagement
May 20, 2024
Starting with a bang, tickets are now on sale for our most anticipated event of the festival – Eternity by Circa.
March 19, 2024
We’re taking part in the Big Give campaign, Arts for Impact, from 19th to 26th March, and we need your support more than ever.
February 29, 2024
Lee Karen Stow reflects on the successful Tomorrow Exhibition from Freedom Festival 2023, featuring beautiful artwork from the Freedom Women Collective.
February 1, 2024
We’ve welcomed a new Engagement Producer to our team!
January 24, 2024
Commissioned by Freedom Festival Arts Trust and Hull Maritime with support from Arts Council England and In Situ, The Broken Orchestra presents ‘Fair Winds & Following Seas’.
January 16, 2024
After nine years of transformative leadership, Mikey Martins, the CEO and Artistic Director of Freedom Festival Arts Trust, is set to embark on a new chapter.
January 10, 2024
Welcome to our new Producer!
November 15, 2023
Read about our biggest participation project of Freedom Festival 2023 and delve into the process of how we recruited our amazing participants to be everything from dogs to trombone players!
August 28, 2023
Embarking on a journey of creative exploration and empowerment – Freedom Talks at Freedom Festival Hull.
June 29, 2023
We have taken the month of Pride Celebrations to reflect on how we can create a more inclusive environment
June 9, 2023
Part installation, part adventure playground, REPLAY is a space built entirely out of waste materials, repurposed for fun by The Herd Theatre.
May 18, 2023
Hear all about Broken Orchestra artists Pat & Carl’s experience away on an emerging artist opportunity with InSitu in Kosovo and learn what they learnt!
May 11, 2023
Today, IWM has revealed details of the nine new partners, including Freedom Festival Arts Trust, selected to join this ambitious art commissioning programme, building on over 100 years of contemporary art commissioning by the museum.
May 9, 2023
Our Senior Producer reflects on her recent experience on a INSITU staff exchange to Vermont.
April 27, 2023
We have an exciting opportunity for theatre and dance performers in the city.
Welcome to our new Business Development Manager
April 12, 2023
Liminal Creative brings back their thought-provoking installation featuring the voices of survivors of human trafficking.
March 24, 2023
On the Spring Equinox, over in East Hull, there was one final Awakening event to look forward to.
March 9, 2023
Hear from Beth, our Participation and Engagement Producer, about the #FreedomFox workshops
March 7, 2023
Learn more about the inspiration behind the songs on their latest album and upcoming tour date in Hull.
January 17, 2023
Our new Participation and Engagement Producer – Beth!
November 21, 2022
For one night only in Hull – tickets now available
November 10, 2022
On Tech Expo Humber week, we’re shining a spotlight on our associate artists Broken Orchestra who have developed multiple works which mix tech and arts into one.
November 4, 2022
We are delighted to announce that we have retained our Arts Council NPO status.
September 3, 2022
Ahead of LIFE’s Pop Pizza Party on Saturday night, Lucy talked to Stew Baxter about his installation RESONANCE, his lockdown experience, and his creative process.
September 1, 2022
Get ready to howl with laughter, shed a few tears, and be inspired, because All The Sex is a triumph!
August 31, 2022
Lucy talks to artist Joanna Dudley about her installation WE WILL SLAM YOU WITH OUR WINGS and life in the arts industry as a female.
August 29, 2022
What a good place to be! Last Friday saw the city’s Freedom Festival festivities commence, and as the sun flooded Hull’s streets with its glorious rays, so did eager visitors to the festival. Lucy takes us through the events of the first weekend of Hull’s acclaimed annual arts festival, as she met with some of the most pivotal artists of the festival season…
August 26, 2022
Introducing the newsletter to readers, and this year’s festival journalist, Lucy Tessier.
March 22, 2022
We were thrilled to see thousands of people and particularly so many families back on the streets of Hull enjoying The Awakening this weekend.
February 10, 2022
Celebrating the movement from Winter to Spring, we welcome everyone to join us back in the City Centre on the streets and in our venues to experience a magical and entertaining experience as you explore the City Centre and Old Town into the evening.
January 17, 2022
Create_Space is a virtual collaboration prototype tool for creating, developing, and presenting multidisciplinary site-specific public art. We are looking for artists interested in testing this tool while working on an imagined brief in collaboration with another artist. You will need to be available in February 2022 to take part in the research project.
December 2, 2021
Freedom Festival is looking for a Project Manager to lead on key projects within Freedom Festival Arts Trust’s year-round programme.
November 3, 2021
Today ( Wednesday 3 November,) at sunset The Hull Vigil reaches the half-way point. Starting on 3 May 2021 and finishing on 3 May 2022, every day at sunrise and sunset a vigil keeps watch over Hull from a bespoke structure located on top of the Hull College building.
October 19, 2021
It was with huge sadness that we heard of the passing of Jack Whileblood, a core member of Freedom Festival’s volunteer workforce and a huge character.
July 31, 2021
Today we are thrilled to bring you our full programme which runs from Friday 20 August to Sunday 5 September.
June 17, 2021
Today we are delighted to confirm our dates for 2021 and announce the first wave of events.
May 2, 2021
At 7.30pm tomorrow a 365-day Vigil will begin in Hull as the sun sets and a Vigil keeps a silent watch over the city from inside a glass and wooden shelter located on the rooftop of Hull College.
April 21, 2021
Hull Esteem and its partners have joined forces with Freedom Festival to bring The Hull Vigil to life through generous donations of time, expertise and resources.
April 19, 2021
This year, Ron Dearing UTC students are playing their biggest part yet in Freedom Festival.
March 3, 2021
Freedom Festival and Hull Truck Theatre bring internationally renowned play White Rabbit, Red Rabbit to Hull as part of a global theatre experience.
March 2, 2021
At 10am on 1 March 2021, we opened the bookings for The Hull Vigil and in seven hours and seven minutes all of the 730 places had been reserved.
February 25, 2021
Will you be taking part in The Hull Vigil? Bookings go live on Monday 1 March at 10am.
February 18, 2021
Looking for your next communication’s role? We’re looking for an outstanding Communication Manager to join our team, is that you?
February 17, 2021
Over the past year it’s sometimes been hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, which is why Freedom Festival, Hull’s award-winning arts festival, has been working with Welcome to English and people seeking refuge in Hull as part of a national project called Where There is Light.
February 10, 2021
Freedom Festival will be back in 2021. It is too early to say when this will be possible but we expect to deliver a festival of great art and performance later this year.
January 6, 2021
Are you an outstanding communicator with an awesome track record? If so we want to hear from you.
December 9, 2020
Proving we’re more than a weekend, in 2021 we’re presenting two internationally renowned performances prior to our annual September festival, with an uplifting spring programme starting in March.
November 26, 2020
Pioneering public art project invites applications for work that respond to the theme of Connections.
November 24, 2020
Over four days in September, an audience of 465,000* people across the world experienced Hull’s award-winning international Freedom Festival from afar.
November 12, 2020
We’re delighted to announce the appointment of Anthony Baker as our new Executive Director and Joint CEO.
November 8, 2020
An exciting time for Freedom Festival Arts Trust – find out what we’ve been up to.
October 15, 2020
Sunday 18 October marks World Anti Slavery Day. A time to remember the victims.
September 24, 2020
Tune into BBC Sounds to listen again to the BBC Introducing performances as part of Freedom Festival 2020.
September 10, 2020
They’re so good, we’ve left our Freedom DJ sets live for you to enjoy a back to school boogie.
September 7, 2020
This weekend, thousands of audience members across the world experienced Freedom Festival from afar.
September 6, 2020
Freedom Festival brings an element of surprise and wonder direct to people’s homes
September 4, 2020
Young people from across the UK have worked with Hull design business Creative Briefs to celebrate ‘Freedom Champions’ ahead of this weekend’s Freedom Festival.
September 1, 2020
It’s time to submit your selfie to be drawn by wall-drawing robots!
This weekend, grab a front row seat to Freedom Festival from anywhere in the world.
August 27, 2020
What would you say if your ideas could change the world?
August 18, 2020
Did you hear that we’ve got an app? Smart tech specialist Sauce has helped us create an interactive, year-round digital experience. Available now on Apple and Andriod.
August 12, 2020
In a time of unprecedented reliance on digital technology to connect people, we’re proud to be part of a pioneering two-year national public art project called Digital Democracies.
August 5, 2020
Three generations of Hiroshima women reflect on the 75th Anniversary. Part of the #SomethingToBreathe project by Hull documentary photographer Lee Karen Stow.
August 4, 2020
Get ready for intimate moments when artists and audiences can meet. Come explore the programme for Freedom Festival at Home 2020.
July 31, 2020
This year we’ve been shortlisted as a finalist in two categories in the White Rose Welcome to Yorkshire Awards.
July 10, 2020
Aged 11 – 16 and passionate about making change in the world, come be part of The Reset Lab. We’re joining forces with our friends at Hull Libraries and The Big Malarkey Festival for our Freedom Festival from Home celebrations.
June 11, 2020
Bringing together 19 partners and 12 associate partners from 21 countries across Europe and beyond, Freedom Festival is continuing its European journey as a member of the IN SITU network.
May 18, 2020
Freedom Festival will not take place outdoors in September as planned, but with an exciting, wide-ranging broadcast and online programme which can be enjoyed at home.
May 14, 2020
From an attic in West Hull to an apartment in New York, this week Mikey Martins, took part in a panel discussion with CircusTalk – the leading online professional network and resource for the international circus arts.
April 21, 2020
Come check our culture curriculum as we help to keep you creative and inspired while at home.
April 20, 2020
Freedom Festival is still here and the team are continuing to work extremely hard as we prepare to deliver high quality, entertaining and exceptional artistic activity when we are able to do so.
March 30, 2020
Looking to keep busy while learning new skills? FA-AIR have reopened their online course ‘Create in Public Space’. The first online course dedicated to creation in public space.
March 25, 2020
As we face these unusual times, spend an hour of your day in a safe environment with nothing but your imagination: let us take your mind on a journey from the safety of your armchair…
March 17, 2020
Freedom Festival is built on the pioneering spirit of William Wilberforce and in these unprecedented times of uncertainty around Coronavirus we hope the festival will still be able to go ahead as planned.
March 11, 2020
Sadly, as you may already have guessed, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this meeting in line with governmental advice, in order to protect the health and welfare of our fantastic participants, volunteers, artists and team.
January 31, 2020
We’ve been shortlisted in the annual Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Award in the ‘Remarkable Tourism Event’ category.
November 26, 2019
What a great night we had celebrating the city of Hull at the Welcome to Yorkshire White Rose Awards where we scooped the Silver Award for Arts and Culture.
November 8, 2019
We’re continuing to give a voice to the city’s young people with new projects for 2020!
November 2, 2019
Fuelled by hope and humanity, Hull city centre came alive over five days and nights
August 29, 2019
Hull College Catering Students Team up with Cranswick Plc to feed artists and audiences at Freedom Festival!
August 28, 2019
The stage is set – it’s time for Freedom Festival 2019 to take over Hull city centre with a powerhouse programme
August 27, 2019
In partnership with the British Council, Hull Truck Theatre and in collaboration with XTRAX we’re proud to host a four day programme for industry professionals.
Here’s our pick of this year’s unmissable shows.
August 26, 2019
Young people will take centre stage at this year’s Freedom Festival.
August 23, 2019
Meet the University of Hull students who are helping to deliver Freedom Festival.
August 21, 2019
As part of our Ages of Isolation project, we’re working with CHCP Foundation to deliver two creative workshops for older people at the Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre.
August 20, 2019
This year’s Freedom Festival celebrates the 40th anniversary of the civic relationship between Freetown in Sierra
August 19, 2019
Local law firm Rollits is once again proud to be supporting Freedom Festival, by bringing ON EDGE by Justice in Motion to the city.
August 16, 2019
After seven years she is taking up a new role at the National Trust for Scotland.
August 15, 2019
Exploring issues of modern day loneliness through art
August 14, 2019
The Hull International Carnival Centre is now open, come take part in workshops, and learn new skills from drumming, costume making to dance.
August 9, 2019
Tickets are now available to book for this exciting and emotional audio walking experience along the River Hull.
August 8, 2019
Students from Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) are preparing to tell the story of Freedom Festival.
August 5, 2019
“We have always seen our business as being part of and fully committed to the community in which we work”
July 22, 2019
An illustration by local artist Emily Welham has been commissioned by Freedom Festival Arts Trust for this year’s programme.
July 17, 2019
If you missed the live performance in Hull and London, listen to AMBHAS on the BBC iplayer.
July 4, 2019
This weekend, brand new music about Hull will be heard across the River Thames.
June 25, 2019
Young people will take centre stage at this year’s Freedom Festival as they participate in Postcards from the Edge.
June 20, 2019
Freedom Festival is proud to be a finalist in the arts and culture category.
June 19, 2019
We are looking for volunteers to participate in Bivouac – an extraordinary performance taking place on the streets of Hull on Freedom Friday!
June 15, 2019
Chair of Freedom Festival Arts Trust is made an Honorary Burgess by Hull City Council
June 11, 2019
Roll up and step into the circus ring, as Freedom Festival Arts Trust teams up with Back to Ours to bring a world-class circus programme to Hull.
June 10, 2019
“A festival for good, that’s powered by talented people.”
June 6, 2019
We are excited to announce a new partnership with Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) for 2019 and 2020.
June 3, 2019
HULL is no stranger to arts and culture and this summer, the annual Freedom Festival will use the city as its stage once again, in a way it has never done before.
May 21, 2019
Working with J-Night, rehearsals have begun at Hull Music Hub as 28 young musicians are given the opportunity to play alongside professional players.
May 7, 2019
Freedom Festival, an established fixture on the national and international cultural calendar, returns for its 12th year in 2019 with an extended and audacious arts programme spanning five days.
Roll up at the double for festival fun reports Alex Wood from the Yorkshire Post.
April 12, 2019
Want to help make Freedom Festival 2019 unforgettable? We’re on the look out for Volunteers for this year’s festival.
April 11, 2019
Remember The Clash of Drums (Danbor Talka) from Freedom Festival 2016? Hull Sound Circles helped support this project. You can help them win £50,000 to develop their work in Hull.
April 2, 2019
Following its success last year, we’re once again looking to recruit three students from the University of Hull to take part in paid internships – from Festival Administration, Artist Liaison to Production – to help deliver Freedom Festival 2019.
April 1, 2019
Through our work with Without Walls, we’re proud to be supporting the research and development phase of Congregation a project by Ray Lee with software and hardware development by Steve Symons, for presentation at this year’s Freedom Festival.
March 29, 2019
Are you passionate about the arts? Do you share our vision and understand the role that cultural events and creative experiences play in contributing towards social, cultural and economic regeneration? We are looking to appoint new members to our Board, to ensure the continued success of Freedom Festival and to assist us in developing a sustainable year-round programme of work which reflects the Trust’s core aims, values and vision. The deadline to put in an expression of interest is midday on 8 April.
February 25, 2019
We’re proud to be a commissioning partner of Without Walls, a network of festivals that brings fantastic outdoor arts to audiences across the UK.
January 21, 2019
This July, brand new music about Hull will be heard across the Humber as PRS Foundation’s New Music Biennial returns to the city and London’s Southbank Centre with a festival celebrating the breadth and talent of new music in the UK.
