Hull, the city that keeps watch over itself.

On 3 May 2021, a year-long vigil commenced in Hull with the UK premiere of a monumental performance telling the story of a city coming back to life.

Every day for a year, at sunrise and sunset, a vigil kept watch over Hull from a bespoke structure located on top of the Hull College building.

Over the course of one year, 730 people contributed to the collective vigil - a 365 day silent and peaceful performance - to watch over the city.

Freedom Festival, an organisation known for creating the unexpected, produced The Hull Vigil, bringing the performance to Hull - the first UK city to host this timely, thought-provoking, large-scale monumental work by Australian-Belgian choreographer Joanne Leighton from Paris-based WLDN.

IS THE VIGIL WATCHING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CITY OR IS SOMEONE IN THE CITY WATCHING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE VIGIL?

The Belfort Vigil, Joanne Leighton WLDN

Where it started

Each vigil stands for us all. Over the past eight years, The Vigil has been running continuously in France, Germany, Netherlands and Austria in Belfort, Laval, Rennes, Haguenau, Freiburg, Évreux, Dordrecht and Graz. Now it comes to Hull.

Freedom Festival - The Hull Vigil begins on 3 May 2021. Image credit Tom Arran

The performance

Every day for a year, at sunrise and sunset, a vigil will look out over Hull from a bespoke glass structure located on top of the Hull College building which overlooks Queen’s Gardens and the William Wilberforce statue.

Freedom Festival - The Hull Vigil built by the city for the city. Image credit Tom Arran

Take part

Anyone over the age of 18 is invited to take part in The Hull Vigil. Each participant will have their own unique experience, an opportunity to stand back from the world for an instant.

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