As the final curtain draws, we reach the end of another remarkable Brighton Festival. 

For three weeks across May we have seen thousands of people Gather Round in an ambitious celebration of community, collaboration and the joy of shared experiences.  

As the festival’s Higher Education Partner, we were delighted to provide students and staff with unique access to the festival programme. We hope you enjoyed taking part in our competitions to win free tickets and well done to all our winners. If you were not lucky enough to win this time, we hope you still took time to attend a performance, taking full advantage of student and staff discounted ticket offers. We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who joined us in the celebrations, particular thanks to our amazing academics and students who co-created the ‘Festival of Ideas’; a dynamic and engaging series of talks, events and activities as part of the official Brighton Festival programme.   

We invite you now to Gather Round one last time as we look back at some highlights.

Festival of Ideas 

The University’s School of Media, Arts and Humanities collaborated with local arts organisations to deliver a series of events across the city including: Acoustic Ecologies - Mapping the Climate Emergency, Gardens, Botany and Histories of (De)Colonialism, Music for Girls and The Live Archive hosted by Erin James. 

Our Stuart Hall Fellow 2023, Erin James invited special guests to join her for The Live Archive, a radical reimagining of archival research through poetry and performance. The Brighton-based artist uses design, music, spoken word and written articles to connect with the community and discuss social justice issues.  

The event, hosted at Ironworks Studios on 8 May, challenged assumptions about what an ‘academic event’ might look like, and who it can include, seeking out new and exciting possibilities for the future of decolonising education and academia.  

Photos: Munya Muchati, Thirty10 Arts. 

Events in partnership with the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts 

Nine events were also co-presented with the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, right here on campus: Glory to Sound with Anita Rani and Nabihah Iqbal, A Survivor’s Guide to Politics with Rafael Behr, Little Murmur, The Rest of Our Lives, Damir Imamović, Evadney, We See You Now: Writing and Walking the Global Imaginary of the Sussex Heritage Coast, Munroe Bergdorf: Transitional, and SUROOR. 

Our Vice-Chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil welcomed Guest Director, acclaimed musician, producer, DJ and broadcaster Nabihah Iqbal to the stage to perform incredible shape-shifting, experimental collaboration ‘SUROOR’.  

The four-piece collaboration also included Raheel Khan, a sound artist and musician concerned with heritage and society, and two multidisciplinary artists: Paul Purgas, who works with sound, performance and installation, and Imran Perretta, who addresses themes such as oppression and alienation using resources including film and poetry. The show came with incredible support from Qazi & Qazi, a sister duo who weaved their signature intricate harmonies into orchestral-scale arrangements. 

Photos: Stuart Robinson 

Our Place  

The University of Sussex once again supported Our Place, a creative programme of local community events, which were all free! This vibrant celebration of community and creativity showcased captivating art projects, performances, and events curated in collaboration with community groups in Brighton & Hove’s neighbourhoods; Hangleton and Knoll, East Brighton and Moulsecoom & Bevendean.

Three Artist in Residence; Boudicca Collins, Vivek Vadoliya and local arts organisation East Side Print worked with residents on projects that celebrate the local areas and the people that live in them. Participants had the opportunity to engage in diverse cultural activities, including mural creation, poetry workshops, storytelling, puppet-making workshops and a Family Fun Day. 

On Saturday 13 May, Mayor of Brighton & Hove Lizzie Deane visited Hangleton Community Centre to unveil a new mural, created by members of the local community and scenic artist Boudicca Collins. 

Photos: Andrew Hasson 

We have a great long-term relationship with Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival and a shared commitment to community learning and social transformation through the arts. 

Our role as Higher Education Partner brings academic expertise to the festival through curated arts and culture programming. It also creates opportunities for us to offer students an education that equips them not only with knowledge and skills but that helps them to think creatively.  

We continue to support regional arts and culture; did you know, we are the official Education Partner for this year’s Turner Prize? The world’s leading prize in contemporary art! Find out more #TurnerPrize2023