We are the official Higher Education Partner of Brighton Festival, the city’s annual arts celebration. The 2025 events run from Saturday 3 May until Monday 26 May.

About the Festival

Brighton Festival brings together performers, writers and artists from across the world and this year it is more accessible than ever before, with a diverse series of 118 events: 25 free events, 33 events under £10, and 30 events for children and families.

As the Festival’s Higher Education Partner we are delighted to provide you with unique access to the Festival programme and the chance to attend events co-created by academics and students from the University.

Ticket offers for Sussex staff

Click here to win a pair of tickets for Hamlet on Saturday 10 May at 2pm.
Competition closes at 5pm on Tuesday 29 April.

What's on

View the full Brighton Festival programme.

University of Sussex Festival of Ideas

Our Festival of Ideas is back, featuring a dynamic and engaging programme of events, talks and activities led by students and staff from the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities.

As part of Brighton Festival 2025, we'll invite you to try your hand at live coding music, celebrate 30 years of Britain’s rave culture and explore themes of protest and resistance - taking you on a journey through the past, present, and future.

The 2025 Festival of Ideas programme comprises a week of on-campus student-led activities between 8-11 April and seven events showcasing Sussex research as part of the Brighton Festival in May.

Festival of Ideas - events part of Brighton Festival

These events are part of the official Brighton Festival 2025 programme, highlighting research from Sussex academics.

Dawn Chorus Day: Following the success of Prof Alice Eldridge’s Birdbath (2024) we invite you to experience the magic of an early morning soundwalk through Stanmer Park followed by a community Ecosocial breakfast, 4 May, (£10/£8).

Nature Unseen: Experience nature through touch and sound in this immersive exhibition led by Dr Karis Jade Petty. Discover the world of sight-impaired artists and their connection to Wakehurst’s botanic garden. Join a Q&A with the artists at Fabrica, 8 May, FREE.

Post-Rave Britain Archive Roadshow: Join Prof Ben Burbridge, Prof Lucy Robinson and Dr Chris Warne to celebrate Britain’s rave history with the Museum of Youth Culture. Green Door Store, Thu 8 May (object sharing 6.30pm, event 7.30pm) £10/£8, Ages 18+.

Discover Musical Live Coding: Dr. Chris Kiefer and PhD students Steve Symons and Dimitris Kyriakoudis will share their research and help you try live coding music and audiovisuals. Explore how live coding shapes electronic music and Algorave culture. Volks, 18 May, 11am–5pm, FREE, ages 5+.

Music of the Pan-African Revolution: Join Nzinga Soundz, Prof Martin Evans, Karina H-Maynard, and PhD student Lynda Rosenior-Patten for a journey through the music of resistance, from Soweto to New York. Ironworks Studio, 19 May, 7:30pm, £12.

Whose Streets? Mapping Places, Mapping Protests: Prof Pollyanna Ruiz explores Brighton & Hove’s response to far-right threats in 2024, crowdsourcing protest memories to map a powerful visual of resistance. Museum Lab, Brighton Museum, 20–25 May, FREE, 16+.

An Unidentified Syncretism: Stuart Hall Fellow Bleue Liverpool and musician Ibukun Sunday present an audio-visual exploration of Sussex’s port culture, inspired by Sussex alumnus Paul Gilroy’s work. On campus at Sussex Meeting House Chaplaincy, 23 May, 7:30pm | £5

Festival of Ideas - events from our students

This year’s student-led Festival of Ideas events kick off on campus from Tuesday 8 April, bringing a dynamic mix of talks, workshops, exhibitions, and performances —all free and open to both students and staff.

Camera Rolling: A Video Anthology from Young Women in Nepal:
Curated by student Pooja Pant, this inspiring showcase presents short films created by young women in Nepal through a VOW Media workshop, exploring identity, resilience, and societal challenges. On campus, Jane Attenborough Studio, ACCA, 8 April, 10am–5:30pm, FREE.

The Live Archive Workshop: Archiving Ourselves:
Led by student Erin James, this hands-on workshop explores radical archiving practices through zine-making, writing, and collaging. Reclaim The Archive and transform memory into creative rituals of self-historicising. On campus, Open Learning Space, Sussex Library, 9 April, 12pm–2:30pm, FREE.

Disabled Narratives: From Our Perspective: Curated by student Matilda Barrowman, this immersive exhibition features creative writing, prose, and other language-based works by disabled students and local contributors, responding to the New Dawn theme through lived experiences of disability. On campus, Jane Attenborough Studio, ACCA, 10 April, 12pm–5pm, FREE. Private Tour: 12pm - 1pm, Audio Description Tour: 1pm – 2pm, BSL Tour: 2pm - 3pm. Open to the general public 3pm - 5pm.

Threads of Change: Women Shaping Fashion’s New Dawn:
Curated by student Elizabeth Parry, this event features a runway show with designers whose work explores climate change, gender, and genderqueer fashion, alongside an engaging public conversation. On campus, Woodland 3, Student Centre, 10 April, 7pm–9pm, FREE.

Skank & Sketch Session: A Creative Reggae Experience:
Join students Hannah Forde and Isla Thorpe for a day of reggae music, dance, and collaborative art-making. Explore local artwork, create your own with recycled materials, and embrace the spirit of reggae through movement and creativity. On campus, Jane Attenborough Studio & ACCA Café, 11 April, 10am–5pm, FREE.

Events in partnership with the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts

Soundings: A three-screen film installation with live dance, offering an expansive portrait of the deep sea. ACCA, 16–23 May | FREE (Live dance performances £7).