Journeys Festival International returns to Leicester this weekend, filling the streets with free arts and activities.
Journeys Festival International brings together artists and communities to explore big ideas and create experiences that will excite and entertain. You can look forward to music, dance, installations, interactive entertainment, and more. All of which will take place for free throughout the city centre on 22 and 23 July 2023.
We caught up with ArtReach, the team behind the festival, to find out more about it.
How would you describe Journeys Festival International to anyone who isn’t familiar?
Journeys Festival International is a free family festival celebrating diversity and exploring migration. It’s a weekend of outdoor arts and creativity, street theatre shows, performances and things to do that all explore and celebrate different cultures. On 22nd and 23rd July from 12.00pm-6.00pm the festival will bring tales of wonder, hip-hop, dance, comedy, acrobatics, disco bikes and aerial performances to the city centre. There are 15 different companies visiting Leicester from around the world and you’ll find incredible things to explore and enjoy at the Clock Tower, Gallowtree Gate, High Street, Silver Street, St Peter’s Square, Jubilee Square and Green Dragon Square. There are some amazing international acts but also some homegrown talent appearing too.
What are some of the programme highlights this year?
D-Construction is a standout piece of the festival and features an amazing hip-hop soundtrack to accompany this dance spectacle set on a scaffolding structure – it has to be seen! We also have the beautiful Out Of The Deep Blue; a roaming piece and stunning duet performed by a giant puppet from the deep and a young girl he encounters on his journey, and a piece based around clothing consumption, Life Is Short, Buy That Dress, which will really make you think when you see it all it situ.
Which activities are suitable for families?
We’ve got some really lovely performances for families, this year from the chance to relax in a hammock and let your worries float away, to entering the Roar Race where the louder you scream, the faster you go! We’ve got a giant pair of swings for you to have a go on, and some beautiful roaming shows with giant puppets and the urban safari team. There really is something for all ages to enjoy together.
How unique is Journeys Festival International in what it offers to Leicester?
We’re the UK’s first Festival of Sanctuary, a title honoured to us by the national City of Sanctuary team which means we’re welcoming to all and have a particular focus on people with experience of migration. We work hard to ensure that the festival is as inclusive as it can be and it is also important that the festival reflects the audiences we’re reaching out to. Performances can reach beyond language barriers, and we strive to find festival performances and activities that can be enjoyed by people from all types of backgrounds.
How difficult is it to put such a unique and varied programme together?
It’s definitely challenging but the reward makes it so worth it, and how brilliant to be able to bring international and homegrown artists together across the city for the weekend, and to be able to offer all this activity for free! I don’t think there’s many other opportunities to see such world class outdoor arts on your doorstep.
The city centre will be alive that weekend, with An Indian summer also taking place. How would you describe the arts and festival scene in Leicester?
Leicester’s cultural scene is thriving, the festivals and events, creative opportunities, music venues, theatres and galleries are something for the city to be proud of. There are some fabulous long-standing events such as the Caribbean Carnival, the Riverside Festival, Serendipity’s Let’s Dance International Frontier Festival and of course, Diwali that attract thousands of visitors from in and outside the city. Then there are some more recent additions, Cosmopolitan Arts’ For the Love of Jazz Festival and BID Leicester’s BrewBeat weekend. These festivals are all combining to really reflect the multi-cultural aspect of life in Leicester and embracing the huge amount of international influences we have here in the city and county. There’s a lively feel to the city, which is fabulous to be a part of.
Where can people find out more?
You can find the whole festival plans for the weekend at www.journeysfestival.com or find us on social media using #JourneysFestival2023. On the website you can find a digital programme to download and our event listings, there is also an easy-read programme and large print version of the programme to make planning your festival visit easy for everyone.
You can follow us at:
Instagram and Facebook: @ArtReachEvents
YouTube and Twitter: @_ArtReach
