Southbank Centre’s WHY?: What’s Happening for the Young? explores the rights of children and young people and runs between 19 – 23 October 2016.
Returning for the third year, this year’s festival will features actor Olivia Colman, vlogger Grace Victory, poet Brigitte Aphrodite and Complicite theatre company.
The annual festival, supported by Mishcon de Reya, takes over Southbank Centre’s 21-acre site for five days of talks, debates, workshops, performances and free participatory events.
Highlights from this year’s festival include:
• Daily keynote talks from prominent artists including British actor Olivia Colman (Peep Show, The Night Manager, Broadchurch, Flowers) and vlogger Grace Victory asking ‘What Makes a Good Childhood?’ (19-23 October)
• Seen and Not Heard – a new immersive performance installation from acclaimed theatre company Complicite, produced by 11-16 year olds (22 – 23 October)
• Punk-poet Brigitte Aphrodite leads workshops inspired by her play My Beautiful Black Dog (19 October)
• An interactive workshop on how to get into politics featuring MP Stella Creasy (22 October)
• BBC Concert Orchestra – WHY? young programmers takeover – a diverse evening of entertainment curated by the WHY? Festival Makers (22 October)
• Layla’s Room – a play by award-winning writer Sabrina Mahfouz and Theatre Centre (22 October)
• Virgin Territory – a participatory digital installation from Vincent Dance Theatre that explores what it’s like for young people to live in a digitally captured world (22 – 23 October)
• Hidden – a compelling portrait exhibition that tells the story of Britain’s young carers, captured by photographer and former young carer Max Alexander (19 – 22 October)
• A playful performance piece by artist Mamoru Iriguchi (19 & 20 October)
• A forum for professionals featuring speakers from from The Children’s Society, Children’s Rights Alliance of England and poet LionHeart (20 October)
Inspired by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the festival is an opportunity for policy makers, social workers, families, children of all ages and their schools to immerse themselves in fundamental questions about childhood today. Alongside artists, thinkers and social activists, WHY? will explore the right to freedom of expression, play, care, safety and access to the arts and culture. The festival programme is divided into three parts: a weekend of workshops, performances and talks for families; a forum for professionals; and two days for schools to bring students to the festival.
WHY?: What’s Happening for the Young is the third in a series of major culturally activist festivals that Southbank Centre organises yearly including: WOW: Women of the World and BAM: Being a Man.
For a full programme visit the website here.