ArtBomb: Fostering a new sense of curiosity

From 5 to 8 August, Doncaster will play host to ArtBomb, a four-day event brought to fruition by the collaborative efforts of Doncaster Creates, The New Fringe and True Tone, and funded by Arts Council North and Doncaster Culture & Leisure Trust. The open platform arts festival will take place in and around Doncaster’s Unitarian Church on Hallgate, featuring experimental performance, installations, music, film screenings, workshops and everything in between.

At the heart of the festival is the desire to "spark discussion, challenge ideas and foster a new sense of curiosity." As we begin to collectively emerge back into the world, art and creativity provide an exciting and necessary means of reconnection, both with ourselves and with those around us.

Festival highlights include the Birdsong Exhibition, which will be on display at the ArtBomb Shop and feature newly-commissioned works by 14 artists including Sarah Villeneau, Mandy Keating and James Lockey, all individually exploring the theme of ‘what we heard during lockdown’, and the Garden Sessions, an independent live music event produced by singer-songwriter August Charles which will immerse performing artists within the crowd to produce a culture clash of music.

Meanwhile, Parallel State will hold "a space to collectively imagine alternative solutions to life on earth." Co-curated by Eelyn Lee and Helen Nelson, together with Olivia Jones of citizen-led publication Doncopolitan, Parallel State will bring together speakers, performances, thoughts from young people, a backroom polling station, crocheting and a temporary tattoo parlour for a day of re-imagination, unconstrained by geographical boundaries.

Speakers at ArtBomb will include Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s Dr Helen Pheby, British designer Matthew Rosier, multi-disciplinary artist Helen Kilby Nelson and Studio Polpo’s Jon Orlek.

All events are free to attend and can be booked via ArtBomb’s website, where you can also view the full programme.