As one of the most distinctive arts festivals in the north of England, Freedom Festival is preparing to transform Hull with a bold theme: Peace.
Known for bringing the city to life with striking installations, large-scale street theatre and thought- rovoking performance, Freedom Festival invites audiences to gather, reflect and connect through creativity and shared humanity.
Phil Hargreaves, Festival Director for Freedom Festival Arts Trust, says: “For 2026, Peace takes centre stage not just as an idea, but as something to explore, question and experience. Alongside moments of spectacle and joy, the programme will offer space for conversation and hope - encouraging audiences to consider what peace means in a world that often feels anything but calm.
“The Festival continues to stand out as one of the most distinctive arts festivals in the north of England, transforming Hull into a city-wide stage with free outdoor spectacle, international performance and community-led creativity.
“We are kicking off the 2026 programme announcements with four shows to whet people's appetites, with plenty more announcements to follow in the coming weeks.”
Internationally acclaimed company Gravity & Other Myths return to the festival to present 10,000 Hours at Hull Truck Theatre. Featuring eight elite acrobats, the show is a breathtaking tribute to the hours of dedication, discipline and repetition behind physical mastery. It promises to be a spectacular celebration of the extraordinary things the human body can do.
In a completely different vein, The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave by Oli Mathiesen will transform a secret city centre location into an immersive, high-energy rave experience. Condensing the atmosphere of a three-day rave into one hour, the performance invites audiences into a world of music, movement and collective release, before opening the dance floor for everyone, to let go, and be free.
Freedom Festival’s outdoor programme will once again bring free, accessible performance to the streets of Hull.
Quingo Starlequinn by Emergency Exit Arts is a feel-good street dance party led by a giant drumming puppet with a built-in DJ booth. Created in collaboration with local disability groups, the parade piece celebrates participation, movement and community, and audiences will be invited to join in the dance party as it travels from Jameson Street down King Edward Street and into Queen Victoria Square.
In Trinity Square, Babel by Arrangement Provisoire will see community members construct a 12-metre tower of wood and rope live in front of audiences. The striking work explores unity, cooperation and shared effort through the physical act of building and dismantling something monumental together.
With a free outdoor programme, ticketed performances and further reveals still to come, Freedom Festival 2026 promises to be another unforgettable chapter in Hull’s cultural calendar.
Freedom Festival 2026 will take place from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 September.
For more information and tickets, visit freedomfestival.online.
Photo captions:
- 1.5. Ten Thousand Hours - Simon McClure 02
- Quingo Faces 2
