Nine things to see at Glastonbury 2023
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From a steampunk show and circus acts to a new pavilion made entirely out of mushroom roots, we’re excited to share these creative events with you. Buckle up!
Pop parades and carnival sounds from our National Portfolio Organisations
One of 985 National Portfolio Organisations (NPO), Emergency Exit Arts is an art collective borne out of the desire to shake up the everyday and inspire change through outdoor arts. They will be showcasing their outdoor show every day at 9:30pm in the Circus and Theatre Areas.
At the Shangri La Area, music organisation Continental Drifts, all the way from their barge on the river Lea, will be curating the main Truth stage from Thursday to Sunday.
Resident to the South West is Hampshire-based Nutkhut, who will be bringing their latest steampunk show Swyron to the festival. Inspired by the organisation’s 21st anniversary, Swyron is a re-interpretation of Vedic mythology with a futuristic twist. You can see the show from Friday to Sunday at the Theatre and Circus Field.
Artistic Director and Choreographer Simmy Gupta said:
It has been a wonderful experience and so heart-warming to see this dream of bringing to life a story that is over 5000 years old to life to the world’s festival!”
Also in the region, SMOOSH! is coming to the Circus Big Top on Sunday 25 June. Produced by Bristol-based, and disabled-led collective Paraorchestra, everyone is invited to join in on the technicolour pop-parade-come-street-party.
Two worlds will be brought together again as Notting Hill Carnival’s Elimu Mas Academy, a London-based Mas group, return to the festival with its touring parade of carnival joy and celebrations for a second year.
Elimu and Carnival Village Trust are two of the NPOs taking part in an extended collaboration with Notting Hill Carnival. Daily battery-powered carnival processions across the festival site will feature dancers, costumes, masqueraders and the freshest Caribbean sounds and The Mangrove steel band.
Notting Hill Carnival Sound System now permanently resides in Glastonbury’s Block9 Area.
You can also see musicians Skepta and Krept and Konan, who have worked with NPO Punch Records. Don’t miss Gwenno, who has been platformed by another new NPO Brighter Sounds as part of the artistic residency programme of Liverpool’s Sound City Festival.
Cosmic discos and a biodegradable pavilion thanks to National Lottery players
Thanks to you, we were also able to support projects featuring at Glastonbury such as:
Team Love and Silver Hayes’ mycelium installation project titled 6° -
The project, a pavilion made from biodegradable fungi roots - the extraordinary network known as mycelium, was inspired by the connection we have to each other, much like the interconnected-ness of mushrooms underground. It will host immersive sound art compositions by academic and musician Brian d’Souza (Auntie Flo) and Manchester rising star Or:La.
Ben Price from the Silver Hayes team said:
People don’t know the power that this material has in our industry - it has the potential to change society in many ways. A lot of big musicians that have gone on to play at the big stages at Glastonbury first performed at Silver Hayes. We wanted to mirror that with our ideas.”
Stay tuned for the documentary of this project that will go out after the festival.
Performing at the HSM Sweet Charity tent at The Park, where there will be DJ sets and visual performances nightly from its ‘orbiting Cosmic Disco’, London’s CHEWY SHE (dreamed up by French singer and accordionist Garance Louis) will entertain audiences with their utopian, disruptive, and immersive music.
Last but not least, National Lottery Project Grants has also been awarded to Glastonbury Festival’s Arts Commissions for 2023, supporting the creation of new work by artists throughout the festival - including circus, comedy, an immersive experience of poetry and body art, a huge participatory orchestra beat-box choir, and aerial and ground fire shows.
Check out their latest events and artist commissions at their Theatre and Circus field here >
For those who managed to snap up tickets – we hope that you have a wonderful time and our fingers are crossed for good weather throughout.
