Brighton Digital Festival, the UK’s largest celebration of digital culture, is back for it’s fifth consecutive year, packed with over 150 events held in venues across Brighton & Hove throughout September.
The festival programme offers something for everyone regardless of age, gender, background and budget. From cultural arts and educational activities, to performances and workshops – many of the festival’s weird, wonderful and futuristic events are organized by local individuals due to the festivals community-inclusive ‘open programme model’. If you’re thinking September’s the time to get your head down and work after our glorious summertime, think again. The listings are also packed with loads of really useful events and conferences targeted towards business and industry professionals, or anyone with entrepreneurial aspirations to join the digital world.
Here are a some things we think you shouldn’t miss.
Digi-Fears, Parts I and II
Artists Lorenza Ippolito and CiCi Blumstein, supported by a Brighton Digital Festival Grass Roots Award, host two discussion events with some very special guests to satisfy our questions and anxieties of a future digital take-over; clever algorithms, the rule of robots, the digitization of nature, 3-D printing and more.
Fabrica Art Gallery, Tuesday 8th September 2015, and ONCA Gallery, Saturday 26th September 2015, Free
Synthology
Dedicated to making you dance, Synthology is Brighton’s best electronic music multi-genre nightclub. DJ’s Jack Jones and Andy X will be spinning tunes that bring together the best of EBM, Industrial, Electro, Synth-pop and rave to video projections, lasers and UV.
Komedia, Saturday 12th September 2015, £5 (£4 NUS)
Finding Fanon 2
Artists Larry Achiampong and David Blandy journey through the virtual world using Grand Theft Auto 5’s in-game video editor, and inspiration from the lost plays of Frantz Fanon, to explore the post-colonial condition within a stimulated environment. The artists will showcase the work with an evening of discussion.
Fabrica Art Gallery, Wednesday 16th September 2015, Free
Slash Night 3
A night of literary smut for slash authors, slash fans and the slash-curious. Readings and talks about fanfiction, erotica and romance stories that feature all your favourite same sex couples. Slash is the world’s biggest playground of erotic material by women, for women.
Marlborough Theatre, Thursday 17th September 2015, £7.50
The Waiting Wall
The Waiting Wall is Alan Donohoe and Steven Parker’s digital version of Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall, whereby commuters at Brighton Station can pass their waiting time by broadcasting anonymous messages for all eyes to see.
Brighton Train Station, 21st–27th September 2015, Free
For more information and events visit www.brightondigitalfestival.co.uk.
Brighton Digital Festival, 1st-27th September 2015
Photo by Francesca Moore