Distant Voices 'Bridging the Void' Festival 1 - 11 Nov 2021
Distant Voices has refined and developed an understanding of the shape and scale of the ‘void’ that punishment creates; and of creative, prefigurative practices that might help ‘bridge’ the void. That is the key focus of the festival.
Local contact: Prof Fergus McNeill
Festival Opening Gig: ‘Mapping the Void’
Monday 1 Nov 2021 19:00-20:00 GMT
Online
With Louis Abbott, Donna Maciocia, Tom Gibbs...
& more!
At Glasgow’s iconic Chem19 studios, our project’s Creative Lead, Louis Abbott (Admiral Fallow) will be joined by some special guest musicians to perform and discuss 7 songs, co-written in Scottish prisons as part of Distant Voices.
Conversation 1: ‘Confronting the Void’
Wednesday 3 November 2021 12:00-13:00 GMT
Online
With Fergus McNeill & Phil Crockett Thomas
The first of three festival conversations, this session picks up where the first gig ended. It centres on what we have learned about how and why criminal justice, despite its better intentions, ‘dis-integrates’ people.
But we’ll also share some examples of the creative work generated by the project to illustrate how people respond and resist.
Conversation 2: ‘Foundations: Creative action, community-building and democratic life'
Friday 5 Nov 2021 12:00-13:00 GMT
Online
With Alison Urie & Oliver Escobar
In this second conversation, we reflect on how the approach we’ve developed can help us imagine a different future together, creating spaces for new connections and solidarities and richer forms of democratic life.
Premier showing: ‘A Giant on the Bridge’
Monday 8 Nov 2021 19:00-20:45 GMT
Online
Performance by Solareye, Rachel Sermanni, Jill O’Sullivan, Jo Mango and Louis Abbott
This compelling combination of story and song interweaves five unique perspectives on prison homecoming. 'A Giant on the Bridge' is a narrative gig written with people connected to the criminal justice system, devised by Jo Mango and award-winning theatre-maker Liam Hurley with research by Phil Crockett Thomas.
Conversation 3: ‘Building Bridges’
Tuesday 9 Nov 2021 12:00–13:30 GMT
Online
With Lucy Cathcart Frödén, Jo Collinson Scott & Fergus McNeill
This conversation offers a chance to reflect on the themes explored in ‘A Giant on the Bridge’ and on the unique ways in which creative practices allowed these themes to be generated and drawn out.
Closing Gig: ‘Moving On Together’
Thursday 11 Nov 2021 19:00-20:00 GMT
Online
With Louis Abbott, Donna Maciocia, Tom Gibbs & more!
Back where we began at Glasgow’s iconic Chem19 studios, and hosted again by Professor Fergus McNeill. Our project’s Creative Lead, Louis Abbott (Admiral Fallow), will be joined by more special guest musicians to perform and discuss another 7 songs from the project.
The 'Bridging the Void' festival is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2021 and was made possible thanks to funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).