
BUILDING BLOCKS TO FREEDOM
17:00 – 23:00
Family Friendly, Participate, Streets
WoWFest18 – Crossing Borders celebrates the transformative power of inclusivity. Witness a unique sculpture populated with work from individuals across Liverpool and hear performances from WowFest projects and communities. This ‘wall’ is built from the stories and experiences of our communities; for the society they wish to build for themselves and each other?
WoWFest is Liverpool’s longest running literary/writing festivals. Beginning in 2000 as a weekend festival, it’s now a month-long programme of radical literature, debate, performance, activism and creative writing, running each May in venues across the city. Born from the Docker’s Strike of 95-98, WoWFest has always been a radical programme of writers, journalists, performers, activists, commentators, broadcasters, academics and communities. It brings together high-profile and international guests alongside local professional artists and communities in relevant, interesting and dynamic discussions.
We are proud to have had as our guests Gary Younge, Ken Loach, Akala, Benjamin Zephaniah, Linton Kwesei Johnson, Hollie McNish, Francesca Martinez, Irvine Welsh, Walter Mosely, Noam Chomsky, Bonnie Greer, Alexei Sayle, The Beat, Pauline Black, Peter Hooton, Isy Suttie, Juno Dawson, Lemn Sissay, Salena Godden, and many, many more in our past eighteen festivals.  WoWfest 2018 – CROSSING BORDERS responds to recent national and international political, social and cultural developments around issues of Brexit/The EU, migration, race, inclusion/exclusion, diversity, and nationalism.
While Trump talks of building walls, and borders are back on the international agenda, WoWFEST 2018 – Crossing Borders will explore messages of togetherness, hope and inclusivity by building stories and experiences around the thoughts, ideas and hopes of our communities for the society and identity they wish to build for themselves and each other in the wake of Brexit. With the impact of Brexit hotly contested and unbridled Trumpery across the Atlantic, WoWFest 2018 – CROSSING BORDERS will explore literature, art, ideas, and practice that has transgressed and challenged accepted ways of thinking. From migrant literature to refugee stories, prisoner stories and translated works, we’ll be discussing race, gender, sexuality, Europe, politics, activism, satire, collaboration, grime music, and technology.
In venues across the city WoWfest 2018 – CROSSING BORDERS will break down barriers – technological, geographic and those that frame our identity and ways of living. Local national and international writers, artists and commentators will debate and discuss ideas of nationalism and identity and their impact on society, culture and artistic creation. They’ll consider whether the gates protecting the most elite communities need to be torn down in the name of Social Justice and the Grenfell survivors.
Subverting the theme, we’ll be exploring borders that need to be fortified #metoo. With guests including Lily Allen, Lowkey (and many more to be announced), WoWfest 2018 – CROSSING BORDERS will defy expectations, entertain and challenge, and invite you to get involved. For further information about Writing on the Wall, visit our website here WoWfest 2018 is dedicated to Linda Meagor who crossed many borders and was an asset to many arts organisations and communities.
LightNight’s full listings from Open Culture here