Politics and culture are combined at a new festival

Politics and culture come together for Bristol Transformed, taking place on April 6, with a Labour campaigning day following on April 7. Celebrating the ideas and innovations of the left, the festival invites anyone inspired to create people-powered communities to come together and create a better Bristol for all.

Inspired by The World Transformed, which takes place in Liverpool alongside the Labour Party Conference, Bristol Transformed is a new festival inspired by its programme and enthusiastic audience.

Speaking to Darran McLaughlin, one of the volunteer organisers of the two-day festival, he said: “It’s so diverse, there’s young people, working class people, BAME people. 16,000 people attended last year.

We were inspired to make something new and exciting in Bristol. We wanted to create something accessible and inclusive inspired by people-powered politics.”

The aim is to get all of Bristol’s activists, from environmental campaigners to Labour Party members, “under one roof”, and Darran has been working with 12 other volunteers since October last year to organise the event.

There’s a range of events taking place during festival: “There’s panels, workshops, spoken word, a pub quiz,” says Darran, “We’ve got ACORN, Cato Press are doing printing, and activists, journalists and politicians from Bristol and further afield.” There will also be a creche, so parents can attend and know their children will be safely looked after.

On April 5, there will be a walking tour led by Bristol Radical History Group to mark the start of the festival, ending with a live podcast on Park Street with Trashfuture. Anyone who has purchased a ticket can attend.

He is keen to highlight that although inspired by the growth of Labour politics, this isn’t a Labour-exclusive event, saying: “If you’re on the left, we want you there.”

The festival will be hosted at several venues in Stokes Croft and St Paul’s, including the Malcolm X Community Centre and the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft, with all the venues in walking distance of each other. Darran and the other volunteers hope to bring the two communities together through the event, and the venues will be accessible for all. “And we’re getting a graffiti artist to paint a mural above Turbo Island,” says Darran excitedly. The main image of the article a first look at the newly created piece by Mr Sleven.

The purpose of the festival, to create people-powered politics and communities, is something Darran is keen to highlight, saying: “We want to inspire people to become more politically aware, take back control and end austerity.

“We want to make people realise they need to do something; big political changes like women’s votes and the civil rights movement have always been grassroots – a bottom up process.”

Many high-profile Bristolians will be in attendance, such as Edson Burton and Annie McGann, as well as individuals from further afield. Additionally, teachers, academics, councillors and trade union activists will also be at the events taking place. “Representation is really important to us,” says Darran, “We didn’t want it to be a panel of white men. That’s just boring.”

Kerry McCarthy MP will be appearing on the Environmental Panel, and says: “I am really pleased that this discussion is being held in Bristol on how we can support a more sustainable economic system that does not destroy our environment.”

Tickets are will range from £2 for unemployed people, to £20 for those who have the means to contribute more funding to the event: “It’s got to be as accessible as possible. We’re doing it on a shoestring because inclusion is at the heart of what we’re doing.

“We need volunteers too with any skills. If you have an arty eye and can dress the venues, let us know!”

A ticket gains entry to all the events happening over the two days. There will also be an after-party, which requires a separate ticket. As well as the exciting panels, workshops, talks and sessions planned, a highlight will certainly be the food, with the praised Arawelo Eats providing great east African cuisine.

It looks to be an exciting weekend, with community, inclusion and activism at its core.

With guests ranging from Kerry McCarthy MP to ACORN, there’s something for everyone part of left-wing politics

Tickets are available at www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/#date=2019-04-06&event_id=51166

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