A FREE festival celebrating the work of deaf and disabled artists is coming to Waltham Forest.

Liberty Festival, taking place on Saturday, November 23, and Sunday, November 24, will present cutting-edge art and performance in the spaces and places of Walthamstow, produced in partnership with Waltham Forest London Borough of Culture 2019

Two immersive installations will be featured in Walthamstow for the duration of Liberty, including artist Nwando Ebizie’s Afrofuturist immersive tech installation Distorted Constellations. The brain becomes a fragmented labyrinth inspired by the artist’s rare neurological disorder, Visual Snow. Audiences will also be invited to take a journey through Architects of Air’s monumental inflatable sculpture of colour, air and light, Arboria, in Lloyd Park behind the William Morris Gallery. Both installations will open before the weekend to allow more time to be enjoyed and experienced.

Epping Forest Guardian:

Liberty will launch on Saturday, November 23, with a club night from Deaf Rave, alongside DJ and BSL workshops. This will be followed by a full day of creative artist performances, new commissions, and visual art in venues across Walthamstow on Sunday, November 24.

Candoco Dance Company will present pop-up performances of You and I Know, choreographed by Arlene Philips. Dancers Joel and Laura offer audiences an emotive exploration of how we fall in and out of love over and over again, often with the same person. Multi-award-winning writer Byron Vincent presents Instagramming the Apocalypse, a performance piece examining anxiety in the face of the modern malaise.

Epping Forest Guardian:

Original work developed as part of the London Borough of Culture Fellowship Funding programme will be on show at Liberty, including E17 local Shyne Phiri’s dance piece about human interdependence, strength and vulnerability developed with Stopgap Dance. Handprint Theatre will present a special performance and arts workshop for young deaf and hearing audiences called Our Patchwork Community.

St Helens-based Heart of Glass will work with artist the vacuum cleaner (James Leadbitter) to bring elements of their Madlove Take Over Festival to Bangs Hair Salon. The festival places mental health centre stage and creates a space for art, conversation and care. In collaboration with world famous disability company, Touretteshero, they will present a Knowledge Exchange project in the salon for this year’s Liberty festival.

Epping Forest Guardian:

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “I’m delighted that our Liberty festival is once again showcasing the work of some of the finest deaf and disabled artists and performers in the world. Waltham Forest has pulled out all the stops to put on an unparalleled performance of arts and entertainment. This year’s festival has something for everyone, so my message to Londoners and visitors is to go and enjoy the many performances, sessions and workshops taking place.”

Most performances will be free to drop-in, with a number of free ticketed talks and workshops. All venues taking part in Liberty will have a range of access facilities, and there will be additional accessible transport available.

For more information visit wfculture19.co.uk