The line-up for the 50th Brighton Festival in May has been revealed with Laurie Anderson announced as guest director.
The festival – which takes place between the 7th and the 20th May – is known to be the largest and most established annual multi-arts festival in England.
This year’s theme for the celebrations will be home and will see Brighton celebrate the artists, characters and sense of place and spirit within the city.
A series of special commissions will take place at the festival, two of which will mark the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. These include The Complete Deaths by Spymonkey and Tim Crouch, and Digging for Shakespeare by Marc Rees.
There will also be a specially commissioned film showing, named Brighton: Symphony of a City and this year, the festival will be working with Guardian Live to deliver the Books and Debate programme.
This will feature a line-up of writers and commentators.
Laurie Anderson, who has varied roles such as artist, composer, poet, photographer, filmmaker, vocalist and instrumentalist will be guest director for the festival.
One of Anderson’s own events will be the UK premier of her Music for Dogs, which is a concert especially designed for the canine ear , and a screening of her new film, Heart of a Dog.
Laurie commented, “I’m so happy to be serving as guest director of Brighton Festival in its historic 50th year. I’ve been part of the festival several times and it is so big and sprawling and exciting and there’s so many different things going on – it really has a kind celebratory, crazy, art party feel to it.
“And I love the theme of home and place. It is especially relevant with so many people in the world on the move now looking, like all of us, for a place we can belong. Maybe because I’m a working musician and often on the road, the idea of home is pretty appealing to me. It’s also a great idea for a festival – trying to find out who and where you are. See you there!”
For more information visit www.brightonfestival.org.
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