The Out There Festival in Great Yarmouth is a celebration of outdoor arts, circus, culture and the arts, bringing the best talent from across the world to captivate and entertain.
Last year saw around 45,000 people attend the outdoor festival with a huge audience of around 5,000 people for the Saturday night tribute ‘Silence’.
Taking place on the 15th – 17th September 2023, this year’s Out There Festival Weekend is a special 15th BIRTHDAY EDITION and visitors will see the liveliest programme yet.
Joe Mackintosh, Artistic Director says: “The Out There Festival is known to be a breath-taking, weird and wonderful experience. The festival this year boasts 34 artistic companies drawn from 17 countries and 5 continents. With over 100 performances on the weekend, The Out There Festival will bring some of the world’s finest circus and outdoor arts performances into Great Yarmouth.”
Festival highlights include the ticketed event for Friday and Saturday night’s French circus company, Les Filles Du Renard Pale Resiste, at St Nicholas Car Park South. Visitors will be treated to a visual and thrilling performance of contemporary circus and tightrope entertainment to the sounds of Bristolian trip hop music.
The Whale – Circo Rum Ba Ba is Sunday’s highlight event. All bold explorers are invited to squeeze into the belly of an enormous inflatable Sperm Whale where visitors find themselves in the depths of the bubbling, kelp-swirling ocean. Those that do will encounter an acrobatic diver who leads them swimmingly through the age-old journey of the life of an ancient Leatherback Turtle. Stories are told through exquisite puppets, comedy and music abound. Visitors are invited to explore the tale of sea creatures and their battle to survive in an ocean full of rubbish.
The Out There Festival will be embarking on its most inspiring Community Engagement Programme to date. ‘Sounds Out There’/’Young Out There’ will be working with many local school children and schools over the week running up to the festival weekend.
Taraneh Jahanpour, Community Engagement & Volunteer Coordinator says: “We’re introducing a creative hub at East Norfolk Sixth Form College, inviting primary schools to participant in workshops led by artists performing at the festival. The Sounds Out There and Young Out There programme will focus on innovative and unusual music performance in outdoor and circus arts. The programme seeks to inspire emerging musicians and music professionals with talks and behind the scenes access and performances. We’re very grateful to the East Norfolk Sixth Form College for all of their support with this project.”
Local schools are invited to register their interest in backstage previews to Les Filles Du Renard Pale Resiste on Thursday 14th September.
Many of the events are free of charge, donations are welcome. Out There Festival is being funded by Arts Council England and supported by Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Norfolk County Council and Sponsored by Visit Great Yarmouth & Specsavers Great Yarmouth.
