As the flagship arts event for the East of England, Norfolk & Norwich Festival showcases some of the world’s most renowned international artists alongside regional talent, drawing audiences from across the UK. The full 2017 programme was recently announced, including five world premieres and large-scale free outdoor events.
The Norfolk & Norwich Festival is the largest arts festival in the East of England, one of the four largest in the UK, and will run from 12-28 May. The programme, which spans performance, theatre, music, visual arts, literature and events for children, also includes unique concerts and one-off events.
An extraordinary choral sleepover from The Voice Project in The Arms of Sleep will give 40 audience members per night a bed and invite them to spend the night at the beautiful Assembly House, Norwich for a brand new, specially written 10 hour choral piece. Stormy: The Life of Lena Horne is a world premiere written by and starring Camilla Beeput, that celebrates the dancer, singer and activist in her centenary year.
The Adnams Spiegeltent headliners Casus Circus bring acrobalance in Driftwood, and Akram Khan’s company will take audiences from Britain to Bangladesh in the cross-cultural dance production Chotto Desh. Favourites such as the Rag Roof Tea Dances and the programme of late night gigs co-curated by Serious also return, as well as the Garden Party showcasing sound installations, circus, live music, dance, real life arcade games, giant origami and a roaming cottage on chicken legs.
Each May the Norfolk & Norwich Festival transforms the county through an internationally acclaimed programme of music, theatre, literature, visual arts, circus, dance and outdoor arts, enjoyed by around 60,000 people.