Raise Your Banners
Bradford
November 27th - 27th 2011

Billed Artists

Performance times and tickets available for purchase on our website www.raiseyourbanners.org/
Prices between £8 & £15
(Friday Folk)
Roy Bailey, John Tams & Barry Coope, Hall Brothers & Michelle Plum
(Friday Jazz)
Omar Puente, Gilad Atzmon, Nizar Al-Issa, Sarah Gillespie

Plus

Peggy Seeger
Amsterdam
Robb Johnson
Justin Sullivan
Tracy Curtis
Tina McKevitt & Matt Hegarty
Ewan McLennan
Sisters Unlimited /Seize the Day
Choir Concerts
Steve Huison

The Raise Your Banners festival returns to Kala Sangam and Bradford Cathedral for another vibrant weekend of political song and arts. This biennial festival celebrates the struggles of ordinary - and extraordinary - people through, music, film, theatre, workshops and speakers.

One of the most exciting things about the festival is the incredible diversity of the events on offer, but within that diversity is the common thread that underlies the Raise Your Banners ethos - the way that political song, music and art gives voice to struggles for liberation, equality and justice, in defence of the environment, and for a better world.

Raise Your Banners draws people from across the UK and beyond to hear some of the finest performers of political music, to learn about the history of political song, to engage in debate and to meet others who share similar aspirations.

Musical acts this year include songwriter and activist Peggy Seeger, radical jazz performer Gilad Atzmon, singer-songwriters Robb Johnson and John Tams, and the bands Amsterdam and Seize the Day. In addition, Bradford Cathedral next door will be filled with the soaring sound of over 20 political and community choirs. Other events include song writing workshops and talks on the Luddites and Labour movement music between the wars.

Full programme details are available on the Raise Your Banners website at http://www.raiseyourbanners.org/

Political song is a dynamic medium that gives voice to changing concerns and conditions. This year the festival has introduced a local community song writing event to produce new songs reflecting the experiences of Bradford's diverse communities. A series of song writing sessions with community groups in the lead-up to the festival will be followed by workshops with professional musicians at the festival itself, and the opportunity to perform in the finale concert on Sunday afternoon, sharing the stage with Peggy Seeger.