Brighton Digital Festival announces 2018 programme

In its eighth year, Brighton Digital Festival (BDF) runs from September 13 to October 13, and includes conferences, performances, exhibitions, talks and workshops that will showcase the city's creativity and discuss how digital culture will shape our future.

Laurence Hill, Brighton Digital Festival, director, said: “I’m once again thrilled to be able to share some of the BDF events that we’ve been working on over the last year and looking forward to the independent events coming in - we’re off to a great start already.

"Alongside events that celebrate the city’s creativity and digital economy, a year after we published our manifesto, it’s great to see the festival evolve and become a vehicle for social change by connecting people across the city, providing opportunities to be creative and to be engaged in thinking about digital culture.”

Highlights this year include Uncommon Natures, a preview of shortlisted Lumen Prize for Digital Art entrants at Phoenix Brighton. It runs from September 13 to September 23, and will include 3D installations exploring self-surveillance and (in)security cameras, AR that highlights the circular notions of history and moving image works that epitomize contemporary life.

The Messy Edge returns to the Attenborough Centre of the Creative Arts on September 28, and after its debut last year, will continue ‘messy’ but necessary discussions around digital culture.

Mr Hill said: “The Messy Edge will encourage you to think differently, it is the antithesis of the cutting-edge. It’s human, sometimes confusing, often challenging and a bit awkward - but it is vital.”

VoiceOver Brighton, a social radio project for the trans community fronted by artist and performance maker Emma Frankland, will also head to BDF.

The dates and location of the event are unconfirmed, but 25 members of the Brighton trans and non binary community will be archiving their responses a series of questions orchestrated by Emma. Of these responses, two audio pieces will be created, one which will be broadcast publicly as part of the Brighton Digital Festival. The other will be a private piece for trans identified listeners – register at www.notyetarobot.co.uk.

The project is being conducted over four-weeks leading up to the festival, the progress of which is being shown by a digital instillation on the front of The Marlborough. Using lights and colour the installation will display when a response is being recorded, designed to make the conversations visible.

To find out more about Brighton Digital Festival, visit: www.brightondigitalfestival.co.uk