Since it’s formation in 2009, Two Degrees festival has focused on climate change and world events - from the ramifications of global financial turmoil and the unprecedented protests in response to funding cuts. The festival will also be revealing a number of alternative solutions to climate change that succeed in diverging from sensationalist views of impending doom, all focustransforming protest and activism into engaging art and active entertainment.
On June 12th, the festival opens with Cycle Sunday, a scope of all the actvities you could possibly attempt on two wheels. From a mass bingo bike ride to a graffiti tour of East London with Central Sant Martins MA Creative Parctice for Narrative Environments graduate Pamela Parker, and a workshop that offers repairs and the chance to customise your bike. Also Otesha's Wild Food Cycle from Dalston to the Lea Valley. Inspired by the work of the Invisible Food Project, which brings people together in their local green spaces to hunt for wild food, they'll be exploring urban green spaces, foraging and sharing food accompanied by Adam Weymouth, a walker, writer and storyteller. Adam recently spent 8 months walking to Istanbul and is interested in slow travel, the hospitality of strangers, plant folklore and being nourished (literally) by a journey.
Over the course of the week long festival you will have the chance to convey your own ideas and hopes for the future. Festival goers can discuss their own personal and political agenda with a number of artists including Yes Men’s Larry Bogard, UK Uncut, Encounters and Richard DeDomencini. The festival will showcase a series of new films projecting a number of future consequences based on the vision of each filmmaker, including a preview screening of Just Do It: A Tale of Modern-Day Outlaws directed by Emily Janes, who spent over a year embedded in activist groups such as Climate Camp and Plane Stupid, documenting their clandestine activities.
Scottish artist Ellie Harrison will host Work-A-Thon, a project attempting to set a world record for having the most self employed people working in the same space on individual projects. This will offer participants an opportunity to break from the shackles of long tedious hours that are often a result of self-employment and combat the isolated circumstances brought with self-employment.
On the final day of the festival, Harrison will convey a summary of the festival based upon our understanding of the relationship between climate change and capitalism. This will be unveiled in a huge spectacle aiming to redress the balance and refocus the debate.
