• Swindon & Wiltshire Culture
• Wednesday March 5 2025
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Audience numbers at Swindon’s Festival of Tomorrow double to 47,000

Attendance at Swindon’s Festival of Tomorrow doubled this year, as thousands of families turned out to explore its biggest ever programme of spectacular performances, thought-provoking discussions, immersive art, hands-on workshops and free drop-in activities for all ages.

Over 47,000 adults and children attended this year’s programme, which brought local people together with artists, performers, researchers, universities, charities and organisations from across the UK and internationally to explore the theme Our Future Earth.

Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram’s giant touring Earth artwork, Gaia was a focal point for festival-goers during the half-term week, at the heart of a specially curated programme of events, workshops, performances and exhibits at Steam Museum, which invited visitors to re-imagine the Earth of the future.

Measuring six metres in diameter, Gaia features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface. The artwork provided visitors to Steam the unique opportunity to see our planet on this scale, floating in three dimensions, with many families opting to stay for several hours enjoying the atmosphere.

Highlights of the week included a unique sell-out immersive performance by composer and musician Charlie Hooper-Williams, whose haunting music and spectacular AI-generated live visuals provided an unforgettable counterpoint to the softly illuminated Gaia artwork.

Nearly 1,500 people were captivated by free performances on the Sonic Spider – a four metre wide playable sculpture, which invites listeners to enter an orb spider’s world of vibrations.

Shoppers at Swindon Designer Outlet were treated to a range of interactive activities – including the opportunity to help shape future work by local contemporary dance company, Neon Dance, by contributing design ideas for wearable sound sculptures in the Sonic Body Lab.

A specially designed Sea Creature Superpowers trail was a huge hit, with almost 4,000 families completing it by hunting for clues around the Centre, learning about marine animal adaptations along the way.

Festival-goers also enjoyed the opportunity to experience the work of some of Swindon’s talented local artists. Paintings by Sheryll Fox, Andi Theokle and Carol Burns were on display at both Steam Museum and a pop-up gallery at the Designer Outlet – joined at the Outlet by a spectacular display of ceramics by Lisa Lowe.

Meanwhile, the Festival’s first Open Art exhibition, curated by Artist in Residence Jo Beal, showcased more than 60 works by local artists of all ages and experiences, attracting over 2000 visitors to the historic Carriage Works.

Swindon primary schoolchildren got a head-start on the action, with over 11,000 free student places taken up on the Festival’s biggest offering yet for primary schools, bringing inspiration and skills into the classroom.

Thanks to support from long-term partners, Swindon-based UK Research and Innovation, Business West, Catalent and the Science and Technology Facilities Council, organisers were able to offer Swindon schools an exciting range OF online and in-school challenges, shows and workshops, giving thousands of pupils the opportunity to engage with science, technology, engineering and the creative arts.

Festival director Rod Hebden said: “We’re absolutely blown away by the response to this year’s Festival.

“In our fast-changing world, it’s never been more important that everyone can share in and help to shape the knowledge, research and creativity that will shape our future world.

“We’re so grateful for the support we’ve received, particularly from the Arts Council, UK Research and Innovation, and Business West.

“There’s been a real sense of inclusion and community throughout this year’s events, which has been incredibly uplifting.”