NEWS: Cate Le Bon to perform and be a curator of Festival of Voice which returns to Cardiff for the last week of October

NEWS: Cate Le Bon to perform and be a curator of Festival of Voice which returns to Cardiff for the last week of October

Festival of Voice – Wales Millennium Centre’s flagship international arts festival – is returning to Cardiff Bay this year across the weekend of 29th of October 2020 to 1st of November with a new format.

Cate Le Bon has been announced as both a performer and a guest curator for part of the programme this year – bringing her own eclectic selection of voices from around the world.  They have also announced that Festival of the Voice will now be an annual four day event.

“Across four days, audiences will be treated to a wealth of performances and events exploring everything the voice can do and how important it is to have one. They’ll have the option of buying day or full weekend wristbands, giving access to more than 60 performances in Wales Millennium Centre and Portland House, located within a few minutes’ walk of each other.

The line-up – which will be announced in full in the summer – will include incredible live music, thought-provoking performance and inspirational talks, immersing the audience in a global chorus of voices.

Today’s announcement marks a significant shift for the festival, which has been biennial since launching in 2016. Previous iterations showcased some of the world’s most recognisable voices from across the musical spectrum including Patti SmithVan MorrisonFemi KutiLaura Marling,Candi StatonElvis CostelloHugh MasekelaRufus Wainwright,Fatoumata DiawaraJohn Grant and Angélique Kidjo.

Always at the heart of the festival are one-off collaborations that merge voices and genres. In 2016, audiences were treated to a unique evening that saw The Velvet Underground’s John Cale share the stage with Charlotte Church and actor Michael Sheen. And in 2018, Gruff Rhys premiered his album Babelsberg on the Wales Millennium Centre stage accompanied by the 72-piece BBC National Orchestra of Wales.”

Announcing this year’s new-look festival, Wales Millennium Centre’s Artistic Director Graeme Farrow said:

“We’re thrilled that, as of this year, Festival of Voice will become an international centrepiece of Wales’ annual calendar and of Cardiff’s commitment to placing music at the heart of the capital’s development. Festival of Voice is much more than a music festival; it’s an exploration of what the voice can do and how important it is to have one. Grab your wristband now and join us in October – it promises be an unforgettable long weekend.”

Guest curator Cate Le Bon said:

“I’m truly honoured to curate a small pocket of this extraordinary festival. It encourages its curators to cast a wide net and bring the voices that mean something to the city of Cardiff. It’s a beautiful thing to champion voices that bring joy, that guide, inspire, challenge, soothe and unite us whilst political division and disconnection is being peddled.”

Early Bird Weekend Passes for Festival of Voice 2020 are on sale atwmc.org.uk/voice as of 9am on Wednesday 19 February 2020.

God is in the TV is an online music and culture fanzine founded in Cardiff by the editor Bill Cummings in 2003. GIITTV Bill has developed the site with the aid of a team of sub-editors and writers from across Britain, covering a wide range of music from unsigned and independent artists to major releases.