RE/ACTION FESTIVAL Returns to Leicester With Free Performances and Outdoor Exhibitions

Re/action Festival 2025 transforms the streets of Leicester with free performances, installations, and hands-on activities connecting art, community, and climate action.

Re/action Festival returns to Leicester for a vibrant two-day celebration of creativity and environmental action. Taking place across Jubilee Square, Humberstone Gate, and Silver Street, the free event invites audiences of all ages to explore how small actions can lead to big change—through art, imagination, and community spirit.

A major highlight for 2025 is the launch of Nirvana FC, a new outdoor photography exhibition and documentary produced in collaboration with Opal 22. The project celebrates Leicester’s trailblazing grassroots football club and its journey toward carbon neutrality, decades of anti-racist activism, and youth empowerment. The accompanying film, Passing It On, tells the story of how a local football team became a national symbol for change.

Re/action Festival will also feature the world premiere of DIRT by She Said Jump, a high-energy, participatory outdoor performance where audiences can explore the set and meet the human who falls down a hole—and lands in a circus run by worms.

New dance commission Spill by choreographer Gayatri Munogee blends Indian classical movement with environmental storytelling. Inspired by the 2020 oil spill off Mauritius, the piece is a powerful and family-friendly tribute to marine life and resilience.

Other highlights include a new installation from Kala Arts, co-created with local children using only reclaimed and recycled materials. The project offers a joyful, hands-on experience celebrating sustainability and creativity.

The programme also includes street theatre, roaming performers, fashion swaps, and interactive workshops.

Paul Steele, Creative Director at Art Reach, said: “Re/action Festival is all about bringing people together through creativity and community action. This year’s programme is packed with powerful stories, local voices and playful ways to connect with the climate conversation. Whether you’re swapping a t-shirt, watching an incredible dance performance, or just stumbling across something unexpected in the city centre – there’s something here for everyone.”