Why it matters: The festival, which runs from Thursday, 23 October, to Sunday, 26 October, brings four days of spectacular arts events to Ipswich, featuring acclaimed international artists alongside emerging local talent in venues across the town.
The details: Jordan, who is based in Ipswich, serves as this year's SPILL Associate and will present "Never Succeed At Silence", an outdoor exhibition outside New Wolsey Theatre featuring work from a six-month project with 15- to 19-year-olds that focuses on photography as a means of self-expression, storytelling and community engagement.
The project includes a zine publication, which proudly showcases their work and shows the town in a different light.
Children from primary schools across East Anglia, including Rushmere Hall Primary in Ipswich, have collaborated with artists Andy Field and Beckie Darlington to create "Monsters", a 30-minute experimental documentary film exploring an imagined post-apocalyptic fairy tale world where monsters have arrived.
Other key events include Steli, a participatory building activity by Italian company Stalker Teatro on the Cornhill, where visitors build a huge wooden structure out of brightly coloured sticks. The free event runs on Saturday, 25 October, and Sunday, 26 October at 10:00-11:00 and 14:00-15:00.
The programme also features Leviathan by Slovenian artist Mark Požlep, which presents an imagined dialogue between Suffolk's fishermen and the mythological sea creature as a witness to ecological collapse. Developed during a 100-kilometre walk along the Suffolk coastline with retired North Sea fishermen, the work takes the form of an audio-visual installation at St Clement's Church.
Kirsty Tallent will recreate legendary Ipswich nightclub Cindy's at St Stephen's Church on Saturday evening, complete with 1980s prices at just £1.50 entry.
What they're saying: Speaking at Thursday's launch event at St Stephen's Church, SPILL Artistic Director Robin Deacon said: "SPILL very much remains a global festival, keeping Ipswich in dialogue with other international locations all around the world. But in recent years, our work increasingly taps into the location, not only of Ipswich, but also Suffolk – its cultures, communities and histories."
He added: "We also like to offer opportunities for the people of Ipswich, of all ages, to get involved in art in a really hands-on way."
The bottom line: SPILL Festival 2025 offers Ipswich residents a chance to experience world-class contemporary art whilst celebrating local talent, with young creatives leading the way in showcasing fresh perspectives on their town and communities.
For more information about events and tickets, visit spillfestival.com.
