Freedom Festival comes to Hull

The link between freedom and Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire is not, perhaps, one that springs readily to mind, and yet next month the town will play host to the sixth in a series of annual events, which honour a rich history of pioneering social justice.

The rejuvenated Hull, which is nominated for the UK City of Culture 2017, will celebrate the town's “independent spirit” and role in the abolition of slavery – it was the birthplace of philanthropist and activist William Wilberforce. The three-day festival of music and the performing arts features Mobo winners Akala and Empirical, and poet Lemn Sissay's torch-lit rendition of Martin Luther King Jr's “I Have a Dream” speech.

Freedom Festival, Hull (www.freedom festival.co.uk) 6 to 8 September