Defiance! Festival aims to provide a platform for artists whose creative expression is restricted by political repression and war. Our goal is to highlight these artists, raise awareness of their plights, and promote organisations and resources which can offer them real, material support.
Our inaugural event in May 2023 presented a programme of Ukrainian artists whose work and lives have been disrupted and jeopardised by the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of their homeland.
Subsequent events and collaborations will broaden our scope as the Defiance! network expands.
Defiance! Festival is an initiative led by
Marco Biasioli, Tom Drew, Réka Polonyi, and Ruth Abou Rached,
with the generous support of the the University of Manchester School of Arts, Languages and Cultures' Social Responsibility Fund, Impact Support Fund, and Student Enhancement Fund.