Luddites festival

Festival of Luddite Culture and Ideas
Huddersfield, April 28/29th 2012.

The Luddites 200 group, in conjunction with a group of Huddersfield-based devotees of the Luddites is planning a one-day festival in Huddersfield in April. The aim of the event is to bring together different groups who have developed plays, music, poetry, etc related to the Luddites’ anniversary, and to combine that with discussions around issues related to technology today. There is a great deal of interest in the anniversary in Huddersfield and surrounding areas and we will be working closely with many parts of the community including local museums. We will create an exciting celebration, which will be both fun and accessible to the general public. The event will take place in several venues in Huddersfield town centre.
The festival will include:
• Theatre, poetry, music, art, storytelling, film
• Exhibitions including materials developed by local schools
• Talks/workshops on: the story of the 1812 uprisings; were the Luddites right?; debates on technology issues eg digital/internet, nuclear, reproductive technology/genetics, alternative technology; is technology leading to unemployment today, how can we respond to this?
• Hands on/demonstrations of old/alternative technology: spinning/weaving, cropping, blacksmithing, micropower.
• Evening concerts
• Childrens’ activities
• Frame smashing re-enactment
• Stalls

The Luddites200 group
Our group is an informal network of historians, artists, technology politics activists, including scientists and engineers who have shared interests in the Luddites. We aim to both celebrate the anniversary and to open up debate about issues related to technology today. We have set up a website (www.luddites200.org.uk) and blog, and have produced a couple of publications - a special issue of The Land magazine and a feature in the
Housmans Peace Diary 2012.
Contact: luddites200@yahoo.co.uk, huddersfieldluddites200@gmail.com