About Us
Welcome to the first-ever Sign Language-inclusive festival in Medway designed for children and their families!
Building on the success of its first year, the festival has expanded with even more events and a greater scope, continuing to grow in impact and reach.
BUP! Festival 2025 will continue to bring people together, reflecting the original festival’s mission of accessibility and inclusion for all — a core theme of this year’s event.
We are excited about what this year’s festival will bring. Notably, this will be the first festival hosted under BUP! Arts, with D-Live! Theatre proudly joining as a key partner.
BUP! Festival is a vibrant, family-friendly arts festival focused on engaging activities for children aged 5 to 11. The 2025 event also introduces a strand for 11–17-year-olds, providing a platform to showcase their creative work as part of the event.
The festival’s primary audience is the Deaf community, including Deaf children, their families (both Deaf and hearing), British Sign Language (BSL) users, and English-speaking and reading audiences. While the festival prioritises Deaf inclusion, it also aims to create a welcoming environment for hearing people.
Looking ahead to 2027, the festival plans to expand into a full weekend event, building partnerships with national organisations. Many potential partners will be invited to the 2025 event as part of this long-term vision.
The programme will prioritise visually led performances, featuring both Deaf and hearing artists, ensuring the festival remains accessible, engaging, and inclusive for all.
D-Live! Theatre has been creating innovative performances since 2016, focusing on a unique approach to theatre.
Their work includes digital live productions like Scrooge and the development of Deaf Awakening, a Deaf-written play exploring themes of discrimination, systemic exclusion, and cultural misappropriation.
Beyond the stage, D-Live! Theatre has led impactful education and community projects across the UK and Medway, such as the BIGD Collection Stories, Martha’s Vineyard, and Extraction Stories, often integrating media work into their initiatives.
D-Live!’s mission is to push boundaries, amplify Deaf talent, and see that is celebrated by everyone.