This year’s theme, A Meaningful Use of Time, invites artists, audiences, thought-leaders, communities and dreamers to slow down, tune in, and ask: Why do we never seem to have enough time—and how can we reclaim it?
This is your guide to a weekend of creative disruption, contemplation and curated chaos across Doncaster city-centre. Discover hands-on workshops, roaming street installations, bouncing live music programmes and powerful words. Take your time and see where your feet take you.
Don’t forget to collect your ArtBomb’25 wristband for a discounted drink from some of our favourite local watering holes!
For more information, please head to our Festival Welcome Desk @ ArtBomb, 60 Hall Gate.
All activities are free and open to everyone — Donations are welcomed.
YOUR WEEKEND: AT–A-GLANCE
Look out for cheeky wheelie bins and other unexpected surprises roaming the streets of Donny on Friday afternoon.
Then join us at 6.30pm for the switch-on of Ray Lee’s Siren, a reality-warping sound sculpture that launches the weekend and remains open until 25 August.
Friday 15 August
Launch: Opening Night
Unitarian Church
60a Hall Gate DN1 3PB
Saturday 16 August
Disrupting the Rhythm: From Day to Night
Sunday 17 August
Day of Slow Wonder
WORKSHOPS
ROSIE GIBBENS
UNIMATE
11am-4.30pm | Sat 16 & Sun 17 August
Free • drop-in • suitable for all ages
Create your own bizarre “labour-saving” robot using domestic appliances, fabric limbs and found objects!
KAROLINA ŻYNIEWICZ
SELF DEFENSE
11am-3pm | Sat 16 & Sun 17 August
Free • limited spaces • age 16+
Join us for a 2-day foraging and embroidery workshop exploring how Doncaster’s toxic plants can be used & misused by humans.
To book your place or for more details, please email: info@artbombuk.com
SQUIGGLE GANG
LIVE SPRAY PAINTING
12pm-3pm | Sat 16 August
Free • age 14+ @ ArtBomb
Local spray-painting trio, Squiggle Gang, will be live painting a brand new commission in our beautiful courtyard. Masks and overalls provided, other painting activities available for younger audiences.
Come along to see them in action and give it a go yourself!
DISRUPTING THE RHYTHM:
LIVE MUSIC & SPOKEN WORD
GSD
GSD CREW TAKEOVER
12pm-6pm | Sat 16 August
@ Market Square
Dance with us in Market Square, where GSD, local champions of Donny’s underground music scene, present a powerful line-up, featuring Rumbi Tauro & Priday.
HARD | ART
HEY! LITERATURE FESTIVAL
6pm-8pm | Sat 16 August
@ Unitarian Church
Hard | Art will deliver the inaugural Hey! Festival, a spoken word event bringing local and world-renowned poets, including none other than Salena Godden, together to write for a better future and develop new work to be performed in Doncaster.
BEATS & PIECES
EMOM
7.30pm-11.45pm | Sat 16 August
@ Unitarian Church
Beats & Pieces Electronic Music Open Mic will take you on a time-bending, mind-warping sonic journey that evolves into a thumping dance party with Seijn.
Book pay-as-you-feel tickets in advance, or purchase on the door.
STREET PERFORMANCES
From Market Square to Hall Gate & unexpected locations in between, roaming street performances & sonic experimentations will vibrate & morph around Doncaster across Saturday & Sunday.
Featuring:
When Peat Speaks: A Boggy Gassy Ensemble (Part 2) by Miranda Whall
Wind Whisper by Ben Rowen
Masked by Diane Wells
I Walked Here by Inari Wishiki
Live painting by William Sculthorpe
I've Got The Power by Linda Cassels
Self Propelled Self Promotion Machine by Chris Dobrowolski
Bureau of Silly Ideas & Common Census Board delivered by Hard | Art
Creating Calm by Ellis Hutton
Live loop & electric guitar performance by Jack Supertramp
FILM SCREENINGS
A programme of short documentary & experimental films addressing what makes us mad in the world, how to be resilient & all the spaces in between.
SATURDAY | 11am-1pm
The Fourth Planet
(2025) John Butler | 6m46s
Goodbye Body
(2024) Aisling Phelan | 5m27s
Getting okay with not being ok, that things are not okay
Dead Skin
(2023) Ciara O’Rourke | 11m11s
Compulsive Obedience
(2021) John B Ledger | 6m
Tailings
(2019) Rob Gawthrop | 6m | QT Movie