Greenwich+Docklands International Festival facts for kids
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| Location | Royal Greenwich Tower Hamlets |
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| Founded | 1996 |
| Founded by | Bradley Hemmings MBE |
| Artistic director | Bradley Hemmings MBE |
| Type of play(s) | Multidisciplinary (theatre, dance, music) |
| Festival date | June–July |
| Website | http://www.festival.org |
The Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) is a super fun, free festival that happens every summer. It's all about outdoor performing arts like theatre, dance, and music. You can find it in East London (in an area called Tower Hamlets) and South East London (in Greenwich).
GDIF was started in 1996 by its Artistic Director, Bradley Hemmings. A charity called Festival.org helps put on the festival. For 17 days, GDIF brings together amazing shows from the UK and around the world. These shows include big spectacles, plays, circus acts, and dance performances.
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How the Festival Started
The Greenwich+Docklands International Festival began in 1996. It was created by Bradley Hemmings as its own independent event. The festival grew from an older event called the Greenwich Festival. It became a festival that stretched across the River Thames.
Bradley Hemmings also helped direct the amazing Paralympic Opening Ceremony in London in 2012. He worked with Jenny Sealey from the Graeae Theatre Company on this big event.
What You Can See at the Festival
The festival puts on outdoor shows in many cool places. You can see performances in areas like Thamesmead, Woolwich, Greenwich, Newham, Royal Docks, Canary Wharf, and the City of London.
The shows range from small plays to huge, exciting acrobatic performances. Artists from all over the world come to perform. GDIF is known for its spectacular shows. Some past big shows include Prometheus Awakes (2012), Les Girafes (2011), and Spark (2022).
GDIF also has two smaller festivals inside it:
- Greenwich Fair is a family-friendly day. It brings together street arts and theatre in Greenwich Town Centre.
- Dancing City is a yearly celebration of modern dance. It takes place in the busy area of Canary Wharf. Dancing City is part of a bigger international network of dance festivals.
The festival often uses art to talk about important topics. For example, Woman Life Freedom (2023) was a play about human rights. The Architect (2023) was an immersive show on a moving bus. It celebrated the memory and important legacy of Stephen Lawrence, a young person from the area whose life was tragically cut short.
GDIF works hard to make theatre and arts open to everyone. This includes artists and audiences who are deaf, disabled, or neurodivergent. In 2023, GDIF was the first UK festival to get a Platinum status. This award came from a charity called Attitude is Everything, which helps make things more accessible.
Some shows from GDIF in 2012 were part of the London 2012 Festival. This festival was linked to the Cultural Olympiad and the Olympic Games in London. GDIF takes place in Greenwich and Tower Hamlets, which were both host areas for the 2012 Olympics.
Outdoor Theatre Showcase
Since 2011, GDIF has also hosted a special event. It's London's yearly showcase for outdoor theatre. Over 150 people from different countries come to see it. Up to 40 companies show off their work. Some of the companies that showcased in 2012 included:
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Gallery
- GDIF2012
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Motor Show
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Carrousel des Moutons
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Prometheus Awakes
- GDIF2011
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Waiting Game
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As The World Tipped
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Les Girafes
Funding
The GDIF festival gets its main funding from Arts Council England.
