Hot off the press! Greenbelt Festival 2025 is GO!
Excited to announce the first wave of big names, Greenbelt welcomes disco-soul gospel trio, the very brilliant Annie and the Caldwells; actor and activist Adjoa Andoh best known for her role as Lady Danbury in Netflix’s Bridgerton; afro-fusion collective K.O.G; clothier and sustainability advocate, the Sewing Bee’s Patrick Grant; DJ, musician and producer, undisputed queen of English folk music Kate Rusby; and Silent Witness actor and disability activist, Liz Carr.
Also gracing the fields of Boughton House this summer are: musician, producer, visual artist and activist Brian Eno; politician and former leader of the Labour party Jeremy Corbyn; the hard-hitting, tragi-comedy coming-of-age Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me from award-winning playwright Phillip Stokes; Mercury Prize nominated British singer, songwriter Nadine Shah; stand-up comedian Lost Voice Guy; and Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens.
Is there really another festival this summer where you can see such an amazingly diverse and eclectic lineup? We don’t think so!
HOPE IN THE MAKING - MORE THAN JUST A FESTIVAL.
Greenbelt has always been more than a festival. It’s somewhere to believe in, somewhere to belong to, and this year, more than ever before, it's a place of hope (against all hope).
It sees hope as a practice, an attitude, a commitment. A space built temporarily up out of the ground for one weekend, where fresh possibilities are grown.
In the midst of the chaos of the never-ending bad news cycle, Greenbelt is hope in the making. Every name on this year’s lineup is more than just a name. Each artist offers hope, vision, and another way.
The festival’s creative director, Paul Northup comments,
“Each year, we build the festival bill with love and care. And this year that’s been more the case than ever we can remember. Because we want the Greenbelt programme to inspire, encourage, challenge, sustain and comfort our festival goers. Goodness only knows we need our individual and collective reserves of hope topping up right now, and this year that’s what we’re aiming to do with the artists, activists, writers, performers, leaders and speakers we have invited."
DIGGING DEEP INTO GREENBELT’S LINEUP
Annie and the Caldwells - MUSIC
IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR
Bringing the soul to disco, and the joy to Greenbelt: it’s Annie & The Caldwells! Annie, her two daughters, Deborah and Anjessica, goddaughter Toni Rivers, eldest son Willie Jr, and youngest son Abel Aquarius make music that not just moves you spiritually but emotionally. Get your hands in the air as you lose yourself in this uniquely powerful sound.
Their new album Can’t Lose My (Soul) has been described by The Guardian as ‘a life-affirming album full of spontaneity and seemingly telepathic harmonising’. What’s not to love?
Adjoa Andoh - IDEAS
BRIDGERTON TO BOUGHTON
Actor, writer, director, with a career spanning four decades, from Dr Who to The Witcher, Adjoa Andoh is best known for playing Lady Danbury in Bridgerton and in its prequel Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton story. She’s trod the boards at the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare and made her Hollywood debut alongside Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon in Invictus.
Greenbelt is excited to welcome Adjoa who’ll be speaking on her life as an actor, her journey of faith and justice, with a special focus on her advocacy around fair trade.
K.O.G - MUSIC
AFRO FUSION GUARANTEED TO GET THE PARTY STARTED
Gracing the main stage at this year’s festival is the amazing talent of Kweku Sackey aka K.O.G (Kweku of Ghana). A multi-dimensional creative force, combining exquisite writing skills with shamanistic live performance, fierce raps, perfect on-pitch singing all topped off with some absolutely wicked dance moves.
Inspired and musically influenced by the likes of Tom Waits, Quincy Jones, Bob Marley, Sizzla, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Pavarotti (to name but a few) he’s performed all over the world from Glastonbury to the Commonwealth Games.
Heralded as a true poet and storyteller, he uses a mix of English, Pidgin and Ga to paint sonic pictures that reach deep into the souls of everyone ready to listen. This is certainly one not to be missed!
Kate Rusby - MUSIC
UNDISPUTED QUEEN OF BRITISH FOLK
Delighted to welcome back to this year’s Greenbelt, it’s the fantastic Kate Rusby with her sublime brand new album - and performing with a full band - for the first time in 10 years! If that wasn’t enough Kate will be joined by breakthrough gospel act, Annie and the Caldwells, who are making their first appearance at Greenbelt after bursting onto the scene over the last year with an authentic and unadulterated disco-tinged gospel joy.
Nadine Shah - MUSIC & IDEAS
TOUR DE FORCE OF BRIT ROCK
All hail the sensational singer, songwriter Nadie Shah as she brings her unique mix of indie rock, jazz, post-punk meets folk-rock.
In 2024 she supported Young Fathers and then Depeche Mode on their European and UK Arena tour, followed by her very own sold-out UK headline tour! She was also a special guest for New Order at Wythenshawe Park and Elbow at Ludlow Castle. She finished the year with a short European winter tour that culminated in her biggest UK show to date at Kentish Town Forum.
Described as a force of British rock, her lyrics explore tough themes such as the Syrian refugee crisis, Islamophobia, sexism, mental health and addiction. She has also been part of calls for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The unstoppable Nadine will be performing her latest album, ‘Filthy Underneath’ on the main stage and in conversation on the Festival friday.
Jordan Stephens - IDEAS
MYTH-BUSTING MENTAL HEALTH
Best known as one half of the chart-topping duo, Rizzle Kicks, Jordan Stephens, is also an accomplished actor and writer. Jordan has struggled with his mental health and is actively raising awareness through his mental health campaign #IAMWHOLE which has now reached over 120 million people online.
As well as mental health, Jordan also explores the negative effects of hyper-masculinity on men’s wellbeing - a topic never far from the headlines. The cultural and political significance of ‘what it means to be a man’ is being debated widely not just through news outlets but also through drama series such as Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’. Jordan will be taking a deep dive into the complicated and emotionally-charged subject, the mental health issues that surround it, and how to achieve self acceptance.
Patrick Grant - IDEAS AND ACTIVISM
THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY OF FASHION
Patrick Grant, star of BBC 2’s hit show The Sewing Bee, has a lot to say about clothes. How many we buy, how we value them, what they’re made from, and importantly who made them and where.
His campaigning clothes brand Community Clothing supports local clothing and textile manufacturers across the UK. Patrick is an outspoken advocate for radical change in the fashion and clothing industry, moving towards reduced consumption of higher quality goods, made to be circular and regenerative.
Catch up with Patrick who will be in conversation with Greenbelt’s ‘Craftivist in Residence’ Sarah Corbett. As well as sharing the same platform at a number of events, Patrick and Sarah share a passion for great craft and real justice. They’ll be discussing fast fashion, the importance of sustainability and the circular economy.
Brian Eno - ACTIVISM
EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGION AND ART
Brian Eno needs no introduction; a legend in the music industry as both musician and producer. A founding member of Roxy Music, he’s released over 40 albums as a solo artist, and produced albums with Talking Heads, Coldplay, U2 and James as well as collaborating on recordings with music superstars such as David Bowie and Gracie Jones.
Brian is now a founding member of the Long Now Foundation, a trustee of Client Earth and patron of Videre est Credere. In April 2021, he launched EarthPercent, which raises money from the music industry for some of the most impactful environmental charities working on the climate emergency. Brian will be in conversation with Unitarian minister and member of his Hard Art Collective Liz Slade. Brian will explore the question: is art a form of religion or is religion a form of art?
Liz Carr - IDEAS AND ACTIVISM
BETTER OFF DEAD?
Actor, presenter, and international activist for disability, Liz Carr is best known for her role as formidable forensic examiner, Clarissa Mullery, in BBC 1’s Silent Witness. Her TV credits include Good Omens, Loki, Les Miserables, and The Witcher, as well as theatre career which includes her Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Play for the critically acclaimed The Normal Heart at the National Theatre.
Liz actively campaigns for disability rights, most she recently hosted the BBC documentary, ‘Better off Dead?’, which explores the repercussions of assisted suicide, and why she believes it shouldn’t be legalised in the UK.
Jeremy Corbyn - IDEAS
SPOTLIGHT ON GLOBAL ARMS TRADE
Former leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, has served as an MP for 42 years. His expansive and lifelong campaigning for peace, justice and human rights has taken him across the world, advocating in senior roles for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the Palestinian Solidarity Committee, Stop the War, the UN Human Rights Council in New York (review of the Geneva Convention), nuclear non-proliferation, trade unions, employment rights, Indigenous rights and many social movements. He founded the Peace & Justice Project in 2021, a movement which brings people together for social and economic justice, peace and human rights in Britain and across the world.
Jeremy comes to this year’s festival to discuss his book, ‘Monstrous Anger of the Guns: How the Global Arms Trade is Ruining the World and What We Can Do About It’. Published on the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, it lays bare the dark and deceitful world of the global arms trade. The arms trade is also examined in Greenbelt’s theatre space with the hard-hitting play, ‘The Mistake’, and through the festival’s links with Christian CND.
Lost Voice Guy - COMEDY
A REAL STAND-UP GUY
You’ll recognise Lost Voice Guy (aka Lee Ridley) as the first comedian to win Britain’s Got Talent back in 2018, and more importantly as the first stand-up comedian to use a communication aid. Since his win he’s appeared on The One Show, This Morning, Lorraine, and BBC Breakfast. He’s an ambassador for Scope and patron of Smile for Life, Find a Voice, Communication Matters, The Scott Morgan Foundation, and The Sequal Trust.
A master in finding humour in unusual places, Lee takes a mischievous yet poignant look at the misconceptions surrounding his disability. This summer he’s bringing his new show, ‘This Guy on Tour’, to Greenbelt.
Jesus, Jane, Mother and Me - THEATRE
WHO SAID BECOMING AN ADULT WAS EASY?
Described by The Stage as ‘Gripping and visceral’ Jesus, Jane, Mother and Me is a twisted, coming-of-age story that blends pitch black humour and heartache by acclaimed playwright Philip Stokes.
If you think Jesus and Jane McDonald don’t have anything in common, then think again. This one-man show is a story of a domineering mother, church trips, youth club discos and a transformative trip to the theatre to see a certain Yorkshire songstress that changes everything.
WANNA KNOW MORE?
Here’s the official line up poster! Whoop! Or pop over to Greenbelt’s website to check it out in all its glory - here.
HOW DO I GET A TICKET?
Greenbelt Festival’s pay-what-you-can ticketing model is back
Greenbelt Festival is rolling out its radical and inclusive pay-what-you-can ticketing pricing structure for a third year; where those who can pay – do – and those who can’t – have the opportunity to pay what they can.
There’s three simple price-points for adult tickets: Supported, Standard and Supporter with three easy-to-remember deadlines: Christmas, Easter, Greenbelt. Choose the ticket-type that works best for your circumstances. You can also spread the cost across the year with Greenbelt’s interest-free, monthly installment plan all the way up to July 2025.
If you buy before the end of April to beat the Easter deadline - adult weekend tickets cost just £165 for those who choose the Supported price, £220 for the festival’s Standard ticket, and £275 for the pay-it-forward Supporter ticket.
FESTIVAL CREDENTIALS
Each year Greenbelt strives to deliver a festival rich in diversity. Since its inception 51 years ago, its ethos has always been to create a space that is inclusive and representative. Great artistry, courageous activism and open-hearted belief has always been at the heart of the festival’s programming. A true trailblazer amongst UK’s festivals, Greenbelt believes in creating a diverse, intentional, all-inclusive line-up.
The first Greenbelt took place in 1974 on a Suffolk farm with the words ‘If you’ve got a field, you’ve got a festival’. The Sun Newspaper reviewed the first one as ‘The Nice People’s Pop Festival’, but it was more subversive than it appeared.
Over the years Greenbelt has welcomed headline acts such as Pussy Riot, Sinead O’Connor, Kae Tempest, Estelle, Laura Mvula, Magic Numbers, Ezra Furman, and Mavis Staples to name but a few! It has seen early performances by future global artists such as Ed Sheeren, Corinne Bailey Rae, as well as the mighty U2 who played Greenbelt in 1981 when they had only released their first album.