York actress Constance Peel in Service Please at Micklegate Social on November 9
IN its 15th year, York’s Aesthetica Short Film Festival introduces its debut Aesthetica Fringe in a celebration of emerging talent across music, comedy, exhibitions, installations, and performance.
These artist-led events are part of a citywide cultural programme, transforming York into a creative playground throughout November.
“York is a UNESCO City of Media Arts, and our Fringe embodies this status by activating galleries, venues and public spaces with diverse work,” says festival director Cherie Federico. “Together, we bring art, performance and audiences into a shared, inspiring moment.”
Pilot Theatre presents A Guide To Now For Those In The Future, York Explore, Library Square, York, November 5 to 9
YORK company Pilot Theatre’s unique installation, A Guide To Now For Those In The Future, is a bold and immersive experience remixing interviews and footage into a vibrant explosion of sight and sound. Capturing the emotions, dreams and perspectives of young people, it acts as a digital time capsule, reflecting life, culture, and concerns in 2025. Supported by Portakabin Community Support Fund and York Common Good Trust. Age rating: PG.
Wonkystuff and The Sounen Project’s Change Of Phase
Change Of Phase, National Centre for Early Music, Walmgate, York, November 5 to 9, 6-8pm
ICE into water, liquid into solid, sound into light, noise into music, soundscapes into stories, digital into analogue: Change Of Phase is a series of sound and light installations with performances, all set around a single, illuminated table. Wonkystuff and The Sounen Project provide the experimental audio landscape guiding the audience through moods. Age rating: PG.
Celebrating Creativity in Creative Ways, York Explore, November 5 to 9
CREATIVE Ways showcases powerful artworks inspired by York’s rich stained-glass heritage. Created by participants exploring creativity for both wellbeing and belonging, the exhibition celebrates connection, confidence and community and reflects the impact of art in a testament to how art can illuminate lives, provide hope and foster inclusion. Age rating: PG.
Bard At The Bar, Cat In The Wall, The Stonebow, York, November 5, 7.30pm
HAVE you always fancied yourself taking to the stage to try out one of Shakespeare’s great soliloquies? Bard At The Bar is a raucous, no-holds-barred night of “karaoke” Shakespeare. This is your opportunity to grab a drink, take a script and climb onto the stage to perform your favourite scenes. No experience necessary, just bring passion. Age rating: 18+.
Erler and Pilot in Crossroads, York Explore, Library Lawn, York, November 5, 5pm and 6pm; November 6, 6pm and 7pm; November 7,12 noon, 1pm, 4pm and 5pm
STEP inside and take the journey to the crossroads in a spooky immersive experience for teenagers and the young-at-heart by Erler and Pilot on Library Lawn, where you will meet your guide beside her trailer of truth. There she will drive you to the place where dreams come true. Age rating: 12+.
Griffonage Theatre’s poster for Kafka By Candlelight at The House of Trembling Madness
Griffonage Theatre presents Kafka By Candlelight, The House Of Trembling Madness, Lendal, York, November 5 to 7, 6.30pm & 8.30pm
DEEP in the cavernous belly of The House Of Trembling Madness, Griffonage Theatre, York purveyors of the madcap and the macabre, present Kafka By Candlelight, an unsettling adaptation of five of Franz Kafka’s strangest short stories, told in the dark, where each piece invites you to confront the bizarre with no guarantee of resolution or escape. Will you be able to stomach it? Audiences will be invited to wear theatrical masks (optional). Age rating: 18+.
Letterpress and Film, Thin Ice Press, York Centre for Print, A Celebration of Silence, Peasholme Green, York, November 5, 2pm to 5pm
EXPLORE the intersection of film and print in hands-on workshops that invite you to experiment with letterpress printing and create title cards inspired by the artistry of silent film. Bring your phone or camera to capture the process and discover the tactile beauty of print while celebrating the visual language of cinema. Age Rating: 12+.
Letterpress Film Night: Helvetica Screening, Thin Ice Press, York Centre for Print, Peasholme Green, York November 5, 7pm to 9pm
ENJOY a screening of Helvetica, a celebration of silent film, and the chance to try letterpress printing. Design and print title cards with the team, capture the process and explore the endangered craft of letterpress printing while embracing the timeless aesthetics of ink. This experience is a chance to explore how film and print intersect. Age rating: 13+.
Black Sheep Theatre Productions in The Inner Selves, The White Horse, Bootham, York, November 5 to 8, 10:30am, 1pm, 3pm
A VIEW into a dying marriage, wherein Henry and Nora represent the end of a marriage torn apart by the loss of their child, alcoholism and depression. They are joined by their Inner Selves (Henry’s Self and Nora’s Self) who torment them about what their lives could have been. Every interaction is heavy with the things left unsaid. Age Rating: 16+.
Dan Poppitt in Black Sheep Theatre Productions’ Inner Selves
The Bluffs present Unwritten, Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb Road, Acomb, York, November 5, 8pm
IMPROV based on your literary suggestion, wherein York group The Bluffs take classic short-form improv games and infuse them with storytelling flair. Every show is unique, shaped by audience suggestions and spontaneous creativity. “Who knows where this evening will take us but it will be entertaining, inventive, and entirely in the moment,” they promise. Age rating: 12+.
York Fire Walk, York Minster, November 5, 2pm to 3pm; November 9, 12.30pm to 1.30pm
JOIN York Fire Walk to embark on a journey through the city’s fiery history, meeting by the Roman Column in Minster Yard, and finishing at City Screen Picturehouse. In the company of expert guides, discover how York Minster popped up in the Land of Fire – and then there’s some guy called Fawkes. There’s bound to be fireworks! Age rating: 8+.
Compulsive Light Art Show, Fabrication Store, Stonegate, York, November 6 to 8, 6pm to 8pm
THE inside of the Fabrication shop front is transformed into a living light installation in an exploration of the coexistence between art and inspiration. The window becomes a canvas where the very act of making becomes a performance of dancing light. Passers-by are invited to pause, watch and reflect on the journey from idea to creation. Age rating: PG.
Alice May in Sweet Pea & The Beech Tree, Patch@Bonding Warehouse, Terry Avenue, York, November 6, 7pm to 9pm
JOIN York actress Alice May for a script-in-hand performance of a new one-woman play, then offer feedback to help develop it for stage and screen. Sweet Pea & The Beech Tree is a comic tale of a granddaughter caring for her terminally ill grandmother that asks what caring for someone facing death can teach us. This opportunity invites you to engage with the work in progress. Age rating: 14+.
The Compulsive Light Art Show asks “Why Make Art?”
City Folk & York Creatives, Patch@Bonding Warehouse, Terry Avenue, York, November 7, 6.30pm
DROP into Patch for an all-vinyl DJ set by Mat Lazenby and Jono spinning a curated mix. Meet York creatives. Grab a drink, discuss ideas, find out how to be involved with City Folk magazine, a new publication made in the heart of the city, and be in with a chance to win a print by illustrator Tony Allen. This event is the perfect way to connect. Age rating: 14+.
Kids Just Wanna Fly, Ben Porter photobook launch, Patch@Bonding Warehouse, Terry Avenue, York, November 7, 6pm to 7pm |
LEAP into the unknown, through disposable cameras, polaroids and early iPhones. This is a tale of youthful ambition and the quest to craft an identity through the tumultuous years of young adulthood, comprising an exhibition, a photobook launch and short performances. Audiences are invited to reflect on who they are amidst their youth. Age rating: 16+.
Lara McClure in Oral Tradition, Amnesty Bookshop, Micklegate, York, November 7, 7pm
IN Iron Age Ulster, stories travelled from the mouths of bards into the ears of everyone else, with nothing written down. Storyteller, hypnotherapist and medieval historian Dr Lara McClure’s Edinburgh Fringe show offers a gnarly earful of ancient Ulsterwomen who used sex as a weapon – or, at least, so said the bards. The performance unpacks these bold yet provocative tales. Age rating: 16+.
Transmute- Live, Micklegate Social, Micklegate York, November 7, 8pm to 9.30pm
A SEMI-GENERATIVE particle system moves to an evocative mix of electronica, ambient, orchestral and techno sound. Immersive visuals and rich soundscapes merge, creating a mesmerising, cinematic experience that seamlessly blurs the boundaries between sight, sound and emotion in this exploration of movement, transformation, and connectivity. Age rating: PG.
Dr Lara McClure: Presenting Oral Tradition at Amnesty Bookshop
Rock Soil Scrape, West Park Bowling Club, November 8, 1.30pm to 4pm
AN installation inspired by the earth’s sediments, bringing together interviews with York workers and video projections, as well as food and drink to connect us to our physical environment, cultural histories and deep time. Presented in what was once a bakery, then a bottle shop and bar, the installation highlights the change of the site. Age rating: 12+.
In Limbo, De Grey Rooms, York, November 8, 4pm to 6.30pm
SOPHIE is dead. Probably. She thinks. Maybe. How could the happiest time of her life turn to this? Welcome to a rehearsed reading of In Limbo, Judi Amato’s new play about the realities of early parenthood and postpartum depression. A feedback session will follow the performance to help shape and deepen the development of the show. Age rating: 12+.
Constance Peel in Service Please, Micklegate Social, Micklegate, York, November 9, 2pm & 8pm
ALL Lara wanted was an easy job as she started to write her novel, but she is confronted with the sexist, stressful and chaotic reality of the service industry. This one-woman show by York-born, University of York-educated actress, writer, director (and waitress) Constance Peel plays the Aesthetica Fringe after a four-star debut run at this summer’s Edinburgh Fringe, and is marked by bright humour, artistic ambition and raw honesty. Age rating: 16+.
More, Spark:York, Piccadilly,York, November 9, 6.30pm to 7.30pm
MORE is a raw performance blending dance, visuals and music to explore the restless pulse of addiction – the craving for sensation, escape and wholeness. Through movement and image, it unravels cycles of desire and release in an intimate, sensory journey through the body’s aching longing to feel more and be enough.
The Storytelling Ensemble, Patch@Bonding Warehouse, Terry Avenue, York, November 9, 7.30pm
JOIN The Storytelling Ensemble for tales brought vividly to life with improvised music and original composition. Led by storyteller and composer Joe Allen, the ensemble breathes new life into fascinating fables and yearnful yarns, contributing to the magic of stories told aloud, inviting listeners to lose themselves in worlds ancient and new. Age rating: 12+.
For tickets, go to: asff.co.uk/fringe.
Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2025: Filmmaking In Schools
AESTHETICA Short Film Festival is putting young people at the heart of the festival run from November 5 to 9.
More than 150 students from seven York high schools – Huntington, Joseph Rowntree, Milthorpe, York High, All Saints, Fulford and Archbishop Holgate – will take part in the Filmmaking in Schools initiative, now in its second year.
The programme gives students the chance to develop practical filmmaking skills across storytelling, directing, writing, cinematography, editing and technical production, while also nurturing teamwork, creative collaboration and problem- solving. These skills are highly transferable, helping young people build confidence and abilities that extend far beyond the classroom.
York’s status as a UNESCO City of Media Arts provides a unique backdrop for creativity and innovation. In a city celebrated for its thriving digital media and creative industries, it is vital that students are offered hands-on, practical opportunities to bring their ideas to life.
Councillor Pete Kilbane, deputy leader of City of York Council and executive member for Economy and Culture, says: “It’s fantastic to see so many York youngsters getting hands-on experience in filmmaking. Through initiatives like this, students discover their creativity, learn new skills and get to see the wide range of exciting job opportunities that the film industry has to offer.
The Filmmaking in Schools programme puts this philosophy into practice, enabling students to write, direct and produce their own short films, while applying problem-solving and technical skills in a real-world environment.
Festival director Cherie Federico adds: “Our aim is to give young people a real chance to explore their creativity and find their voice. Filmmaking is a powerful tool for learning, teamwork, and self-expression – and by putting it in the hands of students, we are investing in the next generation of storytellers and innovators.”
Through mentorship, collaboration and the festival environment, students gain practical skills and inspiration that link directly to potential careers in media arts.
Stuart Campbell, head of communications at LNER, highlights the impact of industry partnerships: “The Railway 200 programme is all about supporting and fostering new talent,” he says. “It starts with young people, and here in York, we have the chance to do something truly different, giving students real-world opportunities to explore creativity and storytelling through film.”
The Filmmaking in Schools initiative sits within the context of the BAFTA-Qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival, giving students exposure to the professional world of film and insight into the wider creative industries. By combining mentorship, hands-on experience and festival immersion, the programme nurtures the next generation of screen innovators.
While young people are at the centre of this initiative, Aesthetica 2025 also provides opportunities for families to engage with creativity. From specially curated U and PG film screenings to VR and games workshops, interactive art, live music and city-wide Fringe events, the festival offers experiences that encourage children and adults to explore, learn and play together.
By blending professional insight, imaginative activities, and cultural exploration, Aesthetica ensures that creativity is accessible to all ages, inspiring the next generation while bringing the wider York community together.
Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2025: Launching Beyond the Frame programme at York Theatre Royal, November 5 to 8
Comedian Sophie Duker
Sophie Duker & Friends, Wednesday, 7.30m
TASKMASTER champion Sophie Duker, from Mock The Week and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, tops the bill featuring Eleanor Tiernan and Bella Hull.
Silent Cinema & Live Score with The Dodge Brothers, Thursday, 7.30pm
IN a dazzling collision of classic cinema and live music, The Dodge Brothers bring their live score to Beggars Of Life, the 1928 landmark American silent film starring Louise Brooks.
The Dodge Brothers
Film critic and BBC presenter Mark Kermode, on double bass and harmonica, is joined Neil Brand, celebrated silent film accompanist and star of BBC Four’s Sound Of Cinema, on piano, as this electrifying ensemble transforms a black-and-white masterpiece into a full-blooded cinematic event.
Mark Kermode: In Conversation with Jenny Nelson, Friday, 7pm
HEAR from the co-authors of Mark Kermode’s Surround Sound about the magic of film music. Join film critic Mark Kermode and award-winning radio producer Jenny Nelson for an evening of cinematic insight, sharp wit and passionate debate.
Together, they explore the power of film music, inspired by their new book. From cult classics to blockbuster scores, expect passionate discussion, revealing stories and plenty of chances to ask questions and join the debate. Expect honest, humorous and informed film talk.
Aesthetica New Music Stage, Saturday, 2pm to 11pm
IN the UK’s first national New Music Stage, BLANID, Jemma Johnson, Crazy Mark, Kengo, Ewan Sim, Daisy Gill, Dilettante, Tarian, Isabel Maria and North Yorkshire band Pleasure Centre will compete in a showcase supported by Universal Music A&R, Imagesound and Caffe Nero. Anglo-Italian singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti will be on the judging panel.
Tickets (and New Stage Passes for the New Music Stage) are available from the York Theatre Royal box office, 01904 623568, or online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
York Theatre Royal is a venue for the ASFF 2025 line-up of film screenings and masterclasses too. More details on booking festival passes can be found at asff.co.uk/tickets/.
Daisy Gill: Taking part in the Aesthetica New Music Stage event
