Here’s an overview of our 3-day festival in 2025, which took place on 21st, 22nd, and 23rd of March – featuring exciting installations, community exhibitions, workshops and more…
112
Artists Involved
12
FREE hands-on workshops
6
Live performances of music and poetry
2
Original multi-sensory art exhibitions
Over £2000
Of artwork sold by young adult + emerging, chronically ill and disabled, student/graduate, and Worcestershire-local artists.
Speak Volumes Festival 2025 was made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery project grants.
(Dis)Connected
This tactile and audio-visual journey from the 80’s, 90’s into Y2K inspired nostalgia, intrigue, and questions: Is our contemporary world, high-speed and more connected than ever, pulling us away from our our own roots?
Jodie’s vibrant, multi-textured 90’s childhood shows a stark contrast to modern day minimalism and digital exclusion. Though technology allows digital access to support and resources for visually impaired people, Jodie can’t help but ask: Is the world more accessible for disabled people now, or were times truly simpler – and better – when we were disconnected?
Commissioned specifically for Speak Volumes Festival 2025, Jodie Rose McLoughlin’s (Dis)Connected explores identity through the eras: from dial-up tones and Spice Girls hits, to navigating disability through childhood, online forums, and frayed cables.
“It was a huge buzz and an honour to be involved and thank you for platforming me as a marginalised and unrepresented disabled, working class person and having faith in my concept. Everyone worked so hard!” – Jodie
Celebrate You: Disability Pride
“Celebrate You” is a community exhibition, immortalised as a zine, that highlights the simple joys, euphoria, and moments of pride experienced by local disabled people. Co-produced by Speak Volumes Festival CIC, AccessAbility Arts, and the Worcestershire Poet Laureate, it features poetry, photography, and mixed media artwork. The zine was launched on day 1 of the festival, where over 30 copies were sold!
Orange
“Orange was the colour that sparked the most joy.”
Festivalgoers sunk into a world of pith, juice, and zest. This multi-sensory installation, produced by local artist Ella Abel, used scent, texture and glowing light to plunge its audience into the centre of an orange!
“Freddie and l had many conversations about how we could make colour a multi-sensory experience, so that anyone, regardless of their sensory impairment can enjoy it.” – Ella Abel
This whimsical installation, built upon a 5-metre sphere, struck JOY in its audiences: who could touch the waxy outer shell, or step inside the glowing, fragrant dome.
Juicy, squishable slices were on offer to touch and hold.
Community Exhibitions:
The 2025 themes included Nostalgia, stories, fashion, and zines!
Over 50 local, emerging and disabled artists, primarily aged between 18 and 35 had their work on display – for no cost – and varied from sculpture and framed pictures to keychains, sticker, and jewellery.
“A huge thank you to Speak Volumes Festival this weekend for the opportunity to share and sell my artwork. I’m thrilled at having sold 5 of my pieces. Thank you to all the team and volunteers for their commitment and hard work […] dedication and support! You made this possible. Looking forward to next year!!”
“Such positive and beautiful people running the workshops, thanks so much”
“…Their dedication to uplifting disabled voices? *Chef’s kiss*.“
“So much fun, highly recommend checking this out”
“I had such a lovely time […] really hope it’s on next year”
Speak Volumes Festival 