TRANSMISSION

bluedot to take a fallow year in 2024

When we set out on the journey that is bluedot we set out with a mission to create a unique experience – a combination of discovery, exploration and grand cosmic ideas that hadn’t previously existed, soundtracked by some of the finest musicians from across the planet and beyond. An opportunity once a year to explore new and unique collaborations between science, music and the arts, to be amongst like-minded adventurers, and to rediscover and celebrate our shared humanity.

Since launching in 2016, there have been six incredible bluedots filled with out-of-this-world highlights… Actual astronauts (!) in Helen Sharman and Tim Peake, the planet’s most beloved science broadcasters in Brian Cox, Jim Al-Khalili, Alice Roberts, Maggie Aderin-Pocock and James Burke, globally-adored music headliners in Jean-Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Björk, Underworld, The Chemical Brothers, Grace Jones, Orbital and New Order, and early performances from Wet Leg, Self Esteem, Squid, Dream Wife and The Comet Is Coming long before they would become household names. Hannah Peel joined us in the afternoon at bluedot 2018 as Mary Casio, and come 2022 we were honoured to welcome her and Paraorchestra to headline the festival.

Truly a festival at the centre of the universe, we stayed up late to beam the sounds of bluedot off the moon in celebration of Apollo 11’s 50th anniversary, and brought the RRS David Attenbrough team to Mission Control via satellite. And when the sun had gone down, we partied with Andrew Weatherall, 2manydjs, Erol Alkan, Roni Size and Annie Mac, and turned the Lovell Telescope into a 76-metre spectacular, with special visual performances created in collaboration with Max Cooper, Roisin Murphy, Groove Armada, Mogwai, Grace Jones, Pavement, Illuminos, Daito Manebe, Jodrell Bank’s own Tim O’Brien and Brian Eno, whose 2016 collaboration won ‘Best Mind Blowing Spectacle’ at the Association of Independent Festivals Awards.

Underpinning bluedot’s mission is a sincere love and respect for the earth and environment we are lucky to be part of. However, at bluedot this July, that earth itself took a lot of strain. Experiencing the highest level of rainfall on the festival weekend since records began (records courtesy of Jodrell Bank’s own weather station!) we have patiently waited to see what the effects of this have been on the land itself. We have now sadly reached the judgement that the ground on which the bluedot universe is built desperately needs some time to recover; a period of rest during which the soil will recover and regenerate. We are, as Carl Sagan put it, in very bad trouble if we don’t understand the planet we’re trying to save.

We have therefore taken the decision for bluedot to have a fallow year in 2024.

We had grand ambitions for our 2024 edition, but are nonetheless excited for the future, buoyed by the Artemis mission to take humanity back to the moon for the first time in 56 years. We cannot wait to join in the excitement with you.

We would like to share a heartfelt thank you to our home of Jodrell Bank, the local community and Cheshire East Council, the artists, speakers and all festival staff for their support since day one, and especially in the most challenging moments of bluedot 2023.

“Let the past hold on to itself and let the present journey into the future”. – Douglas Adams

Our journey is not yet complete – we look forward to moving into the future with you.

From all at bluedot,

Thank you.