Heartbreak Hotel, a week-long festival in east London, will explore the many aspects of heartbreak, including self care and the journey back to love.
Exploring the reality of heartbreak and understanding it as a collective experience, Heartbreak Hotel Festival is the very first of its kind. Taking place from February 8 to February 14, you can expect an array of visual art; from installations and photography, to spoken word and drag and burlesque performances.
The festival kicks off with a ‘Breakup Party’ at Rich Mix in Shoreditch – a seriously sassy celebration of singledom. After that, there’ll be a series of panel debates, workshops, installations and activities, all covering the painful topic of heartbreak. Then, on Valentine’s Day, the Heartbreak Hotel will host an Anti-Valentine’s Extravaganza featuring the fierce and fabulous The Cocoa Butter Club.
Kim Loliya, curator and sex educator, says: “We know that there is a crisis of loneliness in the capital and in the run-up to Valentine’s Day, Londoners are feeling the pressure is on to be happy and engage in romantic gestures. For those who are heartbroken, it can be a very difficult time and we hope to create a community where those experiences can be normalised and explored through art and creativity. We aim to infuse the week with self-care and self-love inspiration.”
The festival will be hosted at The Rich Mix in Shoreditch on February 8 and 14, and at E-Space in Poplar for the dates in between. Find out more about it on their Facebook page.