Interview: Livia Filotico, curator of Moon Festival
We caught up with Livia Filotico to talk about the new lunar-themed festival coming to London in July 2019!
Moon Festival | 19-26 July 2019 | Various Venues & Prices
Tell us about Moon Festival – how did the concept come about and what should we expect?
A few years back, I had this vision of a moonlit, soulful party for all Londoners and just had to go for it – so that’s what you can expect.
Our goal is to re-enchant our city through very simple pleasures. You know that moment when you sit at a table with some friends, sharing drinks, having small talk, and you are having a good time, but you are also thinking, ‘I want something more’? We want to be that ‘more’.
Moon Festival is about doing the things you’d do when drunk, but sober. We are going to have drinks, of course, and good ones; but we want to make you hazy through music, art, connection. The festival is gentler and kinder than your usual club experience – but still with a healthy amount of intensity.
Tell us about a few of the events you’re most looking forward to…
The programme is an entity in and of itself. Each event tells a story, and I love every single story we’re telling. But given that you’re making me pick, I’ve got to admit I’m thrilled about the whole Outdoors Friday Late concept we’ve developed for the opening night. It’s a series of 3 late night events people can go to after our free opening street party.
And out of the three, I’ll pick Yogahood and the Moon, a late night Vinyasa session accompanied by a carefully curated, moon themed, playlist across Hip Hop, Soul, R&B where free Moon Festival tea flows and reading Aloud sessions will see you through the night. Sanchia, who’s running it, is a radical thinker and a radical teacher. I’m also really excited about the closing party at Cutty Sark: ancestral drumming and elemental projection mapping beneath the hull of one of the world’s most famous ships, astronomy and moon gazing above it. What’s not to love?
Who or what are your influences for curating the festival and making events like this?
That’s a never ending list but I’ll try to keep it short and sweet. Suzanne Alleyne taught me about focusing my thoughts, listening, and being true to my ideas. Amy Sherman Palladino keeps me surreal. Helen Marriage from Artichoke (See an example of their work below) keeps me inspired. And then there’s my best mates, who inspire me to create wonderful content every day by just being there and being themselves. I mean, when your best mates write and translate stuff like this how can you not be inspired to create a Moon Festival?
What would be your advice to someone starting their own festival?
There’s no set model so don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. But be clear about your vision and stick to it no matter what.
What are your favourite London haunts?
I prefer to stay local so pretty much everything I love and cherish happens between New Cross, Deptford, Greenwich, Blackheath and Camberwell. To eat, Theo’s Pizza in Camberwell and Pho Street’s Bubble Teas can’t be beaten. For relaxation, there’s this one spot on the river bank between Cutty Sark and the O2 I just love to sit in. It’s just a bit of concrete hidden by overgrown weeds to be fair but to me it’s special. My evening routine is to run there, sit down by a willow tree for a few minutes and just take the river and the city at dusk in. I’m a simple pleasures lady, what can I say.
Check out the full Moon Festival programme here.
I am Joint Editor at To Do List. I like free, cheap & offbeat London, especially: cabaret, art, theatre, pop-ups, eating out, quirky films, museums, day trips, social enterprise & much more.
