The Aye Festival, established by the Edinburgh-based charity Spit It Out, has announced its full programme. The festival will take place across Glasgow, Edinburgh and online from Thursday 16 June until Sunday 26 June. Head to the Aye Festival site for details on tickets and for a full programme of events.

The festival promises a programme of workshops, talks, exhibitions, screenings and live performances focusing on how individuals and collectives can discuss and create around the topics of consent, boundaries, mental health, sex, activism, and connection to the body through movement. 

Bee Asha, award-winning spoken word artist and founder of the Spit it Out charity, says, ‘This event has been curated with so much passion and dedication and is the result of months of hard work. 

‘We are so excited to present the Aye Festival to Scotland in hopes to inspire those that take part, in whatever capacity, to find ways to better talk about trauma and support those we see struggling.’

Key events at the Aye Festival: 

Thursday 16 June, Glasgow 

Aye Festival Opening Night at The Pipe Factory. Discover Scottish artist Cal McCormack's new exhibition celebrates the first evening of the festival. Karaoke after party at Glasgow's most exciting Queer night club, Bonjour.

Friday 17 June, Glasgow

The opening of the new solo exhibition of Turkish artist Nisan `Yetkin “Soul in the Thread: Codes Past and Present” at The Alchemy Experiment, a visual odyssey into the history of women’s struggle and creative expression in the face of adversity. An evening followed by poetry and spoken word performances from an all female and non-binary line up.

Saturday 18 June, Glasgow         

Live performance night at Stereo with incredible artists including Pocket Monica, Shogun Shato, SAMAs 2021 Best Newcomer Bee Asha and many more.

Sunday 19 Jun & Sunday 26 June, Glasgow 

Skating and art workshops with Skateboobs: an Edinburgh-based female skateboarding collective with a Glasgow and Edinburgh driver to empower others for skaters and skate girls. 

Multiple dates Glasgow, Edinburgh and online

Better Sex Workshops with Ruth Eliot: an opportunity to explore sex and pleasure in a truly inclusive, sex-positive and non-judgmental space.

Multiple dates Glasgow, Edinburgh and online 

Self compassion, Self massage, Active listening and active bystanders workshops.

Thursday 23 June, Edinburgh

The opening of the One of Them exhibition at LDT ink of Corporation; a multimedia project exploring resilience and healing from trauma, using art to give voice to the voiceless on both sides of the experience of abuse.

Saturday 25 June, Edinburgh 

5Rhythms dance provides a map through many transitions. We learn to trust our bodies, to expand into new possibilities, to relate in new and healthy ways. 

Saturday 25 June 8.30 - 11pm, Edinburgh

Offcut: a subversive night of industrial noise and abrasive experimental music with an all-trans* lineup; unashamedly exploring the queerer, scarier, darker side of performance so often underrepresented in Edinburgh at Banshee Labyrinth.

Sunday 26 June 11.30 - 1.30, Edinburgh

In partnership with Edinburgh International Festival a myriad of workshops from international artists, including a writing, lyricism and performance workshop from Zambian-born spoken word artist Musenga L Katonga and Ghanian born Rapper Riycon.

The Aye festival will take place across Glasgow and Edinburgh from Thursday 16 June until Sunday 26 June. Head to the Aye Festival site for tickets and a full programme of events. Follow the Spit it Out project on Instagram and Twitter for regular updates on the festival.