The quirky VAULT 2017

VAULT festival celebrates creativity in all forms

In order to find The Vaults, it takes a little imagination. Through some dingy backstreets behind Waterloo station, down a slope and then… the vast graffitied tunnels expose a door in its side, a gateway into a festival of strange and wonderful events. I attended the Chivaree Circus’s ‘Becoming Shades’ at the Vaults, an immersive circus experience taking place in just one of the dusty, cavernous vaults, for which the festival is aptly named. This was a night of beautiful costumes, powerful physicality and an ethereal soundtrack.

The Vaults Festival runs until Spring and features a mix of theatre, comedy, live music, film and other things - unclassifiable and unique. The haphazard space is intrinsically charming; everything you need from a festival set in a deep underpass. Celebrating the future, drawing from the uncertainty in the world today, and encouraging passion and creativity, the festival is something very unique in the London scene.

Created in 2012 by the Heritage Arts Company, Vault is all about the people, the artists and the staff who make it happen - it’s a festival aimed at reinvigorating the non-funded creative sector, encouraging creativity without exploitation. From what i see, this has been achieved; the entire atmosphere is dynamic, the performers creating unique and spectacular work in this singular space.

With bars, parties and a very eclectic collection of live music, it’s a fun place to lose yourself for a few hours after work. Who would have thought that beneath one of the busiest commuter stops in London, you could find such a rare and quirky beast? I thoroughly encourage anyone passing through to take a look at this excellent programme of events.

Christina Care Calgaro

TripTide User