The University’s very own social justice festival, takes place on 9 March, right here on campus, in and around the Manchester Academy. JustFest is targeted at University of Manchester students.

There will be bands and spoken word artists on the Main Stage, a hands-on social justice-themed exhibition in Academy 1 including a programme of short films, a soap-box-style talks tent, and quite a few surprises. The festival will end with the announcement of the winners of the JustFest Short Film Competition.

JustFest celebrates the University’s commitment to social responsibility and is a flagship event of the University’s Ethical Grand Challenges programme, that seeks to start a conversation about how we can build fairer communities in Manchester, the UK and across the globe. JustFest aims to encourage and enable UoM students to explore aspects of social justice in a creative and festival environment of performance and exhibition, stimulating curiosity and providing a springboard towards further action for a just society.

Whether you’re a student, a member of staff, or an external partner, we’d love you to join us. Here are just some of the ways you can get involved:

• Contribute: We want JustFest to reflect the University’s rich social justice heritage, and the wealth of research taking place around Social Justice themes, and welcome contributions from University staff, external organisations working in social justice, and student societies. To find out about the different ways in which you can contribute visit our website.

• Enter the JustFest Short Film Competition: If you’re a University of Manchester undergraduate student we’d like you to make a short film about an issue of social justice that needs attention. The competition is now open, with a first prize of £500 up for grabs. You don’t need to be Quentin Tarantino to enter. Head over to the website for guidance on how to make and submit your film. The competition closes on 28th February. Good luck!