A MAJOR free outdoor festival will take place in Glasgow this summer as part of an ambitious creative programme partly inspired by a Glasgow Times Streets Ahead project.

Taking place over three days in June, the Dandelion Festival will transform Kelvingrove Park with live music, interactive theatre, and science and food events.

The idea grew out of An Empty Gunny Bag Cannot Stand, a Kelvindale project which brought neighbours together to grow their own potatoes.

Glasgow Times:

It culminated in a fantastic harvest event, featuring music and performance. It was supported by our Streets Ahead campaign, run in partnership with Glasgow City Council, City Building and City Charitable Trust.

The concept of Dandelion grew out of a collaboration between a team of artists, makers, scientists, performers and technologists. The festivals are programmed by Dandelion's Music Director Donald Shaw and the Dandelion team, in partnership with Celtic Connections and Glasgow Life.

The Dandelion Festival will run in Glasgow from June 17, until Sunday, June 19 and a second event will take place in Inverness in September.

The Friday and Saturday will be devoted to live music from Scottish and international artists across two stages.

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In Glasgow, the music line-up includes performances from Rura, Newton Faulkner, Niteworks, Hen Hoose and Karine Polwart, with more special guests to be announced.

Sitting at the heart of the festival site will be the spectacular Pavilion of Perpetual Light, a striking 10-metre-tall art installation.

The Pavilion is created from 60 miniature vertical ‘farms’, or growing cubes, which act as a backdrop to performances.

The site will host a further two stages, including the Orchard Stage, presenting artists in the round, allowing people to see bands in a close-up, intimate setting.

Over the three days, scientists, activists, technologists and writers will come together with chefs, musicians, artists and performers to spark conversations around topics such as food poverty, climate action and sustainability.

A series of ‘Potting Sheds’ dotted across the park will host artists, performers and community organisations, whilst Dandelion’s team of student horticulturalists will be on hand to answer questions about plants and growing.

Donald Shaw, Music Director of Dandelion said: “It will be a very special environment with performances on unique stages within the iconic splendour of Kelvingrove Park.

“The Dandelion Festivals tell the Dandelion story in creative, accessible, powerful ways and make the connections between growing and cultural experiences.

“These are truly family friendly events with interactive demos, talks and discussion about art, science and music for everyone at all levels of interest.”

READ MORE: Glasgow 'grow your own' potato project inspires nationwide Dandelion celebration

Dr Bridget McConnell, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life, said: “The Dandelion programme is an innovative and ambitious approach to community growing and engagement; one that’s rooted in bringing people together to celebrate food, music, sustainability and diversity as well as showcasing the power of collaboration and collective action.

“Projects like Dandelion, as part of the wider UNBOXED collective, are hugely important to Scotland’s social and economic recovery.”

Dandelion is one of 10 major creative projects commissioned as part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, which is taking place across the UK in 2022.