Navigators Art & Performance

10/08/2026

15th September. Don't miss it!

FOLK & WORD
Every third Tuesday at The Black Swan, 23 Peasholme Green, York YO1 7DE

A free open mic session for all kinds of spoken word & acoustic music in York. We welcome monologues, comedy, storytelling and all, as well as poets and players.

Our next date is Tuesday 15th September at 7.30 pm; sign up from 7 pm.
All welcome. SAFE, DIVERSE AND FRIENDLY.
Free entry with a purchase from the bar.

Bring a poem, a song, some new jokes, a monologue, a guitar, a voice. Try out fresh material or revive an old fave. Or just sit and enjoy the others!
NOTE: access is by stairs only, sorry: it's a listed building.

Shoutouts: THE VORTEX radio show + YOYO York music zine BBC Upload What's Occurring York HowDo Yorkshire Charles Hutchinson Black Swan Inn .in.york

05/08/2026

MOSS GLOW AND SHADOW BLOOM (postponed from 11th July - tickets still valid)
Saturday 19th September, 7.30 pm at The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, York

We're excited to welcome four inspiring York-based performers whose work conjures up unique worlds. A magical programme of electronic, acoustic and vocal sounds, influenced by folk traditions and environmental themes: a bringing together of ancient and modern iconography, art, poetry and music.
"Outside-the-box creativity" - BBC Upload
Featuring:
ASTRAL LIGHT - scrappy-folky-blues, spoken word and ritual, featuring a homemade menagerie of masks, microphones, dolls, instruments, sound equipment and magickal implements
GABRIELLA HUNZINGER - songs that take wisdom from nature’s seasonal cycles and explore connections between ourselves, the earth and what lies beyond our conscious experience. Accompanied by Filipe Massumi (cello) and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Webster
NO SPINOZA - welcome to the thematic universe of forthcoming album 'Jupiter’s Great Hurricane', bridging history and legend, ancient and modern; as featured in session on BBC Introducing
THINGS FOUND AND MADE - lost cinematic folk-tales: imagined histories, half remembered rituals of sound and nature

Tickets: EARLY BIRD OFFER: £10 in advance & no booking fee (till 12pm on 30th August), then £12 + booking fee (or on the door). DISCOUNT CODE: 10+NOBF
https://www.ticketsource.com/navigators-art-performance
Doors and bar open from 7.00 pm. Please be seated by 7.20 pm for a prompt start at 7.30. The venue is fully accessible.

ALL PERFORMERS RECEIVE AN EQUAL SHARE OF TICKET SALES.
Please get in touch if you'd like to play at a future event.

Shoutouts: THE VORTEX radio show + YOYO York music zine BBC Upload What's Occurring York York Calling HowDo Yorkshire Charles Hutchinson

22/07/2026

After a wonderful session this week it feels like it's time to make a new dedicated Open Mic account! Folk & Word
Please go visit and follow us. We're back on 15th September at the fabulous Black Swan.
Exciting times!

Shoutouts: THE VORTEX radio show + YOYO York music zine BBC Upload What's Occurring York HowDo Yorkshire Charles Hutchinson Black Swan Inn .in.york

22/07/2026

Full house at the Open Mic!
Sorry we didn't get photos of all 20 performers (let alone the audience...) in a perfectly packed programme of poetry & performance.
Taking a break in August then back with a bang on 15th September, upstairs at the Black Swan.
Note to self: prompt start at 7.30 from now on!

Miriam Jones Andrew Kerrigan Hal Errington Rob Dingo Jude Wilkinson Lol Henderson
Ian Thompson Laurence Tilley Lara McClure Mandy Mansell Lola-Mae Paul Whelan
Mike Amber Jadriga Mezniece Eve Thomas Genevieve Andraessen (Juniper and the Wolf) Joseph Anguyo Maggie May Treanor & Steve Collington

Shoutouts: THE VORTEX radio show + YOYO York music zine BBC Upload What's Occurring York HowDo Yorkshire Charles Hutchinson Black Swan Inn .in.york

14/07/2026

Callout for performers:
MOSS GLOW AND SHADOW BLOOM
Saturday 19th September, 7.30 pm at The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, York
(postponed from 11th July)
"Outside-the-box creativity" - BBC Upload

Please share this post with any musicians, poets and performance artists who suit the style of the event.
Sheffield's wonderful Pefkin can't play the new date - so we're looking for the right person to join some unique York musicians in a magical programme of electronic, acoustic and vocal sounds, influenced by folk traditions and environmental themes: a bringing together of ancient and modern iconography, art, poetry and music.
Our events are eclectic, inclusive, safe and fun. Performers share proceeds after costs.
Please contact us asap so we can confirm and add you to media promotion: DM please, not in comments. Include a link to audio/visual: thanks.

Featuring:
GABRIELLA HUNZINGER (York) - songs that take wisdom from nature’s seasonal cycles and explore connections between ourselves, the earth and what lies beyond our conscious experience. Featuring Filipe Massumi (cello) and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Webster
NO SPINOZA (York) - welcome to the thematic universe of new album 'Jupiter’s Great Hurricane', bridging history and legend, ancient and modern
THINGS FOUND AND MADE (York) - lost cinematic folk-tales: imagined histories, half remembered rituals of sound and nature
… and more (TBC)

Shoutouts: .zine BBC Upload What's Occurring York York Calling HowDo Yorkshire Charles Hutchinson

13/07/2026

This month: a special edition and a rare treat!
We're delighted to welcome Geneviève Andræssen of Geneviève Andræssen. Geneviève is visiting York on vacation from Sweden and will be playing some songs for us.

A free open mic session for all kinds of spoken word & acoustic music in York. We welcome monologues, comedy, storytelling and all, as well as poets and players.

Tuesday 21 July at The Black Swan, 23 Peasholme Green, York YO1 7DE
7.30 pm; sign up from 7 pm.
All welcome. SAFE, DIVERSE AND FRIENDLY. Entry is free with a purchase from the bar.

Bring a poem, a song, some new jokes, a monologue, a guitar, a voice. Try out fresh material or revive an old fave. Or just sit and enjoy the others!
NOTE: access is by stairs only, sorry: it's a listed building.

There will be no session in August but we'll be back in September (date & venue TBC - look out for updates).

Shoutouts: .zine BBC Upload What's Occurring York HowDo Yorkshire Charles Hutchinson Black Swan Inn .in.york

02/07/2026

Last chance to catch our free On Location exhibition for the 2026 York Festival of Ideas, running at City Screen bar and gallery until closing time on Friday 3rd July.
15 local artists explore ideas of place and space, venturing beyond conventional landscapes into realms of memory, identity and emotion.
Thanks to all artists and visitors!

Shoutouts: .zine BBC Upload What's Occurring York HowDo Yorkshire Charles Hutchinson York Festival of Ideas

28/06/2026

FREE ART WORKSHOP
12.30-16.00
Sunday July 5th

We are back at Artful Dodger for a free art workshop, first Sunday of each month, run by George Willmore .spacer ✂️

All materials provided for collaging and mixed media craft, and of course you get to keep whatever you make. Come by anytime between 12.30-16.00 to sit down, chat, and make some art!
As well as plenty of magazines, there will be a good selection of mixed media materials like markers, pastels, stamps and tapes to experiment with!

This is the last session before a small break in August, but after that we will be back on Sep 6th! 🗓️

Thank you to Artful Dodger for hosting, Navigators Art for facilitating and HowDo Yorkshire for helping promote the event!
collage handmade diy punk free dada abstractart surrealism analogcollage mixedmedia

17/06/2026

What a lovely crowd we had last night at the Open Mic, sharing original poems, stories and songs with fellow performers and a small supportive audience. Works in progress were warmly encouraged.
It's a little bit different from other open mic sessions in York. Come along and find out for yourself! Next date: Tuesday 21st July at The Black Swan.

Shoutouts: .zine BBC Upload What's Occurring York HowDo Yorkshire Charles Hutchinson Artful Dodger Black Swan Inn