SERVER \\ Going Away.tv

SERVER is a continuous, 7-hour, artist-led festival film channel creating space for critical reflection, speculative storytelling and interdisciplinary exchange.

Made in collaboration with Going Away.tv and bringing together artists, researchers, writers and theorists from across art, architecture, media studies and speculative design, the 7 hour programme combines artist talks, keynote presentations, in-conversations, solo lectures, gameplay walkthroughs and curated screenings within a single, durational programme.

Contributors expand on festival themes including digital infrastructure, energy systems, urban transformation, and geological time, connecting local histories and contemporary conditions in South Yorkshire to wider global questions of technology, ecology, labour and collective futures.

The programme will feature a world premiere of Hapi Tomorrow by Thomas Collet and ZULI.

Set within locations in a 3D rendered Barnsley created by Going Away.tv, the programme unfolds through experimental presentations of educational and entertainment content, referencing public access television, pirate radio and more contemporary forms of information dissemination such Twitch streams and TikTok Shop.

SERVER is commissioned and produced by Abandon Normal Devices (AND) and Going Away.tv for AND Festival 2026. Supported using public funding through the National Lottery by Arts Council England, with further support from Barnsley Council and Barnsley Civic.

How to experience SERVER

SERVER takes place in the gallery space in Barnsley Civic. It is free to attend and drop in, no prior booking is needed.

It is a continuous, 7-hour screening of artist talks, keynote presentations, in-conversations, film screenings and digital game playthroughs. We will provide schedules if you’d like to catch a specific section of the programme. You can spend as much or little time as you want in the space. The experience may be more suitable for ages 12+ due to the themes of the programme.

If the space is full when you arrive, you might have to wait a short time before a seat becomes available.

Access Provisions

• AND aims to caption all SERVER content, we aim to have additional access information available here from mid August.
• There will be a mixture of seating options, including some with arms and backs.

SERVER is a new work and therefore currently in development. We aim to have additional access information available here from mid August. Additional access information on the venue can be found on our Access Information page.

Age Guidance

We recommend the minimum age for this installation is 12+. It features artists, academics and creative practitioners talking through artworks, artistic practices and themes of the festival. Some content may contain strong language and images of a sexual nature, violence, and body horror, which is suitable for ages 16+. Sections with this content will be clearly labelled on the programme schedule.