Vandal Factory

Henry interviews Gregg Deal, led singer and spoken word artist fronting Dead Pioneers. The band emerged as a dynamic extension of vocalist Gregg's performance art, seamlessly blending music with critical cultural commentary. Rooted in the same themes of identity and resistance that define his visual work, the band’s sound acts as a powerful platform for addressing the complexities of Indigenous ex...

To celebrate Refugee Week 2026 we give you this wonderful mixture of voices from all around the world. We also commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the murder of Jo Cox, we discuss in what ways we have, 'more in common than divides us'. Nat has the pleasure of running a drama group with Fall Into Place Theatre Company and Solace, a charity that supports refugees with their mental health and well...

Perfect Show For Rachel is a unique and trimphant theatre performance where Rachel controls the show! Rachel is a learning disabled woman who loves Kylie, fart jokes and firing her actors on the spot! We spoke to Flo, Rachel's sister about rules and rule-breaking, learning and unlearning. Flo is the artistic director of Zoo Co and talks us through the process and the political importance of access...

We ask comedian Josie Long about hope and anger! Josie is a jester, activist and all round good egg. She's a trailblazer of the UK comedy industry as the first woman to be nominated 3 times for the Edinburgh Comedy Award (2010–2012). We also hear voices from the Solace refugee group on the theme 'more in common', and members of Keep the NHS Public talk about the exhibition Patients Not Passports....

Lens on Gaza: The Sun and Moon Still Rise is a photography exhibition at East Street Arts, in Leeds UK. It presents an intimate visual narrative of life, resilience, and humanity in Gaza, through photographer Fadi A. Thabet’s own lived experience and work within the city. The exhibition will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (12 – 4pm) & Saturday and Sunday (12 – 4pm) until May 9th 2026. Ea...

Henry and Natalie return to MPF for another live, raucous episode full of heart & humour (and a dash of chaos!). Joining them in front of a live audience are Riaz and Adam from Grail Guard , plus Kashmiri artist Smoked Poets. Grail Guard perform a few of their visceral hardcore punk bangers as acoustic songs, and Smoked Poets delivers a couple of her powerful, anti-imperialist poems. Check out...

Common/Wealth are a theatre company based in Bradford and Cardiff, making work with, for and about working class communities and urgent social issues. Henry and Natalie took a trip to Bradford to chat about their first book, Do It Yourself: Making Political Theatre . The book is a retrospective of their work, it shares their methodology, personal experiences and belief in theatre being a tool for...

Henry and Natalie discuss recent protests, the Bussing In installation, their gig with Bob Vylan and Nat's dog, Ivy, pops by. Featuring interviews with Sarah Corbett and the band Kallemi. Founder of the Craftivist Collective, Sarah is known for pioneering "gentle protest" or "craftivism" as a form of strategic, mindful social change. Kallemi (كلّمي) an outernational all-female genre-fluid powerhou...

'A Grain of Sand' is a new play written and directed by Elias Matar and performed by Sarah Agha. It tells the story of Renad, an 11-year-old Gazan girl, who embarks on a dangerous journey. Carrying only the echoes of her grandmother’s tales and the spark of her own imagination, she searches for her family and the ‘Anqaa’ - the mythical Palestinian Phoenix. The play is touring the UK across 2026, v...

The full, unedited chat with Boff Whalley taken from episode #37. Boff is the former guitarist for Anarchist Pop-Stars Chumabwamba and founder and lead trespasser of Commoners Choir. He talks about his new book, 'But Life Isn’t Like That Is it?', which is a collection of stories, memories, anecdotes about disruption and digression. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and BlueSky and search Vandal Facto...

Henry and Natalie interview musicians Boff Whalley and Yung Yusuf. Boff Whalley is the former guitarist of Anarcho-Pop stars Chumbawamba and is the founder of Commoners Choir, talks about his new book - 'But Life Isn't Like That, is it?' and saying thank you to the people who inspired him. Yung Yusuf is a British-Palestinian rapper whose work spans sun-drenched jazz and wider fierce, bass-fuelled...

Mohammed Moussa is a poet, podcaster and founder of Gaza Poets Society. Joining us at Vandal Factory HQ half-way through a UK tour, Mohmmed talks about his love for language, what it means to be a Palestinian poet on stage and whether poems can change the world. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and BlueSky and search Vandal Factory Playlist on Spotify. You can support the podcast on Patreon! For as...

Pins For Peace is a vibrant exhibition inspired by The Peace Museum's unique pin badge collection, featuring large-scale badge artworks by over 30 artists. Henry took a roadtrip to Shipley to speak to DIY curators Adam and Jenna, joined by CJ of Black Lodge Press. You'll also hear Alasdair Beal, a long-time CND campaginer who created the satirical '...Against The Bomb Badges' in the early 1980s. T...

Deep in the woods of Greenbelt Festival, you'll find the Rebel Rouser stage, a home to distrupters, hopers and gobheads... and Henry and Natalie hosting a live episode! Joining the duo are Mohammed Moussa, Fadi Murad and Ste Bardgett. Ste is half of indie-punk noise-makers Mouses and is part of the team programming the Rebel Rouser line-up. After they perform a racketty banger, poet Mohammed joins...

Recorded live at Greenbelt Festival 2025! Amber Massie-Blomfield's book 'Acts of Resistance' is about the power of art to make a better world. Covering 10 stories of political and protest art from history, this chat takes a deep dive into art & activism and how everything from Blue Peter to Beckett inspired social change. Amber is formerly Executive Director of Complicité and Camden People’s T...

We're at Greenbelt Festival 2025 to recharge our activism! We discuss the powerhouse acts we see, and bump into Kate from Hot Squash and folk musician Maddie Morris. This episode features nature photographer Bruce Kendrick talking about his love of nature. Then we speak to Portia Kamons and Nara Kim about SEVENTEEN, a libretto using classical music and verbatim to platform young voices in America....

Dr David Hayley is an ecological artist and researcher. In this Factory Floor Cut, Nat talks to David about his creative practice, his career and the time he met Paul McCartney whilst dressed as a gorilla. If you would like to see more of David's work you can go to his website. https://davidhaley.uk/ Other Vandal Factory episode that discuss environmental issues are listed on our website: https://...

In this Factory Floor Cut, Nat talks to Scott Burrell, Director of Three Rivers in Bexley, London. Three Rivers is a free-floating, social arts agency that brings local people and partners together to make a difference in Bexley. In this chat, Scott and Nat talk about power structures, community arts and the importance of place .

It's the Comrade Conga! Have a dance with hope and anger! Poet Joshua Idehen discusses his new, powerful collection 'Songbook'. Alexia Roditis from Destroy Boys shares thoughts on their new punk album and the issues facing the U.S. We have dancer Penny Chivers share their experiences for the Freelance Feelings Factory, and Arwa and Mati share reflections on a dance event raising money for the al-H...

chamæleon is a collaboration between Palestinian writer Farah Chamma's poetry and Brazilian producer LIEV's musical soundscapes. They explore the intersection between spoken word and musical texture, diving into the unknown to search for belonging and identity. Henry interviews them about So many ways To Move, a combination of audio, visuals and words which they performed in York on 1st June 2025....

Henry & Nat return to MPF for another gobby live episode! We're joined by Millie Manders who talks about her musical influences, the politics on her latest album and performs some cracking acoustic bangers alongside musician Joe. We discuss collectivism, ask the audience what brings them hope and play Punk band Or Ale? Find us on Facebook, Instagram and BlueSky and search Vandal Factory Playli...

"We should be the brick in your wall and not just the morter you put on top." As part of episode #32, we spoke to artists about their freelance experiences. Taken from that episode, this is Natalie's full interview with actor Daneka and visual artist Kit. We discuss life as a disabled creative and their current projects, including Kit's Trans Saints Project. We unpack ideas of access, inclusion, S...

Hannah Khalil is an Irish-Palestinian playwright whose play My English Persian Kitchen recieved rave reviews after sold out shows. Hannah spoke to us about freelancing for episode #32, but here is the full interview where Hannah also discusses her plays and craft. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and BlueSky and search Vandal Factory Playlist on Spotify. You can support the podcast on Patreon! For a...

This is the full interview with Zita Holbourne multidisciplinary artist, poet, musician, Trade Unionist and educator. Zita spoke to us about her workshops and her work for Artists Union England. An edited version first appared in episode #32. They take on casework and support members through workplace disputes, connect artists in their local area and campaign for sustainable futures, equality, res...

This is the full interview with Janie Nicol and Megan Chapman, visual artists and organisers for Scottish Artists Union. An edited version first appared in episode #32. SAU is the representative voice for visual and applied artists in Scotland and is one of the largest arts membership organisations in the country. We discuss the needs of the membership and enpowering and connecting self-employed f...