On Saturday 6 June 2026, Broadway Cinema in Nottingham will be transformed into a multi-sensory environment of sound, scent, film and live performance for The Hive: a one-day festival curated by artist Wolfgang Buttress, dedicated to bees and the ecosystems we all depend on.
Two events will headline this day of science, film, music and storytelling.
Karman Line Collective bring TO BE, their acclaimed live symphony, to Broadway for three immersive performances across the day. At the heart of the work is the sound of 50,000 bees, streamed directly from a hive at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) into a 15.2 surround-sound environment, with bespoke visual projections and curated scents enveloping the audience.
Joining the line-up is Queen Bees Live with Jane Horrocks and Esther Coles, a special live recording of the actresses’ bee-keeping podcast. The pair will be joined on stage by celebrated entomologist and broadcaster Dr George McGavin and award-winning author Laline Paull (The Bees) for a 75-minute conversation blending warm humour, bee science, nature and creativity.
“This 24 hour unique event brings together art, science, music and film all focused on celebrating the bee in all its forms. I am so excited to be collaborating with so many apian experts and enthusiasts. It promises to be a wonderful day.”
Wolfgang Buttress, artist and curator of The Hive
The wider programme spans family-friendly screenings of Bee Movie and the Oscar-nominated Honeyland; a free hands-on children’s workshop, The Little Bees That Can Do Big with Dr Martin Benscik; an in-conversation event, What Have Insects Ever Done For Us? with Dr George McGavin; and a day-long demonstration of the ancient craft of Skep-Making with Chris Park.
Tickets and information
- TO BE — Performed by Karman Line Collective, Sat 6 June. Tickets: £20 adult / £18 concessions / £38 vinyl + ticket bundle (limited numbers).
- The Hive presents: Queen Bees Live with Jane Horrocks and Esther Coles, Sat 6 June. Tickets: £15 / £12 / £10.
- Full programme, showtimes and bookings: broadway.org.uk/hive
The Hive is curated by artist Wolfgang Buttress, with support from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Near Now (Broadway’s studio for arts, design and innovation) using public funding from Arts Council England.
About TO BE
Written and recorded over three years by Wolfgang Buttress, Justin Goodyer, Kevin Bales and Tony Foster (Spiritualized), TO BE is the sonic heart of the touring exhibition BEES: A Story of Survival, which premiered at World Museum Liverpool and is now on tour in Toronto, Chicago and Singapore. The work transforms previously unheard recordings of bee communication – the famous waggle dance, alongside sounds scientists describe as “tooting”, “quacking” and “purring” – into a new sonic language, interwoven with cello, piano, percussion and human voice. Reflective and melancholic yet ultimately hopeful, TO BE explores cycles of life and humanity’s fragile relationship with nature.
Karman Line Collective have delivered sold-out performances at Glastonbury, Bluedot, End of the Road Festival, Coventry Cathedral and St Mary’s Church, Nottingham. Their earlier album ONE was named one of the best albums of 2016 by Rough Trade, The Guardian and The Quietus. TO BE has received critical praise from The Quietus, Caught by the River, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 6 Music.
Posted on 11 May 2026
