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Rawkus City 26 - Portsmouth Hip Hop Festival

Portsmouth's Hip-Hop Festival · FREE ENTRY

Portsmouth becomes the beating heart of hip-hop on the south coast. A weekend of artistic conference, festival, battles and skills development. Built by the culture, open to everyone.

That's a wrap on Rawkus City 2026! 🎊

Help keep Rawkus City free and make next year even bigger. Take our quick 2-minute evaluation survey, and you'll be automatically entered into a draw to win exclusive Rawkus City merch! 🎁

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Rawkus City 26

Raw. Alive.
Community-rooted.

The only free festival on the south coast dedicated to hip-hop dance and hip-hop theatre.

Rawkus City is a celebration of street culture, creativity and community.

From explosive battles and world-class performances to taster workshops, cyphers and artist development opportunities, Rawkus City brings together dancers, artists, families and culture lovers from across the UK and beyond.

Whether you're a seasoned dancer, an emerging artist, or simply curious to experience the energy of hip-hop first hand, you'll find something here that moves you.
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▶ WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER
6+
Performances
3
Battle Categories
FREE
Entry
6
Participation zones
🚌 FREE Bus Travel in Portsmouth is free for all passengers every weekend in September in Portsmouth.

View details here

Cypher circle from above

Day 1: Saturday 12th September

Day 1 - Motus Lab

Connect, Create, Cultivate

Talks, discussions and networking sessions for experienced dance and performance artists, plus creatives from any art form looking to collaborate with dancers. Share ideas with fellow practitioners, explore new practices and build connections. Click here to view programme details on our instagram.

→ Motus Lab artists registration → Ideas Cypher Micro Conference

Sunday 13th September

Rawkus City Festival

Portsmouth Guildhall Square | From 12 Noon

Prize pot →
Professional<br>Performances

Professional
Performances

  • °UP: Violin vs Football by Le Phare (view credits ℹ️)

    Artistic Director and Choreographer: Fouad Boussouf

    Performers: Gabriel Majou and Paul Molina

    Musician and Composer: Gabriel Majou

    Lighting Design: Romain Perrillat-Collomb

    Costumes: Salina Dumay

    Production: Le Phare - Centre chorégraphique national du Havre Normandie

    Coproduction: Équinoxe, Scène Nationale de Châteauroux; Mission Danse de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

    Support and Residencies: Service Culturel de Magny-les-Hameaux, Institut Français du Maroc, and Théâtre Riad Sultan, Tangier (Morocco).

    Le Phare - CCN du Havre Normandie receives support from the French Ministry of Culture (DRAC Normandy), the Normandy Region, the City of Le Havre, and the Seine-Maritime Department.

  • Beneath by Louiseanne (fusion of dance, circus + theatre)
  • Word Of Mouth (MC/Rap)
  • Cat.Finch (Producer)
Workshop<br> Tasters

Workshop
Tasters

+ More announcements coming soon.
Cypher circle from above

Step in the square

Battles open for everyone

Register early to secure your place. Inclusive categories with cash prizes.

£1,000
4vs4 Breaking Crew
£400
2vs2 Open Styles
£100
1vs1 Open Styles Under 16s
Register to take part

Step up and get paid

Dance Battle Prizes

Cash prizes and a place on our social wall of fame.

Total Prize Pot
£1,500!

4 vs 4 Breaking Crew

£1,000
  • Ages Any
  • Gender Any

Register here

2 vs 2 Open Styles

£400
  • Ages Any
  • Gender Any

Register here

1 vs 1 Open Styles U16

£100
  • Ages under 16
  • Gender Any

Register here

Run of Show

The schedule

Battle times subject to change depending on the number of entries and the weather.

Battle dancers, please register your entry to help us run the day smoothly.

From 12pm all day
Open Cyphers
Cypher Zone
From 12pm all day
Art, Dance, Music Workshops
Various
From 12pm
Cat.Finch - Music set
Rawkus stage
12:30pm
°UP: Violin vs Football by Le Phare
Rawkus stage
1:05pm
Under 16s Open Styles start
Rawkus stage
2:30pm
Rap Performance by Word of Mouth
Rawkus stage
2:45pm
Beneath by Louiseanne Wong
Rawkus stage
3:05pm
DJ DSK showcase
Rawkus stage
3:20pm
2vs2 Open Styles start
Rawkus stage
4:00pm
Mechanikool Popping showcase
Rawkus stage
4:15pm
Crew 4vs4 Breaking start
Rawkus stage
5:35pm
Judges showdown
Rawkus stage
6:00pm
°UP: Violin vs Football by Le Phare
Rawkus stage
7:10pm
Beneath by Louiseanne Wong
Rawkus stage
7:50pm
Awards
Rawkus stage

Day 1 - Micro Conference

  • When: 10:30am - 6pm, Saturday 12th Sept. 2026
  • Where: The Luminarium at Victoria Park
  • Who: Micro Conference for artists and creatives.

Day 2 - Rawkus City Festival

  • When: 12noon - 9pm, Sunday 13th Sept. 2026
  • Where: Portsmouth Guildhall Square
  • Who: Everyone welcome. Family friendly. Always free!