PR2981
4 October 2012
For immediate release
York/Blackpool cultural exchange supports Illuminating York
A cultural collaboration between the City of York and Blackpool is set to light up
York Museum Gardens during Illuminating York 2012.
The agreement, signed between the two local authorities, includes world-class
tourist destination City of York Council borrowing Blackpool Council’s marketleading lighting stock – and its expertise – to help create the awe-inspiring
spectacular known as Vic Reeves . Wonderland.
Blackpool Council has allowed the creative team behind Illuminating York 2012
to borrow many core items from its enormous store of lighting technology. The
loan will include some four kilometres of festoon lighting to decorate stalls and
walkways, specialist projectors to create three large-scale feature projections,
innovative lighting solutions around trees and plants as well as fluorescent
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fittings as part of a total £500,000 worth of equipment employed to realise this
concept.
York Museum Gardens is a spectacular backdrop with its riverside setting, the
ruins of St Mary’s Abbey, the half-timbered Hospitium, a section of City Walls
including a Roman tower and the Yorkshire Museum itself within its ten-acre
grounds.
But from Wednesday 31 October until Saturday 3 November, it will be
transformed into a magical kingdom inspired by absurdist works including Lewis
Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland books. The creative team, York-based Bright White
Ltd, Leeds-based architects Chetwoods and lighting designers ARUP have been
working with comedian and artist Vic Reeves. This creative collaboration is
supported by City of York Council, Arts Council England, York Museums Trust,
Blackpool Council and Visit York.
Vic Reeves . Wonderland will be running alongside a a city-wide programme of
lighting displays and performances which will throw new light on York. Full
details of the city-wide Illuminating York Festival can be found at
www.illuminatingyork.org.uk .
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Councillor Sonja Crisp, City of York Council’s cabinet member for Leisure,
Culture and Tourism said: “Sharing ideas and experience should be at the heart
of local authority ambitions, and this creative collaboration will serve to light up
York in one of its most successful and spectacular annual festivals in the
significant year of York 800.”
Cllr Graham Cain, Blackpool Council’s Cabinet Member for Tourism and Culture,
added: “Our Illuminations team share resources to help light up all corners of
Britain, and we’re delighted that we have been able to help with the famous
Illuminating York festival.
“We are really happy to be working with City of York Council, and our partnership
shows what can be achieved by local authorities sharing knowledge and
resources. A lot of councils do similar jobs but under different circumstances, so
it makes sense that we work together to get the best results for both resorts.”
ENDS
Editor’s notes
Illuminating York 2012 runs from 31 Oct – 3 Nov from 6.30-10.30pm each evening.
Tickets are on sale now: adults £5, young people aged 6-16 years £1 (under 16s must be
accompanied by an adult), under 5s free. Tickets are issued as passes with an approximate
time of entry and exit by 10.30pm. Tickets are available now from York Theatre Royal, by
phone via 01904 623568 or online at www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk . For more information go
to www.illuminatingyork.org.uk
Illuminating York:
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is a cutting edge light based Festival which has been running annually for the last seven
years. During that time the festival has commissioned major international works for the
Minster, Museum Gardens and other historic sites within the city walls. Previously
commissioned artists include United VJ’s, Patrice Warrener, Paul Kaiser (Open Ended
Group), Usman Haque, Ross Ashton, KMA, OMA International, Gaia Nova and Bright
White Ltd. Since 2005, the Festival has attracted 100,000 visitors, residents and tourists
alike and brought over £10 million into the city.
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Illuminating York is one of York’s biggest annual events, and over the past six years has
created specially commissioned digital artworks on several of the city’s historic
buildings, including York Minster, The Yorkshire Museum and the Bar Walls to celebrate
the city’s unique architecture and history and brings internationally renowned artists to
the city centre for thousands to enjoy. 60,000 visitors attended the event in 2011.
Illuminating York is organized by a steering group which consists of representatives from
City of York Council, University of York, Visit York, York Museums Trust, Science City York
and local York businesses
The creative project team:
Audio Visual and Interactive Media: Chris Walker and Adam Stanning – Bright White
LTD. In partnership with Ben Clowes, Bar Lane Studios.
Space Planning and Event Architecture: Simon Baker and Geraldine Booth –
Chetwoods Architects
Lighting Design: Dan Lister and Elizabeth Cooper – ARUP
With thanks to Blackpool Council for supplying some of the lighting.
Vic Reeves, will be providing inspiration and artworks to populate this wonderous land,
unfortunately he is so busy creating he is currently unavailable for interview.
Bright White Ltd is an art and design company, established in 2004 and based in York
which creates innovative cultural activities, experiences, spaces, and stories to interpret
and re-interpret people, ideas and subjects and share them with the widest audience
possible.
The York 800 programme marks the 800 years since the city was granted a Royal Charter
by King John in 1212, allowing York to take charge of its own affairs by electing a
council, creating the post of mayor, and giving its people a voice. A huge array of events
throughout the year will give residents the chance to get involved in the celebrations.
Many more details of the year-long programme are available on www.york800.com
The council’s five key priorities for 2011-2015 are:
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Create jobs and grow the economy
Get York moving
Build strong communities
Protect vulnerable people
Protect the environment
All media enquiries should be directed to the council's press office on 01904 551068 or 552005.
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The council’s cabinet member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism is Councillor
Sonja Crisp on 07876 176931
For further information please contact:
Megan Rule
Communications & Media
City of York Council
Tel: 01904 552017
Fax: 01904 551064
Mob/out of hours: 07767318082
Email: megan.rule@york.gov.uk
Follow us at:
City of York Council on facebook
City of York Council on twitter
City of York Council on flickr
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