A FOLLOW-UP to last year’s spectacular Illuminating of Hadrian’s Wall is planned as one of the highlights of a major national arts festival to coincide with the Olympic Games in 2012.
A New York arts group called YesYesNo has been commissioned to create an artwork which can be viewed by visitors at several locations along the Wall and worldwide via the internet.
According to its website, YesYesNo specialises in “the creation of engaging, magical installations that combine creativity, artistic vision and cutting- edge technology”.
Last night Linda Tuttiett, chief executive of Hadrian’s Wall Heritage, said: “The commission is designed to showcase the North of England internationally using digital media and follows on from the success of the Illuminating Hadrian’s Wall event in 2010 which was viewed by a huge worldwide audience through the internet and generated £3m for the local economy.”
Beacons were lit at intervals along the famous Roman structure.
Ms Tuttiett said her organisation was working closely with the group, founded by artist Zachary Lieberman, to create “an iconic arts event”.
The Hadrian’s Wall project is just one element of the London 2012 Festival, which is to be the climax of the four-year Cultural Olympiad next summer, coinciding with the Games.
Details of the 12-week national celebration were announced yesterday around the country.
Cultural Olympiad director Ruth Mackenzie said: “From June 21 to September 9, 2012, across the North East and the whole of the UK, London 2012 Festival will feature new work from the best artists, musicians, writers, comedians, film-makers and other creative talent in the largest festival this country has seen.”
Other North East attractions will be staged at a range of arts venues and also outdoors.
The Sage Gateshead, where young musicians from River of Music gathered for the regional festival announcement, will join Gateshead Old Town Hall as the North East venues for the BBC’s Music Nation project, uniting orchestras and other musical groups.
The Sage will also present a new production of West Side Story, featuring local amateurs and professionals, as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s World Shakespeare Festival, during which the Theatre Royal and Northern Stage will also present major productions.
A floating musical structure called Flow, made by artists, will be launched on the River Tyne while North East arts producer Judith King and sports writer and humorist Harry Pearson are working on The Great Boxing Booth Revival, designed to tour country fairs and agricultural shows in Northumberland next summer.
Dance City in Newcastle will be the regional hub for Big Dance 2012, aimed at getting five million people dancing, while the region will also participate in the Summer 2012 Reading Challenge, designed to get children hooked on books.
At 8am on July 27, 2012, the first day of the Olympic Games will be marked by the ringing of bells across the country in a project led by Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed.
Among many high-profile national events, South Shields-born film director Ridley Scott will mastermind Britain in a Day, designed to be a video time capsule of the nation in Olympics year.
Details of all the festival events can be seen online at www.london2012.com/festival
