- Expect pop up events and daytime happenings under the bridge including a headphones experience, the launch of Grantham Art Trail and an exhibition of portraits of local people.
- Join us for an impossible performance on Saturday 14 September from 8.30pm
- More details available here: www.imaginebridge.co.uk
A bridge has appeared in Market Place, Grantham, 12 – 14 September. For three days, it will be host to pop-up events and happenings until, on Saturday evening, the bridge will become the setting for an extraordinary outdoor performance.
Bridge is an ambitious new outdoor experience produced by Coventry-based Imagineer Productions and created by artistic director Orit Azaz in collaboration with a creative team that includes choreographer Corey Baker, designer Dan Potra, writer Nick Walker, composer Peter Reynolds and circus director Paul Evans.
Visit the Bridge by day and enjoy a series of free events and experiences Under the Bridge as Grantham’s artistic and community groups respond to the ‘bridge’ theme. In particular look out for:
An Experience in Two Parts: Take a pair of headphones and find out the meaning of the broken bridge. As with every good story, there are two sides to listen to –choose to experience either or both. Each part of the experience lasts for ten minutes, with multiple sessions throughout the day.
Bridge Stories podcast: Sit in front of the bridge, watch the world go by and listen to a 10minute podcast collection of stories from people in Grantham, Coventry and Worcester about bridge-building and bridge-burning recorded especially for Bridge.
Grantham Arts Trail – Making Art Accessible to All: Grantham’s new Arts Trail make art accessible to those who wouldn’t normally visit an exhibition space. The aim is to inspire people to get creative and show that art doesn’t just happen behind closed doors in exclusive spaces – it’s for everyone. The Grantham Arts Trail launches during Bridge.
Hidden Story Portraits – Bridging the Difference: Grantham photographer Emilie Nunn has taken a series of portraits of local people who are part of Bridge. She combines her images with text to tell their stories and show what unites a seemingly disparate group of people. These portraits will be exhibited around the town centre during the Bridge weekend.
The area ‘Under the Bridge’ will become a stage for local groups, schools, theatre companies including Grantham Dramatic Society, Grantham Capoeira, St Wulfram’s Church, Grantham Gymnastics, local DJs and many others to share their skills.
On Saturday evening, 14 September, expect a spectacular evening performance in Market Place, Grantham. Gravity-defying circus acrobatics, dance, comedy, theatre and live music, inspired by local people’s stories, create a thrilling and moving montage of the courage, compassion and humour needed to bridge a divide. The performance is inspired by stories of bridge building gathered in Grantham. This is a free outdoor performance, with no need to book.
Michael Cross, Head of Arts at InvestSK, said: “I am delighted to welcome Bridge and Imagineer Productions to Grantham. To host this first-class piece of outdoor arts in South Kesteven for its global premiere performance is very special.
“Through Grantham’s enormously successful Gravity Fields Festival, the town has developed a fantastic appreciation of engaging with the arts in a variety of outdoor settings. Grantham’s Market Place provides the perfect backdrop for Bridge and I hope local residents and visitors from further afield enjoy the packed programme of performances and experiences during this free three-day event, as well as the spectacular finale on Saturday evening.”
Orit Azaz, Artistic Director for Bridge said: “Bridge has been imagined by artists; created by designers and engineers and inspired by people’s stories, it really is a project for our time and will, and already has, brought people together in unexpected and joyful ways.
Bridge is about the gap between two sides – the bit that is broken or unfinished – and the effort, good humour, courage and imagination of people needed to connect across the gap. We can’t wait to premiere this project in Grantham and create a series of unforgettable experiences for everyone who comes along.”
Follow the Bridge activity in Grantham at www.facebook.com/GranthamBridge2019 or #ImagineBridge for latest updates.
Find out more about Bridge-related community projects happening around Grantham.
Further information on Imagineer’s Bridge can be found at www.imaginebridge.co.uk Follow us on twitter, facebook and Instagram and take your own selfie by the bridge tagging #ImagineBridge
Bridge is funded by: Arts Council England, Heritage Lotter Fund, Coventry 2021 – UK City of Culture, Coventry City Council, Garfield Weston Foundation, Foyle Foundation, InvestSK, South Kesteven District Council and William A Cadbury Charitable Trust.
Bridge is supported by: University of Worcester, Canal & River Trust, Premier Group, Coventry Cathedral and Medwell Hyde.
Bridge is created in partnership with Arup.
What? Why? And who’s paying for all of this wonderment?
“Bringing people together in unexpected and joyful ways” hells bells what next? Just try talking to your next door neighbour or just being polite to each other, that would do more good than anything else.
Sorry just see it all as just another gimmick,
Too much of this kind of rubbish up and down the country, only have to look at the last city of culture, Hull, now there’s a contradiction in terms if ever there was one.
Suppose the trendy types will flock to see this,