Ticket fiasco sets tone for Banksy’s Dismaland dream

SOME of his most famous work has involved stinging critiques of the UK’s surveillance society. But visitors to Banksy’s “bemusement park” have been told they must bring photographic ID to avoid being turned away at the gates.

The step was taken after overwhelming demand for tickets to Dismaland, the graffiti artist’s new dystopian amusement park in Weston- super- Mare, in south- west England, crashed the attraction’s official website. Tickets cost £ 5 (about R102), including a £2 booking fee, but some are being advertised on eBay for up to £1 500 (R30 300).

In an attempt to clamp down on the resale market, visitors to the park, advertised as “the UK’s most disappointing new visitor attraction”, are being asked to carry their IDs as proof that they are the person whose name is on the ticket.

Fans of the artist are being warned not to buy tickets from online touts.

Banksy has frequently referred in his work to Britain’s obsession with surveillance. One of his most famous pieces, daubed on a wall in central London in 2008, showed a boy in a red jacket painting the slogan “One Nation Under CCTV” in white capitals – while a policeman films his actions. It was later painted over.

Dismaland was supposed to open to the public on Saturday, but because the website crashed, online tickets for the first six days did not go on sale until Tuesday, leading to long queues.

The first tranche of tickets sold out in 45 minutes.

The next batch of tickets went on sale on Thursday, with further rounds being released every day.

The problems were so severe organisers had to bring in the company Seetickets to manage the process.

Martin Fitzgerald, a spokesman for Seetickets, said the firm had been “brought in over the weekend” when organisers realised the official website was unable to cope. He acknowledged that the resale market was perfectly legal, but added: “Clearly a lot of people want to go and, as a result, some people are using that to try to make money. It’s a shame.”

The park, a hectare in area, is described by Banksy as “a festival of art, amusements and entry- level anarchism”. It has three galleries showcasing more than 50 artists and a series of immersive experiences and fairground rides, some of which are intentionally bad.

The deliberately “dismal” nature of the attraction, set up in a derelict lido and scheduled to be open for five weeks, has led some fans to speculate that the ticketing delays have been orchestrated by Banksy. But organisers insist the problems are genuine.

Dismaland’s central exhibit is a Banksy sculpture in a ruined Disneystyle castle. It shows a phalanx of paparazzi recording the aftermath of a fatal road accident, an apparent reference to Princess Diana and the modern nature of celebrity.

According to reports, the artist has given Brad Pitt special permission to tour the park before it opens one morning.

“Brad has followed Banksy’s work for years and really loves his ideology, so he is making special arrangements to ensure he can get down to the park,” a source said.

“Brad would bring a bit too much glamour to what’s meant to be a thoroughly depressing visit, so Banksy granted him special permission to visit before it opens.”

The artist has insisted that Dismaland is “not a swipe at Disney”, despite its frequent references to the American entertainment company’s theme parks.

A two-minute video released on YouTube earlier this week showed a British family visiting Banksy’s creation and “enjoying” the exhibits and rides, in a parody of a traditional Disney advert.

“Is there something missing in your life? Do you need to get out more?” the narrator says. “Then stop what you’re doing and come to the happiest place on Earth. This is a theme park like no other. Dismaland, the place where all your dreams come true.”

Disney has yet to respond to requests for comment on the park. – The Independent