Have any bright ideas?
THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF THE NORTH NEEDS YOU!
IF you’re thinking of putting your name in lights during next year’s Great Exhibition of the North... the clock is ticking.
A call went out a few weeks ago for bright ideas but just days remain, with the deadline set at noon on Monday, May 22.
The Great Exhibition is due to take place across Newcastle and Gateshead from June 22 until September next year.
New castle Gates head Initiative (NGI), the destination marketing agency, led the successful bid for the event which brings a £5m fee from the Government.
The Great Exhibition is being promoted as the largest event in England in 2018.
Maria Bota, appointed to be creative producer of the event, said: “I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has been involved with supporting creative conversations around the commissioning process so far, and particularly those from across the North East and beyond who have been seeking partnerships with creative minds in the North West and Yorkshire.
“Based on the hundreds of conversations that are taking place, the creative team is anticipating great ideas from across the North which will go a long way towards telling the story of the difference the North is making in the world today and tomorrow in innovation, art and design.”
The open call for submissions was aimed at performers, visual artists, architects, musicians, scientists, engineers, inventors, writers, creatives, thinkers, designers and digital makers from across the North – defined as the North East, the North West and Yorkshire.
As for proposals already submitted, NGI are playing their cards close to their chest.
Shelley Armstrong, media and PR manager, said the creative team expected many proposals to be submitted close to the deadline. “We know there are conversations being had across the whole of the North about ideas and that was exactly what we wanted to see.
“But we understand that people want to work on them until the last minute to make sure they’re absolutely right.”
Referring back to the initial call out for ideas, Maria Bota said it was one of the ways the creative team aimed to bring to life the three walking routes which Great Exhibition visitors will be urged to follow. It was hoped that “high impact, memorable experiences” would emerge. Venues including Science Central and the Lit & Phil in Newcastle and the Northern Design Centre in Gateshead have offered to collaborate with creative people in forming proposals.
Chris Murtagh, a Newcastlebased musician, promoter and festival organiser, was one man who was prepared to talk about his Great North Exhibition idea.
Chris, whose company LineUp PMC has worked around the world, said he was collaborating with North East artist Neil Armstrong.
“Years ago, Neil and myself were in a band called Fan Heater that evolved into a band called The Royal Family and they had a track called Swimming Pool,” he said.
“I saw that they were refurbishing the City Pool (on Newcastle’s Northumberland Road) after people had been fighting to save it and thought: wouldn’t it be great to do some sort of installation and performance? ...It was such a beautiful setting.”
Anyone submitting an idea must be based in the North or have been born, brought up or educated here.
They must also be able to demonstrate the appropriate capacity, experience and resources to “deliver excellence”.
Criteria for Great Exhibition of the North proposals can be found online at www.getnorth2018.com
Based on the hundreds of conversations that are taking place, the creative team is anticipating great ideas from across the North Maria Bota