Year-long cultural celebration turns spotlight
on changing city
Tue 15 Mar, 2005
 Evolving
City, a year-long programme of cultural events, projects and festivals,
was launched today by Oxford Inspires at BMW Group Plant Oxford. Hundreds
of events taking place in and around Oxford throughout 2005 will encourage
residents and visitors to explore the city’s future, its science,
local culture, festivals and European partnerships. Taking part in the
launch were many of the performers, artists and organisations who will
be presenting elements of Evolving City later in the year.
Evolving City explores, imagines
and takes forward the next stage of Oxford's evolution through its five
programme themes. Each of these will highlight how Oxford and Oxfordshire
are changing and will point to the role of cultural activity in fostering
regeneration, social inclusion, community development and learning. The
five themes are: Artists and Communities; Festivals; Science in the City;
Oxford 2015 and Oxford and Europe.
"We believe that this is largest-ever cultural celebration in Oxfordshire,"
said Oxford Inspires' Rachel Martin, who is coordinating the project.
"It is undoubtedly the most diverse, with over 100 different cultural
organisations working together to put on the events that make up Evolving
City. It's a programme to entertain, excite and challenge and we hope
that it will encourage thousands of people to experience more of the incredible
creative life on their doorstep."
The evolving nature of the city's culture was highlighted at the launch,
with performances in the Creation Theatre Spectacular Mirror Tent by young
musicians from Blackbird Leys and Cowley, a poetry reading by one of Oxford’s
homeless people, a song from a visually-impaired R&B singer and "science
magic" in the form of an experiment using liquid nitrogen. Oxford's
links with Europe were celebrated through discussion of film from the
Czech Republic and theatre from Lithuania, as well as performances by
a Welsh/Estonian musical duo. Artist Jem Finer highlighted the role of
art in public spaces as he talked about his project to design and build
a working radio telescope in Oxford's University Parks.
Funded with lottery money from the Millennium Commission and Arts Council
England through the Urban Cultural Programme, Evolving City is coordinated
by Oxford Inspires, the cultural development agency for Oxford and Oxfordshire,
which last year put together the successful bid for £600,000 to
fund the programme. Funding from the cultural organisations whose projects
make up the programme has more than doubled that amount, and with additional
contributions from Arts Council England, South East, Oxford City Council,
Oxfordshire County Council, SEEDA and Evolving City sponsors, the total
value of the programme is over £1.6 million.
Frequently
asked questions about Evolving City
Visit the Evolving City website:
www.evolvingcity.com
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