The creative team behind the Great Exhibition of the North has unveiled a unique opportunity to develop creative content that will be showcased to the world as part of one of England’s biggest events in 2018.
The creative call out invites performers, visual artists, architects, musicians, scientists, engineers, inventors, writers, creatives, thinkers, designers and digital makers from right across the North to respond to the ideas and themes of the Great Exhibition and propose an outstanding idea that can be developed to animate and bring to life the Exhibition’s themes – of pioneering design, arts and innovation – along three walking routes as part of the event next summer.
Venues from Science Central to the Lit and Phil and Northern Design Centre to Northern Stage, plus many more in between, are all opening up their venues and outside spaces to the creative community as part of the Exhibition.
Sir Gary Verity, Chair of the Great Exhibition of the North said: “NewcastleGateshead is opening its doors to great ideas from across the North for this fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate how the North of England’s great art and culture, design and innovation, continues to transform the world.
“The Great Exhibition will tell the story of the North in powerful and unforgettable ways to engage and inspire a new generation and forge pride in the role that the wider region plays in shaping the world. We’re looking for contributors to help show how the North is building ‘tomorrow’s world’, in interactive and inspirational ways which will attract and excite visitors and generate hugely positive profile.”
Reinventing the idea of a ‘great exhibition’, NewcastleGateshead is creating an experiential exhibition that will engage with a range of audiences, including and in particular families, using the city as its stage. Beginning with a major exhibition hub at the Great North Museum: Hancock, visitors will explore three walking routes that will lead to Exhibition commissions at the Sage Gateshead and BALTIC.
Maria Bota, Creative Producer, said: “This open call is one of the ways in which we are identifying high impact, memorable experiences to bring the walking routes to life. We are seeking creative ideas that are high quality and captivating, engaging, accessible and inclusive, challenging and thought-provoking and, where possible, offering potential for broadcast.
“Works can be new commissions or the presentation of existing work in new contexts, as long as they fit the brief. We are interested in work that can be presented both inside venues and out in public spaces, and I’d like to thank the many organisations across NewcastleGateshead who are providing inspiring locations to work with. Projects can also be created digitally so the public can engage with them virtually as well as physically. The breadth of the opportunity is huge – and we’re very excited to see what ideas and proposals will come forward.”
The creative call out guidelines and submission form are available online. The deadline for applications is noon on Monday 22 May 2017.
Submitters must either be based in the North, or have been born, grown up or educated in the North, as well as able to demonstrate appropriate capacity, experience and resources to deliver excellence.