NewcastleGateshead is set to welcome delegates from 33 countries next week as the Association Internationale de la Couleur (AIC) host their 12th International Colour Conference – Bringing Colour to Life – at Sage Gateshead.
The event, which is worth an estimated £1.1m to the local economy will take place from 08-12 July. It was won in 2010 following a bid by NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau in partnership with local Conference Ambassador, Professor Anya Hurlbert, Director of the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University.
Gill Pilkington, Conference Development Manager at NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau said: “AIC 2013 is a fantastic event of significant benefit to NewcastleGateshead and wider region. Not only will there be almost 600 delegates from across the world enjoying the conference on the iconic NewcastleGateshead Quayside, a varied social programme means many of them will also experience some of North East England’s other highlights with excursions out to Durham City and a banquet held in the spectacular Alnwick Garden.”
Prof. Hurlbert, who is also part of the AIC 2013 organising committee commented: “It seems such a long time ago when we approached NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau to help us pull together a bid to attract the 12th International AIC Colour Conference.
Anya Hurlbert, Director of the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University, and member of the AIC 2013 organising committee, adds: “The Sage Gateshead is an iconic building filled with light and colour, reflected from its own architecture and the surrounding riverscape – perfect for an international conference on colour.”
The AIC hosts the only colour conference in the world that promotes all facets of colour, providing a forum where interested individuals, researchers, academics, artists, architects, industrialists, engineers, designers, lighting experts, and business leaders can share ideas, interact and learn of recent advances in the field.
The programme will look at the technical and scientific areas of colour production and reproduction, the human response to colour, and the ways in which colour can be used sustainably, now and in the future.
The conference also features a special performance from the Royal Northern Sinfonia, orchestra of Sage Gateshead. The concert will be enhanced by live computer visuals generated in real time, transforming sound into light.
Craig West, Head of Classical Performance Programme at The Sage Gateshead said: “This is one of the great features of The Sage Gateshead – that its Performance Programming team and its Conference & Events team can work closely together to create something that adds a special element to a client’s event. It can make the event stand out and presents a different and inspiring spark for creating music performances.”
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Notes to editors:
• NewcastleGateshead Initiative is a destination management and marketing agency; a public-private partnership supported by Gateshead and Newcastle City Councils, working with around 170 private sector partner organisations across NewcastleGateshead and the wider region
• NewcastleGateshead Initiative is supported by a board offering expertise from a range of sectors and professions. We also work with a wide range of partners, stakeholders and businesses, who share our ambition to inspire people to visit and to live, learn, work and invest in NewcastleGateshead.
o Our marketing & communications team works to promote and position NewcastleGateshead as a vibrant tourism destination, through targeted campaigns nationally and internationally. Our visitor information team helps ensure visitors have the best possible experience when they’re here, providing information and support.
o Our cultural programming team work with partners across the destination to bring together NewcastleGateshead’s cultural offer and deliver some of our most popular festival & events, including EAT! NewcastleGateshead, Juice Festival and the NewcastleGateshead Winter Festival.
o Our Convention Bureau uses local knowledge and expertise to help organise conferences, meetings or events in NewcastleGateshead and the surrounding area. It provides a free service including, venue sourcing and accommodation booking, to arranging transport and entertainment for delegates
o Our inward investment team helps businesses locate, expand and flourish in NewcastleGateshead, providing a range of services to make it easy to realise their ambitions for growth
• United by seven bridges across a spectacular riverscape, Newcastle (a city on the north bank of the River Tyne) and Gateshead (a town on the south bank) form a single, diverse and extremely vibrant visitor destination. World-class culture, vibrant nightlife, award-winning dining, inspiring heritage, fantastic shopping and acclaimed architecture are combined here like nowhere else, by the famous Geordie spirit which is symbolised by Antony Gormley’s iconic Angel of the North as it welcomes travellers to the area.
Imagery / Photography opportunities:
• www.NewcastleGateshead.com/Images – NewcastleGateshead’s Initiative’s extensive royalty free image library
Useful links:
• www.NewcastleGateshead.com/Media – NewcastleGateshead Initiative’s media website
• www.NewcastleGateshead.com/Meet – conference and events website for NewcastleGateshead