Last year the city of Hull celebrated its status as the UK City of Culture 2017 with an amazing 12 month programme packed with spectacular events. Now, the city is building on this success as it continues to challenge perceptions through arts and culture.
As well as groundbreaking art and stunning performances, Hull’s reign as UK City of Culture has also broughtmajor regeneration, investment and a big boost in visitor numbers.
Now, Hull has unveiled Absolutely Cultured – a new name and brand for the arts organisation behind last year’s internationally-acclaimed programme – and at the same time revealed a line-up of new, imaginative events.
From a giant domino run that will create a moving sculpture using thousands of breezeblocks, to a new winter outdoor event using light projections and soundscapes that will draw on links with Northern Europe and Scandinavia, Hull is set to carry-on celebrating culture.
Led by Creative Director Katy Fuller, who has been part of the Hull UK City of Culture journey since 2015, Absolutely Cultured has a mission to create ambitious, surprising and challenging artistic works that bring people and communities together.
Since Hull 2017’s programme came to a close, the company has been preparing for the next chapter of Hull’s success story: made in Hull, but with a far-reaching ambition. Alongside the new name there is a new website and social media handles. The company has also announced details of its upcoming events during the next year.
Dominoes by Station House Opera will be Absolutely Cultured’s major summer event. A moving sculpture created from thousands of breezeblocks constructed with the help of over 400 of the company’s iconic City of Culture Volunteers, this 3.5km domino run on 11 August 2018 will weave its way through streets, public squares, civic buildings and private homes, even climbing stairs and falling from windows.
Partnering with the BBC and Wrecking Ball Press, the company will also produce the return of the national poetry and spoken word festival Contains Strong Language in late September 2018. Packed with world premieres, it will showcase 18 of the country’s most exciting poets – dubbed ‘The Hull ’18’ – who will all be in Hull for the festival.
The largest event will come towards the end of the year. Urban Legends: Northern Lights, an ambitious large-scale outdoor eventwill animate the dark winter nights, using projection and commissioned soundscapes, Hull’s city centre will be painted with moving animations and atmospheric music, drawing inspiration from the connections between the countries of Northern Europe, Scandinavia and Hull.
Absolutely Cultured will also continue to run and programme Humber Street Gallery, now a firm fixture in the regenerated Fruit Market area close to Hull Marina. From 21 July to 30 September, interactive machines and augmented realities will take over the gallery spaces for Measures of Life, The Lumen Prize for Digital Art. Celebrating some of the most extraordinary and innovative art being created with technology, all the artists are either winners or finalists of annual international award, the Lumen Prize for Digital Art.
From 13 October 2018 until 6 January 2019, the Gallery will host Jamie Reid XXXX: 50 years of Subversion and the Spirit, an exhibition of the work of British artist and anarchist, Jamie Reid. Through his art, music, performance and politics, Reid has become something of a punk icon, rebelling against society’s social and cultural injustices. His signature newspaper-cutting graphics have become synonymous with the spirit of British punk, from his collaboration on the Suburban Press (1971-1975) to, most notably, his iconic album artwork for the Sex Pistols.
For more about the new company and its events, see www.absolutelycultured.co.uk.
For more details of places to stay and eat and things to do in Hull: www.visit-hull.com.