Halesowen and Sandwell culture vultures invited on Brum art Voyage (From Halesowen News)

Halesowen and Sandwell culture vultures invited on Brum art Voyage

10:10am Friday 15th June 2012 in News

HALESOWEN and Sandwell culture vultures have been invited to set sail on an artistic ship of discovery next weekend.

The Voyage is coming to the Midlands and is a major cultural project as part of the opening weekend of the London 2012 Festival.

It is a unique global collaboration between Australia’s leading physical theatre and aerial company Legs On The Wall and one of the UK’s leading outdoor dance companies Motionhouse.

The Voyage, which is docking outside Birmingham's Town Hall between Thursday and Sunday, marks the beginning of the London 2012 Festival, the UK’s biggest ever festival, taking place in celebration of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

A spokesman for the project said: "People from all over the world will make a ‘pilgrimage’ to the Olympic city, carrying with them a passion and will to achieve greatness.

"The Voyage is a story that explores the courage and imagination that prompts us to embark on journeys in pursuit of our dreams.

"An enormous passenger liner is the focal point of the performance – an icon of global transport and a powerful reminder of the significance of migration and trade in Birmingham’s history.

"The United Kingdom and Australia are two islands whose history and identity have been shaped by the sea and the ships that travel across it."

The spokesman added: "The Voyage begins in Victoria Square several days in advance of the show with the construction of the ship. Rigged for high wire, extraordinary aerial acrobatics, massive projections, song and dance, the ship will be transformed into a live set for a cast of 170.

"The Voyage is set in a time period spanning 1940 to 1960 which represents the last great age of sea travel and marks the start of the mass emigrations that have characterized and shaped the diverse nature of modern cities."

The audience are key players in the action. Starting out as the passengers on the docks, they then set sail across the seas, get swept up in a huge storm, help rescue passengers washed overboard before finally becoming the welcoming party in a new land.

Produced by Birmingham Hippodrome Created by Motionhouse in collaboration with Legs On The Wall Part of London 2012 Festival Funded by Arts Council England, Legacy Trust UK and supported by Dancing for the Games Supported by the Australian Government through the Cultural Development Program of the Office for the Arts, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Australia Council.

In partnership with Town Hall Symphony Hall Birmingham, Birmingham City Council, Birmingham City University, British Council, BVN Architecture, Nelson Meers Foundation, The NSW Government through Arts NSW and Australia Unlimited. The Voyage was developed with support from Advantage West Midlands and Warwick Arts Centre.

Dancing for the Games is part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands and is inspired by London 2012. It is a three year programme funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Arts Council England West Midlands and Advantage West Midlands.

Dancing for the Games uses the inspiration of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to get as many people as possible dancing across the West Midlands. The Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands is already touching the lives of thousands of people. To date some 930,000 people in the West Midlands have been involved in the Cultural Olympiad as audiences or participants, either as part of Open Weekend, the Inspire Programme, or through specific regional programmes. For more information about the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands, please visit, www.wmfor2012.com/culture Legacy Trust UK is an independent charity set up to create a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from London 2012 in communities across the UK.