Mayor champions disabled artists and athletes

3 SEPTEMBER 2010

  • Liberty Festival returns to Trafalgar Square
  • Artist to create mural live, during disabled athletes' showcase
  • Preview of new musical based on Ian Dury's songs

With two years to go to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson has unveiled the line up for this year's Liberty festival, a showcase and celebration of the artistic and sporting talent to be found within the Deaf and disabled community, in London and across the UK.

All are welcome to attend this free event, which will see Trafalgar Square animated with street arts, dance, aerial performance, comedy, cabaret and children's activities. Amongst highlights of an afternoon programme showcasing the best of disability arts and culture, Liberty will include an exclusive preview from Graeae's new musical 'Reasons to Be Cheerful', featuring the songs of Ian Dury; an aerial collaboration between Candoco and Scarabeus inspired by the myth of the minotaur; a showcase of exciting new musical talent from Heart n Soul; and an array of cabaret artists, including Francesca Martinez, Steve Day and Liz Carr.

There will also be a specially commissioned sport and arts "face off", bringing together artist Rachel Gadsden with athletes from Wheelpower, the sporting organisation based at Stoke Mandeville, the birthplace of the Paralympic Games. The award winning artist will capture the action live as players are put through their paces in Wheelchair basketball and tennis.

The idea is create an exhilarating fusion of sport and the arts resulting in the creation of life size visual pieces that will respond to the drama of sport and capture the inspiration, motivation and determination of the athletes. The creation of the canvases and the sporting action will be accompanied by music to heighten the theatrical context, with the resulting artworks becoming an artistic record of the Liberty festival.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: 'There are just two years to go to the 2012 Games and disabled people are central to their success, both in the sporting arena and through the cultural programme. This year's Liberty festival has a fantastic line up, which showcases the dynamism and creativity of disabled people and will provide a tantalising taste of what's to come in two years time.'

With primary funding from the Mayor of London, Liberty is being supported by Unison; Transport for London; Arts Council England. Several performances are being made possible thanks to an Arts Council grant, through the Lottery funded 'Grants for the Arts'. Also involved in developing the festival are Attitude is Everything, Shape, Artsline, Independent Living Alternatives and Cooltan Arts

Amongst the other attractions will be an Aerial Performance area featuring Amici Dance Theatre and Cirque Nova, as well as the Candoco-Scarabeus collaboration, which is entitled 'Heartland'.

The Street Arts zone will have a programme that includes 'Brown Paper Packages' by Kazzum, which will feature a large brown paper package from which performers emerge creating scenes, landscapes and puppetry in the style of a pop up book. Epic Arts will have a performance by Cambodian dance students with '4D', choreographed by Chisato Minamimura, and a dance duet by Jennie Ellis and Kathryn Langrish.

Rhinestone Rollers will appear in a new production created by Graeae Theatre and choreographed by Marc Brew and Rachel Bagshaw - a witty insight into dance through the ages with the help of costume changes to transform each dance routine sequence. Chutney – a form of popular music of Trinidad – is the inspiration for an exciting new street theatre performance led by acclaimed Bhangra producer Kuljit Bhamra. Extant will present 'Tandemonium', a new performance installation combining music theatre and choreographed tandems.

A Music Programme at the foot of Nelson's Column will feature a range of performers, including: Yunioshi - electro pop and "robot funk"; young musicians from the Orpheus Centre in Surrey; funk/punk power trio The Fish Police; KDNA, with vocalist Kali Perkins, plus a unique blend of violin, keyboards, drums and voices; singer Lizzie Emeh backed by a seven-piece band, with songs from her album Loud and Proud; plus Graeae's Reasons to be Cheerful.

The Cabaret and Comedy area will feature artists such as Francesca Martinez, Steve Day, Liz Carr, Keith Currie, Mackenzie Taylor, Blind Gurl and the Crips and Cooltan poets.

Emergency Exit Arts will be curating the Children's Arts area, with an "up in the air" theme and an Icarus like character helping participants to harness the power of the elements as they enter a "Windy Wonderland" of wind machines, fabric and sound. There will also be art installations by disabled artists from arteast.

To complement the festival, attendees are also invited to visit the National Gallery, which will be hosting BSL interpreted talks, on Sir Joshua Reynold's 'Examination of Himself' and Claude-Oscar Monet's 'Irises'.

This year's Liberty is dedicated to the memory of David W. Morris, who was an advisor on disability issues at the GLA and LOCOG, and who died earlier this year. His life and work will be celebrated at the Red Jesus Chill Out Area, which is supported by DisLIB (Disability Listen Include Build). ENDS

EVENT DETAILS

Event:              Liberty 2010

Location:         Trafalgar Square

Date:                Saturday 4 September 2010

Time:               1pm-5pm

Entry:               FREE – ALL WELCOME

Information:     www.london.gov.uk/liberty


Notes to editors

  1. The Liberty Festival is a free, annual event celebrating the contribution of Deaf and disabled people to London's culture. It is organised by the Mayor of London, produced by Greenwich+Docklands Festivals, and supported by Transport for London, Unison and Arts Council England. Thanks to Attitude is Everything, Shape, Artsline, Independent Living Alternatives and Cooltan Arts for their assistance with this year's event, which will include a special dedication to the life and work of David Morris, 1958-2010, who was instrumental in helping to develop and direct the Liberty Festival over a number of years
  2. Liberty is friendly and accessible and welcomes everyone. A range of access services and facilities will be available at the festival on the day. These include: Information and Access areas; BSL interpreters; Palantype; Audio description; Induction loops; Accessible toilets; Stewards; Viewing area; Medical facilities; Wheelchair loan service; Charging point for electric wheelchairs and scooters; Assistance dogs area.
  3. The Greater London Authority (GLA) has published its draft Disability Equality Scheme, which sets out what the GLA has done, and plans to do, in relation to disability equality. To find out more and to comment go to: www.london.gov.uk/consultation/disability-equality-scheme. If you have specific questions about the scheme, taking part in the consultation and to request accessible formats such as Braille or video versions, email: formats.scheme@london.gov.uk, or call the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100, minicom 020 7983 4458. The public consultation closes on 15 October 2010.
  4. The Mayor's equality framework for the capital, Equal Life Chances for All, includes a commitment to working to improve the city for all Londoners. For more information go to: www.london.gov.uk/priorities/equalities / www.london.gov.uk/priorities/health/tackling-inequality. Through Equal Life Chances for All, the draft Health Inequalities Strategy and cross cutting strategies, from the London Plan to the Transport Strategy, the Mayor is establishing a benchmark to ensure all Londoners are able to benefit from as well as contribute to the future success of the capital. Information about the Mayor's plans to create a sporting legacy up to and beyond the 2012 Games, as well as the public consultation on the draft culture strategy 'Cultural Metropolis', is also available on the website at www.london.gov.uk.
  5. 'Inclusive and Active 2', the new five year sport and physical activity strategy for disabled people in London, has recently been published online. Created in partnership between the Greater London Authority (GLA), NHS London and Interactive, it presents a vision of active disabled Londoners and aims to build on the success and profile of the first 'Inclusive and Active'. The strategy will increase the number of disabled people participating in sport and physical activity, change perceptions of how disabled people can maintain an active lifestyle and embed inclusion within mainstream sport and physical activity. www.london.gov.uk/publication/inclusive-and-active-2
  6. The National Gallery BSL interpreted talks take place on Saturday 4 September at the following times: 3pm-3:35pm: The Scientific Self: Sir Joshua Reynold's 'Examination of Himself' (Educator: Serena Cant, Gallery 36) and 4pm: Claude-Oscar Monet, 'Irises' (Educator: Jennifer Little, Gallery 43). Free – no booking required. www.nationalgallery.org.uk