TAKE PART IN THE FESTIVAL’S GRAND OPENING PARADE!

Milton Keynes International Festival takes place this July and will again
present events across Milton Keynes. The Festival is looking for 10 local community groups to be part of a special event by internationally renowned company Kinetika: www.kinetikaonline.co.uk

Groups will work with Kinetika to produce large-scale hand painted silk flags that will be feature during the Grand Opening Parade to mark the start of the 2020 Festival on Friday 17 July.

This fantastic opportunity will see Milton Keynes’ groups work with Ali Pretty the lead artist of Kinetika who, over a series of workshops, will lead community and group participants through the process from
initial research to complete item.

Ali Pretty founded Kinetika in 1997 after a long-established career in carnival arts and a growing commitment to community work. You can read more here: http://www.kinetikadesignstudio.com/portfolio/
ali-pretty/

Group participants will design their own individual flags and learn how to hand-paint silk using the process of batik. The groups and their flags will then form part of the Grand Opening Parade on the afternoon of
Friday 17 July, which will include a short procession from centre:mk in the heart of Milton Keynes to The Milton Keynes Rose in Campbell Park.

The Grand Opening Parade will involve some simple movement choreographed by Jeanefer JeanCharles, who co-ordinated the mass movement for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Opening
and Closing Ceremonies who is working with Helen Parlor of Motus Dance. Read more about Jeanefer
here: http://www.kinetikadesignstudio.com/portfolio/jeanefer-jean-charles/

Each unique flag will be displayed for the 10-day duration of the Festival and can be returned to the community afterwards.

The Festival will also support a Milton Keynes artist and graduate placement to work with Kinetika and Ali Pretty on the group workshops, and in their Thurrock (Essex) studio to learn batik techniques.

Please could you spread the word about these opportunities and propose any groups, individuals or artists you think may be interested.

The Festival is looking for the broadest possible cross-section of people, so all ages and backgrounds are welcome to get involved. The workshops and choreography during the Parade will be designed to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. It’ll also be great fun!

For further information and details of how to take part please contact Emily Cheshire, Project Manager for the Grand Opening Parade for the Festival: takepart@stables.org

Please Note: The deadline to express interest in this project is 10am Monday 16th March 2020.