The City of Culture Trust's first campaign since winning its bid for UK City of Culture 2021 celebrates human rights 70 years since the signing of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, including a 14ft mobile illuminated poem which tours the city.
When Oscar Wilde died in 1900, the few obituaries that appeared were miserable: The Times concluded that death had brought an end to ‘what must have been a life of wretchedness and unavailing regret’, while The Sunday Times thought ‘no sadder record of a life wilfully blighted can be found… ’ And yet—more than a century later—Wilde’s star burns brighter than ever, and as Matthew Sturgis writes in his new biography (Oscar: A Life) ‘the position he holds is an extrao
Great Britain and Northern Ireland are home to an enviable suite of literary figures, both past and present, from Geoffrey Chaucer to Jane Austen, Shakespeare to JK Rowling. VisitBritain's British Literary Guide gives a good summary of some of our key literary figures. The UK's storytellers and stories are coveted worldwide and their legacy continues to contribute to Bristish culture, tourism and creative economy.
Two of Shakespeare’s homes will be recreated in China, as part of a new international heritage and cultural centre called San Weng, celebrating 3 literary figures from the East and West.
Construction has commenced on the centre near Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province, South China, which will include a Stratford on Avon quarter, modelled on the English town, featuring Shakespeare’s Birthplace and his adult home - New Place.
The UK government has awarded £10 million funding to set up a national centre for immersive storytelling.
The StoryFutures Academy will pioneer next-generation storytelling, looking to harness technologies such as augmented, virtual and mixed reality as well as smart devices and artificial intelligence.
Five of New Zealand’s leading Māori and Pasifika writers will showcase their work in the UK next month (November) alongside the high profile Oceania exhibition at the Royal Academy. Their programme will include a public panel discussion with Senior Curator, Adrian Locke, at the Royal Academy, a Commonwealth Writers Conversation in front of an invited audience at the Commonwealth Foundation and a literary salon at New Zealand House with much-loved salonnière, writer and journalist Damian Barr.
The GREAT Britain Campaign is supporting Hay Festival in Segovia – the biggest literature event in Spain – which takes place 20–23 September 2018. It will highlight the two country's shared love of literature and promote partnerships between British and Spanish creative industries.
The activity is part of a wider campaign across Europe which aims to shine a light on the UK’s strengths and partnerships to European audiences.
British authors and artists taking part in the festival programme include:
November 4th this year marks the centenary of the day that Shropshire poet and soldier, Wilfred Owen, fell in battle in 1918, the last year of the First World War. This important anniversary will be marked in his home county by a series of events over the last 100 days from 4th August to the centenary of the Armistice on 11th November. Details can be found in the brochure (see link) together with ideas of related places that can be visited during the period.
Eleven successful bids in the third year of VisitBritain's £40 million Discover England Fund for tourism product development have been announced. Each receive £250,000 for showcasing destinations and experiences across the country to overseas markets, driving inbound tourism and boosting the domestic market.
The Great Exhibition of the North takes place from 22 June to 9 September, 80 days of amazing exhibits, live performances, displays of innovation, new artworks and magical experiences. The Exhibition will tell the inspiring story of the North of England and how its innovators, businesses, artists and designers have shaped our present and are inspiring our future.
Some highlights from each of the trails and hubs throughout the three months include:
Opening Weekend
