[C]-Art Festival 2017 launches this Friday with a impressive line-up of festival events, artist open studios and Art in Extraordinary Places. 8th – 17th September.
The Festival opens with artists across the county opening their doors to the public, as they turn their homes, studios, and extraordinary places into one of the best open studio trails in the UK. Set across the rolling hills of Cumbria and the Lake District, visitors are able to delve into the hidden gems of the landscape, take in the breathtaking views and enjoy some excellent tea and cake along the way. Details of individual artists opening times can be found on c-art.org.uk.
Highlights include Christine Hurford’s Last Footsteps installation at Carlisle Cathedral, Charlie Whinney’s impressive Man Bends Tree project on display at Rheged and Karen Guthrie’s latest work from Acorn Bank’s residency scheme. Studios are open across the county with Pop Up Galleries such as Emma Wigginton, Sarah Ames and Jane Clark at Old Hall nr Cockermouth, and studios ranging from Jenny Abbot in Port Carlisle, Sarah Taylor in St Bees, Daniel Cooper in Askham in Furness and Phil Morsman and Jennifer Kirby in Appleby-in-Westmorland as well as across the Lake District National Park.
Alongside this, Rheged sees a wealth of arts activity with the highlight being an amazing installation from Belgian artists Captain Boomer Collective. Their art installation ‘Lowthermere’ invites visitors to delve into the depths of Rheged as a new “underground lake” has been discovered. Exclusively for C-Art Festival, visitors are invited to venture into the deep. Spaces are limited and can be booked via Rheged.
Rheged also hosts a two day C-Art Art Fair featuring work from C-Art members, Cumbrian and Lake District artists, and artists from across the North of England and Southern Scotland.
From 10am – 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, artists and makers working in jewellery, homewares, textiles, painting, photography, furniture, ceramics and more invite you to chat to them about their work, watch demonstrations and commission new pieces.
Don’t miss Richard DeDomenici’s ‘Redux Megamix’ where the artist has edited together his back catalogue of Redux. His counterfeit movies are made using low budget equipment, props and original filming locations to create perfect shot by shot remakes of big budget Hollywood movies. Highlights include The Bourne Ultimatum, The Matrix, Jurassic Park, Alan Partridge, Superman and a host of others. Richard will be premiering his latest Redux of cult classic film Withnail & I on 16th & 17th Sept.
Bill Leslie & Alex Bradley will be inviting viewers to become part of their participatory performance about you Come as you Are. Artist Bill Leslie delicately interprets brief responses on an LED display, accompanied by Alex Bradley’s improvised soundtrack as the participant revolves on a small platform in this personal and humorous approach to participatory performance art.
The 16th & 17th Sept also sees a host of activity as local award winning poet Katie Hale invites you into the world of poetry at her Adult Youth Club, joined by Edinburgh based Loud Poets and other local talent from 2pm in Rheged’s Mountain Hall, before Richard DeDomenici takes to the stage for his Withnail & I:Redux Premiere.
Don’t miss Beastie by Lone Twin, an interactive real world adventure for children age 6 – 10. Children have the chance to make up stories, play games and meet the Beastie before taking him out for a walk. He might be spotted in Penrith and Pooley Bridge from 4pm… Workshops cost £5.50 and can be booked through Rheged at www.rheged.com
C-Art Festival sees a host of events from exhibitions, art fair, live music, poetry, performance and C-Art Open Studios and Art in Extraordinary Places taking place from 8th – 17th September. Visit www.c-art.org.uk for more information and pick up a C-Art Festival Newspaper from Tourist Information Centres, Galleries and Artists across the county.