The first IF: Milton Keynes International Festival took place over 10 days between 16 and 25 July 2010 and had an audience reach of over 90,000 people.
The Festival aimed to pilot a festival of international arts that raised the artistic adventure of Milton Keynes, surprising its residents and visitors and providing a creative springboard for future artistic engagement.
The focus was therefore to develop a high quality, contemporary international and professional Festival, creating a stimulus in which a fringe could flourish that also showcases national, local and community-based work. The Festival sought to be culturally aware and aspired to engage as broad a range of the city’s residents as possible.
The Festival’s diverse multi-arts programme drew inspiration from the architectural landscape of Milton Keynes and presented large-scale family events, concerts, comedy, cabaret, theatre, dance, music and installations in temporary spaces and venues or unusual locations such as boulevards, parks, public squares, disused shops, and also used the online and digital realm.
10 EXTRAORDINARY FACTS ABOUT THE 2010 FESTIVAL:
This pilot festival was developed and produced by The Stables, in association with Milton Keynes Gallery, and was funded by Arts Council England with support from Milton Keynes Council, Milton Keynes Partnership and Milton Keynes Economy and Learning Partnership, trusts, foundations, individuals and businesses.
Sally Abbott, Regional Director South East, Arts Council England says:
"To have more than 90,000 people engaging in the arts across the city during the 10 days that IF took place is an outstanding achievement. We set out to support a series of exciting and innovative arts events that would show Milton Keynes in a new light, support the city's visitor economy, and encourage more people to discover that the arts are for them. We are delighted with the results.
IF's success is testament to what can be achieved using relatively small amounts of investment, with imagination and courage, and by pooling resources and working in partnership. I hope this is the shape of things to come."
Monica Ferguson, Festival Director and Chief Executive of The Stables says:
“We are delighted that IF 2010 captured the imagination of so many people. This was only made possible through the many strategic partnerships developed, the dedication of the Festival team, the hundreds of volunteers and many individual and companies who gave support – and who, in such a short amount a time, worked together to realise a single vision.
We look forward to working with those partners, artists, colleagues and friends as we start to make plans for 2012.”
IF: Looking Ahead to 2012
The next IF: Milton Keynes International Festival is being planned for 2012. Artistic submissions and requests for sponsorship or partnership information should be e-mailed to Monica Ferguson, Festival Director at festivalboxoffice@stables.org