IF:2012 and performance company Lone Twin have joined forces to bring a truly extrordinary project to Milton Keynes.
As people all over the world gather to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a remarkable boat - Collective Spirit - will set sail on its maiden voyage and somehow make its way inland to Central Milton Keynes (one of the furthest points from the sea in the UK!).
The 30ft boat, crafted by a fearlessly adventurous team of boat builders and volunteers, has been made from wood donated by people from Milton Keynes and across the South East. All of the wood donated has special stories behind it - some profound, some happy, some unique and some that are quite simply extraordinary.
Designed to be a living archive of our lives, Collective Spirit will be on display and 'moored' in a specially created harbour, complete with Boat Shed and listening buoys where you can hear some of the music and stories connected to the Boat.
Boat Welcoming Ceremony, Friday 20 July, 5.30pm: Music from The Singing City Choir will sing the specially composed Ship's Log song , written by Johny Lamb (Thirty Pounds of Bone)
Ship's Log Concert with Thirty Pounds of Bone, Saturday 28 July, 5.30pm: Songs composed on the maiden voyage by The Boat Project's Artist in Residence, singer-songwriter Johny Lamb (Thirty Pounds of Bone)
Musical Send-off Ceremony, Sunday 29 July, 6.30pm
For Boat Project talks and special events click here
The Boat Project is part of the London 2012 Festival and also Artists Taking the Lead, a series of 12 public art commissions across the UK to celebrate the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The Boat Project is the winning commission for the South East region and is funded by Arts Council England.
The Boat Shed and listening buoys are specially designed and bult by young people as part of The Splinter Group, with flags designed by the IT Project craft team - both MK Christian Foundation social enterprise training programmes base in and around Wolverton. MK Men In Sheds, supported by Age UK Milton Keynes, and the students from Milton Keynes College Learning Disability Services are also contributing to the construction and painting of the harbour.
The Stables has commissioned a new album - Harbour of Songs - inspired by the Lone Twin Boat Project and produced by Adrian McNally, the 2012 Festival's Artist-in-Residence.
To find out more and order a copy, click here.
Date & Time 20-29 July 2012
Venue thecentre:mk (Shopping Centre) MK9 3EP
Tickets Free Event