Monday 28 Jul 2008 - 16:53
Cumbria is preparing once again for FRED, the region's outdoor art festival, which draws participants and visitors from across the globe. The fifth annual FRED event takes place September 26 to October 12, 2008.
The event sees 30 projects interacting with the region's landscapes in 40 locations by 45 artists. Artworks planned for this year include an entire farm wrapped as hay bales, a 12-foot giant feather, a poetry petrol station, and sounds generated from a lost underwater city.
Alongside the artworks themselves runs a programme of guided walks, talks, film screenings and participation events.
Artist and festival director, Steve Messam, said, “FRED is a countryside response to the London-centric art world and aims to raise the profile of the rural landscape as a venue for contemporary art.
“All FRED projects will be accessible by public transport and some require short, but scenic walks to get to. We want FRED to reach as many audiences as possible – from tourists to locals to art critics – to demonstrate Cumbria’s rich arts and culture scene. The FRED projects compliment the region’s amazing landscape perfectly and it is our mission to draw the public away from the towns and cities and explore the stunning surroundings.”
While some artists come from Cumbria itself, others have come from as far afield as China: a young architectural practice in Shenzhen has produced an interactive light sculpture comprising seven thousand soft fibre-optic lights that will float eerily in a forest.
Further details of FRED will be released at the end of August; for early details and updates visit the Web site.
Digital Arts staff
Keep up-to-date with the latest creative news -- click here follow @digital_arts on Twitter.
Submit to:
Click here for the latest reader comments