MuseumWeek 2021: North East is spoilt for choice when it comes to museums!
Residents and visitors to the North-East of England are extremely lucky and totally spoilt for choice when it comes to the variety of superb museums on offer to them in the region.
You might say this isn’t a big secret as our heritage has been showcased for hundreds of years but these qualities are being celebrated as part of an international social media movement which has grown over the past seven years to recognising and networking 60,000 participants from over 100+ countries worldwide.
Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance (BIFF) is joining MuseumWeek [7-13 June] in shouting from the rooftops about how the North-East possesses some stunning world class attractions and venues.
For well over five-decades the international event has been attracting performers, artistes and creative organisations from around the globe to enthral audiences with their cultural customs.
This Summer, BIFF in collaboration with Balbir Singh Dance Company are bringing to the stage a charming production, The Two Fridas, inspired by the life, times and works of iconic 20th Century artists, Frida Kahlo (Mexico) and Amrita Sher-Gil (Hungary/India).
The show will enjoy a seven-date outdoor tour of the North-East throughout July and August including three dates taking place in the beautiful surroundings of local museums and heritage venues.
Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens, County Durham (Saturday July 10th)
Preston Park Museum and Grounds, Stockton-on-Tees (August 21st)
Kirkleatham Museum, Redcar & Cleveland (Sunday August 22nd)
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- Kirkleatham Museum
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- Preston Park Museum
The 50-minute socially distanced show is an explosion of cultural and heritage references, pulling together emotional and imaginative elements from the eventful lives of both KAHLO and SHER-GIL in a production which fuses together Classical Indian Dance, Western Contemporary Dance and Mexican Folk Dance…and even enjoys some live art produced by a local artist.
Olga Maloney, Artistic Director of Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance, said:
“We are just bursting with anticipation and excitement with the prospect of bringing The Two Fridas to such a breath-taking array of cultural venues this Summer.
“These museums and heritage locations will help bring to life a theatrical tale about two of the art world’s most charismatic figures; enabling the story to blossom in such a remarkable way. We are so lucky to have these magnificent buildings on our doorstep.
“This all follows on from our UK premiere which enjoyed a sold-out performance earlier last year on the grounds of The Bowes Museum showing that audiences in the region have a real appetite for dance-theatre especially with such spectacular backdrops.”
Jonathan Ward Commercial Director of Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels & Gardens, said:
“After such a long time without live performances we’re delighted to welcome The Two Fridas – we’re certain that our audiences will have an amazing time and enjoy both the event itself, and the spectacular location here at Ushaw.”
Councillor Jim Beall, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Leisure and Culture, said:
“It’s great news that The Two Fridas show is coming to various venues across the Borough this summer.
“The mixture of music, dance, narration and live painting is going to be fascinating to watch as it all combines to tell the stories of two incredible female artists.
“The region will welcome the show with performances planned at Stockton Central Library (Friday, August 6), Tees Barrage International White Water Centre (Sunday, August 8), Billingham’s Forum Theatre (Friday, August 13), and Preston Park Museum & Grounds (Saturday, August 21).
“The fact that the show is touring the area will, of course, give more people the opportunity to see it and each of the venues will be fine settings for the show and add something different to the character of the performances.”
BIFF would like to thank the following organisations for their assistance in helping to host The Two Fridas this Summer: Darlington Borough Council; Middlesbrough Council; Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council; Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council; and the Canal & River Trust.
The Two Fridas is being supported by Arts Council England through its National Lottery Project Grants Programme.