Illuminate Arts Festival – Oldham
Gemma Gibb, Associate Editor
This Friday sees Oldham’s first late-night arts festival as music, performances, events, lanterns and installations take over the town centre across Gallery Oldham, Oldham Parish Church, Parliament Square and Old Town Hall Cinema.
Follow the carnival lantern Parade of Illumination which will bring the “Oldham Owl” to Parliament Square and brace yourselves for the 5 metre tall spectacular local legend (and lantern to end all lanterns) that is the “Oldham Giant”.
Brilliant street arts spectacles include the mighty Spark! illuminated drummers, Global Grooves’ carnival arts version of The Tempest and The Bureau of Silly Ideas.
Witness Within These Walls as 3D projections from Illuminos will light up Oldham Parish Church revealing the colours and patterns found within to a bells and pipes soundtrack from the church itself while Oldham artist Mike Green presents Cascadence – an installation of cascading sound, water and mechanical movements in the church gardens.
Head to the glorious Gallery Oldham for a special late-night opening which will include an illuminated vintage bus from Manchester Transport Museum and Stomp To The Light dance performance performed by Oldham Theatre Workshop. Don’t miss the Starcrossed installation of “Shakespearian curiosities” by artist Richard Dawson in the gallery gardens. Oldham’s definitely where it’s at.
