Festival fun going online to beat virus restrictions
ONE of the many events to fall victim to coronavirus is Macclesfield’s Barnaby Festival - but organisers are taking the fun online.
The festival was scheduled to take place in the town from June 18 to 28 with the theme of vision and a whole host of colourful activities.
And while this will no longer happen organisers have found a way to hold a virtual event so some of it can still take place.
There will be a smaller digital programme on Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21. Further events will be held online in the coming months.
One of the events moving onto the internet will be Our Future is Ancient by Salford-based artist
Simon Buckley. He had been visiting Macclesfield Forest at night when there was a full moon to take photographs that would have been used for an art installation at the festival.
Instead his work will now be presented in a live stream on June 20, which will feature projections and storytelling.
Simon, who runs the Not Quite Light project, said: “We all grew up with the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel so, despite the forest being a place of sanctuary, I actually felt safer on the streets of Salford.
“However, in the past months, I’ve grown to love being here in the twilight, even feeling disappointment when the light arrives. The call of owls and other creatures is quite magical.
“Lockdown
changed our world and during the weeks of confinement, I began to crave the forest. Creating work around such an ancient place feels very relevant at the moment.”
Barnaby festival will be hosting the work on its website after June 20.
Abi Gilmore, co-chair of Barnaby Festival, said: “We’re so excited about this project. It has become even more relevant since the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is such an interesting interpretation of the theme of vision. Something very beautiful will be created from a very difficult situation.”
To see the work follow Barnaby Festival and Not Quite Light on Instagram and Twitter, @notquitelight and @barnabyfestival.