Events

International Festival – A Decade of Supporting the Arts at centre:mk

The biennial IF: Milton Keynes International Festival has been inspiring audiences since 2010. Presenting a world-class multi-arts programme which includes large-scale and family events, concerts, theatre, dance, music, and visual arts installations in unusual locations across Central Milton Keynes, the festival is produced by The Stables and developed with the support of Arts Council England and Milton Keynes Council.

2021: 'GAIA', 'The Breathing Room' and 'Arrivals & Departures'

From 10-30 July 2021, centre:mk showcased three world-class interactive art installations as headline sponsor of IF: Milton Keynes International Festival. The free-to-view installations included Luke Jerram’s ‘Gaia’ in Middleton Hall, Anna Berry’s ‘Breathing Room’ in Queen’s Court and ‘Arrivals + Departures’ in City Square.

‘GAIA’, a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram, measured 7m in diameter and was created from 120dpis detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface. The artwork provided the opportunity to see our planet floating in three dimensions.

‘Breathing Room’, a kinetic installation by Anna Berry used a tunnel lined with cones to ‘breathe’, creating an otherworldly experience. Framed by the sculptural mechanical exterior, the illuminated tunnel invited audiences to travel through its gently moving interior for a unique multi-sensory immersive experience.

Anna Berry’s ‘Breathing Room’ in Queen’s Court

‘Arrivals + Departures’ was an interactive public installation about birth, death and the journey in-between by YARA + DAVINA, first opened at Somerset House, London in Autumn 2020. Taking the recognisable form of two station or airport arrivals and departures boards, the artwork invited the public to share the names of people who have arrived and departed, as a way to celebrate a birth, someone living, or commemorate a death.

A picture taken of GAIA at the launch event of International Festival became The Telegraphs ‘Picture of the Day’, with further national broadcast, radio and press coverage amplifying the ‘out of this World art installation launched in Milton Keynes Shopping centre’.

‘Arrivals + Departures’ in City Square

2018 – Festival Circus Hub

2018: Festival Circus Hub

To celebrate 250 years of the Circus, in 2018 Middleton Hall was transformed into a Circus Hub, complete with full-size big top tent and a week long programme of international circus performers.