WELCOME TO GLOBAL STREETS Global Streets is a national programme that is inspiring local change through unforgettable international outdoor arts experiences coupled with targeted engagement activities.
“ For me, it just makes me more passionate about this town. It gets a bit of a bad name at times but generally this is a good town with amazing people.” PARTICIPANT, LUTON
“ The whole experience is a credit to the city and its residents… well done.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, HULL
Funded by Arts Council England and managed by FESTIVAL.ORG, Global Streets gives voice to people in Barking and Dagenham, Birmingham, Doncaster, Hounslow, Hull, Leicester, Liverpool, Luton, Slough and Woolwich – together representing some of the least arts-engaged areas in the country. Since 2015, more than 180,000 people have experienced a variety of international productions, each embedded with unique and locally imagined opportunities for people to get involved.
“I have lived in Leicester for 17 years and this is the first time I have seen something like this. It just brings people into the city centre and it gives people the opportunity to do something they wouldn’t usually do.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, LEICESTER A nationwide network of Global Streets Ambassadors has also empowered local people to make a difference in their communities by conceiving and producing engagement projects in their communities inspired by the Global Streets programme.
THE IMPACT OF GLOBAL STREETS Global Streets has seen a positive transformation of people’s perceptions of the places in which they live and work. Audiences express feelings of pride that their town or city is hosting an international arts event, with Global Streets productions revealing local places at their best and inviting local people to invest in the future potential of their community.
“I’m very grateful to everyone involved for the effort it took to bring such an incredible spectacle to our neighbourhood.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, LEICESTER People have also talked about feeling uplifted, thrilled and brought together by the sheer wonder and imagination of the stunning outdoor arts productions presented through Global Streets.
“It’s fantastic for this town. The turnout was amazing throughout all the streets, it’s just really good to actually get involved with different things and it brings diversity to the town.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, DONCASTER Global Streets has generated a huge and growing appetite for captivating and spectacular productions. Engaging audiences who in many cases are not regular arts attenders, there is now a well-established sense of anticipation for these highly-engaging international outdoor arts experiences.
GLOBAL STREETS ACROSS THE UK LEICESTER
LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL
DONCASTER
CAST, DONCASTER
LIVERPOOL
HULL
HULL FREEDOM FESTIVAL
CULTURE LIVERPOOL
LUTON
REVOLUTON ARTS
BIRMINGHAM
BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME
BARKING AND DAGENHAM CREATIVE BARKING AND DAGENHAM
HOUNSLOW
WATERMANS ARTS CENTRE, HOUNSLOW
SLOUGH
HOME SLOUGH
WOOLWICH
GREENWICH+DOCKLANDS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
IN NUMBERS AND WORDS
10 partners
171,081 audience members
15
45
productions
“ At the end everybody came together to dance; young, old, different races, and we were all united by the music. Everyone had a smile on their face.”
performances
96%
strongly agreed or agreed that ‘the event was enjoyable’
AUDIENCE MEMBER, HOUNSLOW
9,853 participants
45%
low arts engagers, compared to 17% in national audiences
76%
low or mid arts engagers, compared to 62% in national audiences
“ Being able to challenge myself with what I’m happy doing, my confidence has definitely grown.” PARTICIPANT, LUTON
“ Can you imagine, me, getting involved in the arts? Now I can’t get enough of it!” GLOBAL STREETS AMBASSADOR, WOOLWICH
“ I t is quite an inspiration, and it’s going to be an encouragement for a lot of young people.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, WOOLWICH
“ We’re such a diverse town. It’s great to have an event like this where you see a huge range of people out and getting involved and enjoying something.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, HOUNSLOW
78%
say Global Streets gives them pride in their local area
62% identify positive community change as a result of Global Streets events
50% say Global Streets events help them understand people from other cultures
“ To have something so creative and so brilliant from another country makes Doncaster stand proud on the map to be included.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, DONCASTER
“ As I’ve become more involved in this project, I’ve learned more about the amazing things that are happening in this area and it’s really, really moved me, and … if it can have that effect on me then it might have that effect on someone else.” GLOBAL STREETS AMBASSADOR, WOOLWICH
“ K ids pick up on it too, and they realise that this comes from a different culture and we’re a community where a lot of cultures live together so it’s good to enjoy everybody’s culture.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, BARKING AND DAGENHAM
GLOBAL STREETS AND BREXIT At a time of uncertainty and division regarding the UK’s relationship with the Europe and the rest of the world, the Global Streets programme is fostering a positive recognition of diversity and difference through an appreciation of international artists and the quality of the work they present.
“I think it represents what a cultural town we are with the wide variety of people that you have here tonight. It’s excellent that people from Europe came over to our town.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, LEICESTER Time and again, people say they are proud that the places in which they live and work are welcoming these international outdoor arts experiences. These productions engender a spirit of conviviality across communities, offering a shared experience that brings diverse audiences together. By giving voice to local people who often feel unheard, Global Streets is playing a key role in seeking out common ground and bridging divides. The further development of the programme could not be more timely.
“It’s a great way of sharing culture with a really diverse audience, it really brought the community together.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, DONCASTER
SPOTLIGHT ON GLOBAL STREETS AMBASSADORS Launched in 2018 with funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the Global Streets Ambassadors programme was established to explore ways in which Global Streets partners can deepen year-round connections with their local communities.
Bringing together people with different skills, experience, abilities, ambitions and potential, the Global Streets Ambassadors have worked together on projects ranging from a celebration of inspirational women in Woolwich to a large-scale processional elephant parading through the streets of Hounslow. The programme enables the Ambassadors to make connections within their communities, using international outdoor performing arts as a catalyst for deepening their engagement in local civic life.
“This has been my personal spark to get involved in my community, I just get a smile on my face thinking about it.” GLOBAL STREETS AMBASSADOR, BARKING AND DAGENHAM
MEET NIKI
MEET JANE
Niki is a Children’s Services Manager and Global Streets Ambassador based in Doncaster. Using the human rights themes of Arka, a Global Streets production presented in the town in 2018, Niki has opened up a discussion with young people from Doncaster’s LGBTQ+ community. Through a series of workshops running up to and at Doncaster Pride, 110 young people created pieces of art that celebrated the positives of being LGBTQ+ and captured what they would like to improve. Their artwork was then sewn together to create a quilt that was unveiled at a community reception before the Arka performance.
Inspired by Rise!, the Global Streets production presented in Woolwich in 2018, Jane, a Community Centre Manager, worked with three other local residents to celebrate the contributions of the town’s women and non-binary people. Together they organised an exhibition of placards that celebrated these Woolwich stories, displaying them across a range of community-based sites in the week leading up to Remembrance Day, which in 2018 had a particular focus on the Suffragette Movement. The exhibition was supported by a digital booklet, social media activity and a website where members of the public continue to nominate more extraordinary women from Woolwich.
Niki’s project has enabled open and honest conversations about the lives of young LGBTQ+ people in the town. The quilt has been displayed at various locations since Arka, initiating further conversations, and plans are being developed to tour it to libraries and youth centres.
“ When you’re one person stood in front of a big problem, you sometimes don’t know where to start. What [LGBTQ+ young people have] done through their artwork is give me a clear message about where I need to start, and the people that I need to be talking to... Thank you for the wonderful opportunity which has meant so much.” NIKI, GLOBAL STREETS AMBASSADOR, DONCASTER
As a result of her involvement with Global Streets Ambassadors, Jane is working to bring more arts opportunities to Woolwich Common Community Centre. The Woolwich Ambassadors continue to meet as a group and have already made initial plans to collaborate with Rise! nominee and award-winning author Bernardine Evaristo.
“ I feel proud to be involved and to work with the other Ambassadors. I’ve never really had much to do with the arts but since working with the group last year it has inspired me to bring more art-based activities to the centre.” JANE, GLOBAL STREETS AMBASSADOR, WOOLWICH
GLOBAL STREETS PRODUCTIONS ARKA Teatr Ósmego Dnia (Poland)
AN EXPLORATION OF MIGRATION TOLD THOUGH STUNNING FLAME-LIT STRUCTURES Presented in Hounslow and Doncaster
THE AUDIENCE ORCHESTRA A PARTICIPATORY CONCERT WHERE Lieux Publics THE AUDIENCE CREATES THE MUSIC (France)
Presented in Barking and Dagenham, Birmingham and Hounslow
CARDBOARDIA Cardboardia (Russia)
THE CLASH OF DRUMS Les Commandos Percu (France) and Deabru Beltzak (Basque Country, Spain)
THE COLOUR OF LIGHT Compagnie Off (France)
WELCOME TO THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF CARDBOARDIA – MADE AND RUN BY YOU Presented in Barking and Dagenham and Slough
A SPECTACULAR FUSION OF PERCUSSION AND AWESOME FIREWORKS Presented in Doncaster, Hull, Leicester, Liverpool, Luton, Birmingham and Woolwich
A PROMENADE PERFORMANCE OF ENORMOUS COLOUR WHEELS CELEBRATING INCLUSION AND OPENHEARTEDNESS Presented in Doncaster, Woolwich and Luton
THE COLOUR OF TIME Compagnie Artonik (France)
THE INVASION LJUD (Slovenia)
JOYOUS URBAN MESS Les Vernisseurs (France)
A PROMENADE DANCE PERFORMANCE CULMINATING IN A SPLASH OF COLOUR Presented in Doncaster, Hounslow, Luton, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Barking and Dagenham
AN INTERACTIVE ALIEN INVASION EXPLORING DIFFERENCE, INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION Presented in Leicester and Hounslow
A PERFORMANCE OF SURPRISE AND DELIGHT WHERE THE STREETS BECOME AN IMMERSIVE COLOUR-FILLED PLAYGROUND Presented in Slough, Birmingham, Leicester and Hull
LOST CASTLES & CHINESE ARCH
MONUMENTAL STRUCTURES BUILT FROM MERE CARDBOARD – A TRUE COMMUNITY EFFORT
Olivier Grossetête (France)
Presented in Liverpool and Birmingham
MONSTER COLOURS
AN INSTALLATION OF BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED, HANDMADE INTERACTIVE STREET GAMES
Tombs Creatius (Catalonia)
PEREGRINUS Teatr KTO (Poland)
RISE! Compagnie L’homme Debout (France)
Presented in Birmingham, Barking and Dagenham, Hull and Leicester
AN INVENTIVE PROMENADE VISION OF THE 21ST CENTURY WORKPLACE Presented in Hounslow and Greenwich
A PROCESSION OF GIANT PUPPETS AND PYROTECHNICS CELEBRATING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY Presented in Woolwich, Hull and Luton
STELI Stalker Teatro (Italy)
A BRIDGE BETWEEN CONTEMPORARY ART AND PERFORMANCE WHERE YOU CREATE YOUR OWN VIBRANT STRUCTURE Presented in Barking and Dagenham, Hounslow and Leicester
TANGLE Polyglot (Australia)
AN UNFOLDING INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION WHERE AUDIENCES CREATE AN EXPANDING ANARCHIC STRUCTURE Presented in Woolwich, Hull, Birmingham and Leicester
2 B SCENE Osadia (Catalonia)
HAIRDRESSING BECOMES THEATRE WITH THESE SOPHISTICATED AND PROVOCATIVE MAKE-UP AND HAIR TRANSFORMATIONS Presented in Barking and Dagenham and Greenwich
NEXT STEPS Over the last four years Global Streets has clearly shown how international outdoor arts can transform the communities that welcome these productions, inspiring local change, enhancing pride of place and supporting community cohesion.
In the context of current uncertainty about the UK’s international relations, in the coming years Global Streets is perfectly placed to deepen local and global connections and foster an appreciation of diversity and difference in 11 locations across the UK.
Furthermore, Global Streets is now benefitting from a new nationwide network of Ambassadors – local advocates who are becoming more engaged in the wider civic life of their communities, thereby enhancing the community engagement of Global Streets.
We want to promote active citizenship, inspiring and supporting people to make a difference in their communities through international outdoor arts.
We want to encourage audience members to feel proud of their communities in welcoming international outdoor arts productions that reflect and celebrate their local stories.
We want to create the space to celebrate diversity, encouraging audiences and participants who experience Global Streets to appreciate and enjoy difference and diversity and to advocate for a celebration of that difference.
We want to re-imagine the high street, focussing on active and positive engagement, particularly through working with our Global Streets Ambassadors.
We want to excite audiences with international outdoor arts productions, encouraging audience members to become even more critically engaged through participation, meeting artists and skills development.
“ This is really going to be the talk of the town, you know? They will not forget this event. They will be talking about this tomorrow, they’ll be talking about it next month and next year.” AUDIENCE MEMBER, WOOLWICH
Thank you to all our partners: