“The imagination is an instrument of liberation, one to which we all have access and which serves to celebrate and enlarge our common humanity” Lindsay Clarke
Starting in March this year and continuing throughout April and May, Rook Lane arts will be hosting Celebrating the Imagination, a new festival of literature, visual arts and contemporary thought. The festival is the brain child of Richard Bright, director of the Interalia Centre, who is working in collaboration with writer Lindsay Clarke and the team at Rook Lane to create two months of talks and presentations. These will focus on a range of subjects and ideas within art, design, culture, science, environment and literarature – plus, perhaps most importantly, that which binds all of these fields together: The Imagination.
The Interalia Centre’s track record is in delivering lectures and seminars which deal with the interplay of art and science, and how a more cross-disciplinary approach is increasingly being embraced by practitioners. Richard Bright always manages to select speakers with a knack for presenting ideas in this way, and as one of the collaborators in last year’s Generation Next festival he was instrumental in devising a programme that brought together scientists and artists, academics and creatives.
Celebrating the Imagination promises to continue in the same vein. The festival launches with a weekend of talks entitled “The Gist”, which will include talks from Sir Andrew Motion, Liliane Lijn, Lindsay Clarke and John Moat amongst many others. With tickets for “The Gist” already selling in London and the South West, this is already being recognised as a unique oppurtunity to see such a diverse array of speakers in one weekend.
The Interalia Centre are keen for Celebrating the Imagination to offer the creative community of Frome something of international quality on their doorstep. They are also eager to use this opportunity to draw in new visitors to Frome with the high-profile names on the programme.
Richard Bright wants for the festival to be “…a unique experience which aims to encourage imaginative discussion and provide a thought-provoking experience for audiences of all ages. Frome has a vibrant creative community and is rich in culture and new ideas. The festival aims to reflect and celebrate this, whilst drawing new visitors to the town.”
In addition to the main programme, Celebrating the Imagination is teaming up with two other programmes of related Frome events this Spring. Hunting Raven and Break 3 are working with local schools to deliver a series of workshops and activities, engaging children of all ages to be inspired by literature and storytelling. There will also be a partner programme entitled Fringe Fridays which will be based at Sun Street Chapel and will provide a series of talks from local poets, artists and thinkers. With this collaborative approach, these events combined should transform Frome into a hive of ideas and activities this spring.
With discounted tickets available for students, and OAPS, and with under 18s offered free entry to all events, Celebrating the Imagination aims to engage audiences of all ages. Tickets are available to buy from the Interalia website and the Bath Box Office.
Early-bird prices are also available, and full listings for all of the events in the programme can be found on the Rook Lane Arts events page.
Sir Andrew Motion
Liliane Lijn – “Young Universe (Poem Machine)” c1962
