Member Article

Hadrian’s Wall named as London 2012 Festival site

Hadrian’s Wall has been named as one of the sites for the London 2012 Festival, a 12-week celebration of leading artists from across the world to tie in with the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year.

Hadrian’s Wall will play host an installation, which will be accessible to visitors at several locations along its 86 miles. The piece, which is still under construction, will be designed by a New York based artists collective, YesYesNo, with its founder member, Zachary Lieberman.

Linda Tuttiett, chief executive of Hadrian’s Wall Heritage expressed her delight at the news.

She commented: “We are absolutely delighted about the investment in Hadrian’s Wall and to be involved in this iconic arts event with the Cultural Olympiad team, and we are now working closely with the artist.


–The commission is designed to showcase the north of England internationally using digital media, and follows on from the success of the Illuminating Hadrian’s Wall event in 2010 which was viewed by a huge worldwide audience through the internet and generated £3 million for the local economy.

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The Festival will celebrate a huge range, quality and accessibility of world class culture, and will give people the opportunity to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Linda added: “We will be able to communicate the importance of the significant Roman Frontier and World Heritage Site and showcase our inspirational northern landscapes with the fantastic heritage cities of Carlisle and Tyneside to new audiences around the world.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .