British artists, Umbrellium will float towards the night sky at MediaCityUK, surrounded by street dancers led by the choreography team behind the London 2012 Opening Ceremony. 

After drifting into the night skies of Dubai, Hong Kong, Paris and Barcelona, the towering balloon sculpture, Mini Burble makes its first UK appearance to provide the dramatic centrepiece to The Quays Festival, a series of FREE night time events taking place between Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 July 2015. 

Illuminating the sharp, modern architecture of MediaCityUK, the otherworldly structure of 300, LED-lit balloons comes from the minds of London-based digital artists, Umbrellium. Mini Burble flies at 5pm each night and the first show is two and half hours followed by a one and half hour production at 9pm when the balloons will be spectacularly lit against the night sky.

 After hitting the international spotlight through overseas ventures with Mini Burble and their immersive installation as part of The Barbican’s landmark Digital Revolution (2014) exhibition, Umbrellium are commissioned by Quays Culture to provide the interactive centrepiece to the five day spectacle.

 The programme also sees Boy Blue Entertainment, famed for realising Danny Boyle’s vision as choreographers for the London 2012 Opening Ceremony, lead hundreds of volunteer dancers in a mass dance street performance that responds to Mini Burble on the closing night. (Saturday 18 July).

 The ethos of participation runs through The Quays culture programme and the artists they work with, with the balloon sculpture’s network of lights being controlled by members of the public through a specially designed iPad application. People will be able to step forward and run their finger across the screen to create swathes of changing colour as the balloons sway in the early summer, canal side breeze.

 Mini Burble is opened on Tuesday 14 July with the reappearance by the HONOUR Choir, a collective of singers who came together for the first time in August 2014 as part of a Quays Culture production to commemorate the anniversary of World War 1. Dubbed the ‘Greater Manchester Super Choir’, the singers have stayed together since their public appearances at last year’s multi-disciplinary outdoor event outside the BBC North buildings and will sing to the Mini Burble sculpture as it reaches for the sky. 

 Lucy Dusgate, Programme Producer for Quays Culture, says: “Mini Burble really needs to be seen to be believed, with hundreds of balloons taking on fluid, organic shapes as the breeze changes direction. For the last three years we have offered open cultural events on The Quays and have found that people are excited by the opportunity to join in with these futuristic artworks. So, to be able to offer them the chance to play with a giant digital sculpture or join a dance troop of hundreds is just as fantastic, and best of all it’s all free.”

 Quays Culture have previously presented the popular NVA’s Speed of Light, Illotopie’s Water Fools, HONOUR and Aeolian Light at the waterfront location.

 

Listings Information:

Tue 14 July, 9pm: Umbrellium’s Mini Burble and the HONOUR Choir

Wed 15 July, 5pm & 9:00pm: Umbrellium’s Mini Burble

Thu 16 July: 5pm & 9:00pm: Umbrellium’s Mini Burble

Fri 17 July: 5pm & 9:00pm: Umbrellium’s Mini Burble

Sat 18 July, 5pm & 9:00pm: Umbrellium’s Mini Burble and Boy Blue Entertainment

The 5pm show is two-and-a-half hours followed by a one-and-a-half hour 9pm show.

Location: The Piazza, MediaCityUK, Salford, M50 2EQ (https://goo.gl/maps/6Q9d6)

 

For more information visit www.quaysculture.com and @QuaysCulture

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