Lauching arts festival across 1066 country

Some of the best artists working in Britain and France will take part in ROOT 1066, an arts festival next year commemorating the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings.
Root 1066 - the Coastal Currents installation in Bottle Alley was a highlight of this summer's art event SUS-150112-135931001Root 1066 - the Coastal Currents installation in Bottle Alley was a highlight of this summer's art event SUS-150112-135931001
Root 1066 - the Coastal Currents installation in Bottle Alley was a highlight of this summer's art event SUS-150112-135931001

They include Chris Levine - known for his portraits of Kate Moss, The Queen and the Dalai Lama - Marcus Harvey and Turner Prize short-listed Fiona Banner who will bring innovative perspectives on the legacy of 1066.

Staged by internationally renowned artists and companies, such as Glyndebourne Opera and Wildworks Theatre, ROOT 1066 will feature specially-commissioned works, exhibitions and shows across 1066 Country in East Sussex.

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Some of the programme highlights, curated by Hastings Borough Council’s Polly Gifford, include a pioneering large scale sound and light event designed by Levine who will collaborate with sound artists to create an immersive experience on the seafront, which will see an invitation beamed over the Channel to Normandy at the start of the festival.

The Jerwood Gallery is putting on a major exhibition of Marcus Harvey who has family links with the town and his recent work reflects aspects of 1066 heritage.

Another leading British artist, Fiona Banner, will be the focus of the De La Warr Pavilion’s exhibition of new works. Banner is best known for her approach to ideas around conflict, and language.

The Battle of Hastings was the last time Britain was successfully invaded and the sudden mixing of cultures caused a shift in our cultural identity. When Cultures Collide: A Community Opera, will use performance as a means for the people of ‘1066 country’, particularly youngsters, to examine their identity, cultural differences and similarities, and create a new anthem to represent the town’s culturally rich and diverse community. The project is being co-ordinated by Battle Festival and Glyndebourne Opera.

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Full listings of what’s on and where will be released in early 2016, for all the latest news and information go to www.1066contemporary.com, like the Facebook page ‘ROOT1066’ or follow ‘ROOT1066’ on Twitter and Instagram.

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