PRESS
RELEASE - 5 March 2014
Embargo:
Immediate
Our
Big Gig: Nationwide music celebration returns to a community near you this summer
- Our Big Gig returns
to host hundreds of music events in communities across the nation from 11-13
July
- Grants and
support available for event organisers who wish to programme community events in
their areas
Our
Big Gig, England
Funded
by the Department for Communities and Local Government, Our Big Gig will see
the country unite to celebrate local music at community events, showcase new
and existing talent and give people the opportunity to have a go at making
music.
Last
summer, over 200,000 people attended 326 Our Big Gig events which saw a wide
variety of musical activities take place in a range of unusual spaces. From
schools to skate parks, beaches to boats, some 14,600 people performed across
the length and breadth of the country.
For
2014, all types of community organisations are being urged to apply to put on
an event in their local area and bring together diverse groups of people
through music. Be it a sports club, faith group or another, all successful
applicants receive grant funding and event management training is provided.
Organised
by music and arts organisation Superact, Our Big Gig grew from the Bandstand Marathon;
an iconic London 2012 festival event that helped close the London Games with
9000 people across Britain simultaneously performing Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’.
As
an official ‘Spirit of 2012’ legacy event, the Olympic feel good factor pervaded
Our Big Gig in 2013 as 5,800 people volunteered
to help at events and nearly 35,000 people took part in new musical activities.
Launching Our Big Gig for 2014, Communities Minister Stephen
Williams said:
“Our Big Gig is a great opportunity for local people to take
the lead in putting on a musical event that unites their local community,
celebrates home grown talent and inspires people without a background in music
to get involved.
“Like taking part in sport, making music has the power to
transform lives and I’m really looking forward to events that inspire people of
all ages and backgrounds to get involved and make music part of their lives.”
Katharine Lane,
Director at Superact
added:
“Our
Big Gig is a fantastic opportunity for organisations to put on a musical event in
their community and reach out to people that they may not yet know.
“While
Superact has been running community music events across the UK
“We’re
looking forward to receiving event applications from across the country and
would encourage as many people as possible to apply before 4th April”
To apply to host an
Our Big Gig event visit www.ourbiggig.co.uk
and fill out the online form.
Deadline for
applications – 4th April 2014
ENDS
NOTES TO
EDITORS
DCLG – The Department for Communities and Local
Government works to move decision making power from central government to
communities, putting them in charge of local services and planning, showing
them how their money is being spent, and working to bring communities and
people from all backgrounds together. www.gov.uk/dclg
Superact - Superact is a not-for-profit CIC that uses music and
the arts to develop and deliver social impact projects in the UK
Our Big Gig
Our
Big Gig is an annual event that brings communities together to celebrate their
local musical talents and get more people involved in music making.
The
summer event will run from 11th to the 13th July 2014
Our Big Gig EXTRA
Our
Big Gig EXTRA offers longer term community music making opportunities to
specific communities.
In
2013, projects ran in Bristol , Leicester,
Knowsley, Blackburn with Darwen, Birmingham ,
Bradford, Luton, Middlesbrough, and the London
boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Westminster
Contact Information
– Photos, info & interviews
For
general enquiries about Our Big Gig and Superact, contact:
-
Nick Roberts at nickr@superact.org.uk
or 0117 2140366 / 07966224375
http://www.superact.org.uk/ourbiggig/
http://www.superact.org.uk/ourbiggig/
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