As writer of the opening event for Hull City of Culture 2017 I worked alongside a team of talented artists under the direction of film-maker Sean McAllister. I wrote a series of narratives that told the story of the city and its people to be projected onto the epic canvas of its buildings and public spaces in the city centre. These storylines were given to visual and film artists to develop or interpret as they saw fit.
See film of ‘Made in Hull’:
From Victoria Sq with its stunning 3 building projection film by Zsolt Balogh, to the Deep and a film created by Imitating the Dog that portrayed Hull’s immigrant heritage, the projections and installations drew massive crowds into the city over the first week of January 2017. The opening event successfully kick-started a year of cultural events in the city embraced enthusiastically by locals and visitors alike. ‘Made in Hull’ was designed for both a local and a visiting audience. It portrayed the living experience of Hull people’s own history, and by doing so gave the local community a powerful sense of ownership and pride in its own culture, whilst showcasing that culture to the rest of the world. Seeing their own story writ large across the city meant the community were engaged with the City of Culture from the outset, and receptive to a subsequent programme of events that could present a wider less parochial perspective. ‘Made in Hull’ won a Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Award for 2017.
Rupert Creed 