Take a thrilling ride through 13.8 billion years of life, the universe and everything in it.
About Us is a spectacular open-air event that combines live shows and multimedia installations exploring our infinite connections to our planet, the wider cosmos and each other. If you’ve ever looked up in awe at the night sky and wondered how you’re linked to the stars beyond, this is the show for you.
About Us uses cutting-edge projection mapping, animation, music, poetry and live performance to celebrate our extraordinary connections to everything around us: past, present and future. Created by 59 Productions, Stemettes and The Poetry Society in collaboration with poets and scientists across the UK, this epic free show will be projected at night onto the landmarks of Caernarfon, Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Luton and Paisley.
Everything is connected
Our journey begins 13.8 billion years ago with the Big Bang. This explosive moment led to the evolution of everything on Earth, and the process it started is still unfolding in the right-here, right-now of the 21st century.
Look around! You’ll find networks of connection everywhere:
- We are stardust. Every atom of our being can be traced back to deep space and time.
- We are ecosystems. There are more non-human cells than human cells both in and on our bodies, and we couldn’t survive without them.
- We are animals. The human family tree connects back to every living thing on earth.
- We are social creatures. We give our lives meaning through our relationships with people around us and the wider world beyond.
By lifting the lid on how each and every one of us is an intricate part of the universe, we’ll show the magic and wonder of the everyday as we celebrate everything About Us.
Get involved!
We’re working with artists in Caernarfon, Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Luton and Paisley to create new works inspired by the themes of About Us. We’ll present them as part of a series of awe-inspiring outdoor multimedia installations – along with live performances by local choirs of Nitin Sawhney’s brand new musical score.
If you can’t get to the live shows, don’t worry: you can still connect with About Us online and through events and workshops we’re creating with cultural organisations and research institutions across the UK.
We’re inviting children and young people across the UK to create a poem or Scratch project on the themes of About Us. Send us yours by 19 December 2021 - winning entries will feature in our outdoor multimedia installations, as well as appearing in a special digital poetry anthology.
About Us also includes a programme of coding and poetry workshops showcasing the connections between science, technology and poetry, delivered by Stemettes and The Poetry Society in 50 primary schools. Teachers and youth workers across the UK can download free multidisciplinary digital resource packs to help spark creative inspiration in the classroom – and beyond.
Credits
Created by 59 Productions, Stemettes & The Poetry Society
Composer Nitin Sawhney
Key information
When
From 1 March 2022
Where
- Paisley
- Derry-Londonderry
- Caernarfon
- Luton
- Hull
Suitable for
All ages
Admission
Free