23/1/2015
Mons 2015
Different Venues, Mons
Mons becomes capital of creativity, with a host of cultural and artistic events, new museums and big projects for you and with you. This year with by highlighted by 4 major events, which will be themed: the dazzling, the great reveal, the blazing summer, the renaissance. The illumination will be the theme of the opening ceremony which is taking place in Mons on 24 January 2015!
Well, here we are. The year Mons is the European Capital of
Culture has finally started, after more than ten years of preparation.
It starts with a bang, with a strong first season under the theme of
the dazzling. The Opening night as a true invitation to wander and to
wonder. It will be :
— 100% free
— Designed for visitors to roam around freely
— Spread across some 19 sites: 13 outdoors and 6 indoors
— Running constantly, apart from three events which are absolutely
not to be missed (See p.20)
Two major exhibitions open during the same weekend : Van
Gogh in the Borinage and Mons Superstar ! Both exhibitions show
how Mons embraces its heritage and history with a strong digital and
innovative approach.
The past, present and future also mark the city visit offered by
Mons Street ReView, a collaboration between French artists xtnt,
digital formation center Technocité and the citizens of Mons, available
online from 24/1/2015.
Théâtre Le Manège is at the heart of 36 new performing arts
creations, some by big names such as Pommerat, Vandekeybus,
Van Dormael and Marco Martinelli. ‘Coupé décalé’ (South Africa and
Cameroon) and ’La imaginación del futuro’ (Chile) are the first perfor-
mances of the year. Africa and South America are taking the stage
of the European Capital of Culture with explosive, sassy and political
statements, in collaboration with ‘The Festival of Liège’.
Investment in culture is the motor of socio-economic renewal.
Mons will launch Café Europa, an international interconnected network
for grassroots places offering young and old alike an opportunity to
experiment with 3D-printing and other state of the art technology.
The Micx conference centre, designed by Daniel Libeskind will cater
for business travel
Illumination is the theme of the Mons 2015 grand opening cere-
mony. You will be turned into a living mirror ball when you pull on one
of the 18,000 silver ponchos that will be distributed for free. Then just
wander around ! There is no schedule for exploring every street, park
and building that the artists have transformed. Light the thousands
of candles that will set Place du Parc ablaze. Be dazzled by the 3D
mapping of Carré des Arts. Or learn to dance with a hundred fluores-
cent robots at Place du Marché aux Herbes. All the artists will be out
and about, but if you wander into the cultural venues, look out! It’ll be
Woodstock at the Théâtre du Manège and jazzed up classics at the
Alhambra. Overwrought? Then drift off into a reverie at the Belfry with
the luminous elves who watch over the sleeping dragon. Treat yourself
to a Finnish jacuzzi, then head back to the Grand’Place and dance
into the small hours. Cue the lights!
Philippe Kauffmann, artistic director of the opening ceremony :
‘There is a midway point between the bouncy castle and cutting-edge
creativity. Our one principle was to entrust the ceremony to artists and
to tell a powerful story. The Mons 2015 version is thus neither folklore
nor mere entertainment. An artist is involved in all projects, because a
strong artistic approach puts the story across effectively. If the artist’s
imaginative world is sufficiently potent, this will get people thinking,
and above all it will move them emotionally. We are attempting to
invent new forms for the relationship between artists and the public,
encouraging genuine encounters, the sense of sharing a unique
moment in a context that is itself unique.
Press Contact:
CHARLINE CAUCHIE
National Press FR
+32 (0)479 77 42 23
charline.cauchie@mons2015.eu
JOHAN VREYS
National Press NL
+32 (0)474 63 66 41
johan.vreys@mons2015.eu
Opening: 24.01.2015 | From 6 pm. All night.
All over the city of Mons (Free of charge)