MANCHESTER.- HOME announced the success of their HOMEwarming weekend (21-25 May) to which they welcomed 28,000 visitors.
The celebrations started in spectacular style on Thursday evening, when patron Danny Boyle, HOME Director and Chief Executive Dave Moutrey and Leader of Manchester City Council Sir Richard Leese oversaw the Funfair Fanfare which heralded the start of the HOMEwarming weekend.
With over 100 events taking place across the weekend, including a series of new commissions across theatre, art and film alongside touring shows and parties each night, people of all ages came to enjoy HOME’s buzzing new spaces, interactive theatre and film screenings, exhibitions, buildings and backstage tours.
On Thursday evening HOME celebrated the press night of The Funfair, a spectacular new adaptation by Simon Stephens of Odon Von Horvarth’s Kasimir and Karoline. The opening group exhibition The heart is deceitful above all things, an exploration of heartbreak and the dark side of the funfair opened on Friday. Celebrations on the theme of heartbreak continued into the night with Heartbreak Karaoke, featuring a surprise performance by comedian Harry Hill.
The First Street Party on Sunday celebrated a family day for Manchester’s newest neighbourhood with music, food and theatre. Storytelling, games, film, workshops and family-friendly theatre performances included Talking Birds’ The Whale, The Incredible Book Eating Boy and a tour of HOME by storybook characters inspired by Inkheart, HOME’s 2015 Christmas show.
Monday saw the launch of the Music & Film series in HOME’s cinemas, newly commissioned live scores set to archive footage and classic films with premieres of Josephine’s Celluloid Love Songs and Robin Richards of Dutch Uncles’ live score to Lonesome. HOME Young Creatives, a programme for the region’s creative 14-25 year olds was also launched.
· Over the weekend an estimated 28,000 people came to HOME
· The First Street Party on Sunday was attended by approximately 11,000 visitors
· Almost 15,000 people visited the galleries to see opening group exhibition The heart is deceitful above all things
· About 250 artists, filmmakers, musicians and performers joined HOME for the weekend’s events
· 70 volunteers supported events at HOME over the weekend
· Over 500 visitors attended building tours
· More than 500 children took part in the Inkheart building tours, The Story That Lived and The Incredible Book Eating Boy
· As part of the First Street Party on Sunday, the Café Bar served over 400 pizzas from the outdoor ovens!
