IF you have a sense of adventure
IF you want a family day out
IF you love live music
IF you like a good laugh
IF you want breathtaking shows
IF you want to see a different side to Milton Keynes
“ Having booked my annual leave specifically to attend all ten days of IF, I absolutely wasn’t disappointed with my ‘staycation’. Exceptional, amazing, outstanding performances, and so many moments where you caught your breath and realised what a fantastic place MK can be!”
Festival-goer
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www.ifmiltonkeynes.org
Artistic
IF: Milton Keynes International Festival has been transforming Central Milton Keynes with a world-class, multi-arts programme of extraordinary events in unusual places and public spaces since 2010.
Produced by internationally renowned music organisation The Stables, the Festival is underpinned by an ongoing theme of sound and music. Over 10 days, the high quality programme features artists and companies from across the world and consists of largescale outdoor events, international productions, a highly decorated ‘Spiegeltent’ hosting comedy, cabaret and live music, pop-up performances and events designed to take place in specific buildings or public spaces.
The Festival has a growing reputation for also presenting UK premieres, commissioning new work and embedding an ArtistIn-Residence into its programme. IF is delivered every two years with funding from Arts Council England and Milton Keynes Council, and support from businesses, trusts and foundations.
“ It created a ‘joined-up’ sense of place, which I have often missed in Milton Keynes. It made me think of the city as an exciting place where inspiration can be found.” Festival-goer
“ I love the way that festivals such as the Manchester International Festival, Milton Keynes International Festival or the Liverpool Biennial galvanise a town and involve the wider public in the arts.” Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chair of Arts Council England www.ifmiltonkeynes.org
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Engaging
“ The highlight for me was Rosemary Lee’s Under The Vaulted Sky – a touching piece of work that brought professional and non-professional performers together with equal importance, commitment and beauty. I am so pleased that South East Dance could support this stunning piece of work. What a wonderful experience for all involved. I believe the work will resonate far beyond its performances within the Festival.” Elizabeth Mischler, Artist Development Producer for South East Dance 4
www.ifmiltonkeynes.org
“ IF: Milton Keynes International Festival is growing with each edition, and we are delighted to see it playing an increasingly strategic and important role in Milton Keynes’ cultural life as well as raising the city’s profile nationally and internationally.”
“With a vision to create 10 extraordinary days that use the city as a stage, the Festival showcases incredible artists and events in an accessible way to create life-long memories that people can cherish and share. In addition, the Festival’s role is to raise the ‘artistic adventure’ of Milton Keynes, surprising its residents and visitors, and providing a creative springboard for future artistic activity and engagement. Produced by The Stables, the Festival is an important event that is now central to what our organisation does, extending the venue’s reach into the city and beyond. Whilst drawing on The Stables reputation as a world class music organisation, and benefiting from its relationships with the music industry, the Festival has a distinct brand of its own.
Focusing on high quality, contemporary international and professional artistic endeavour, IF seeks to engage people with music and sound in surprising ways through a varied programme that encompasses jawdropping international spectacles such as the Magical Menagerie (2010), Carabosse Fire Gardens (2012), As The World Tipped (2012), Architects of Air’s Pentalum (2014) and Fous de Bassin on the surface of Willen Lake (2014) to small-scale intimate events such as Melanie Pappenheim’s Falling (2014). Year on year we have presented more roving and pop-up events in the city and a greater number of family activities that have engaged more and more people.
In 2012, the Festival worked with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and was part of the London 2012 Festival presenting the UK premiere of Cambodian production Rouge, Turner prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller’s Sacrilege and The Lone Twin Boat Project. In 2014 we built on this success with more new commissions including Rosemary Lee’s profoundly moving Under The Vaulted Sky, made for performance in the Cathedral of Trees, and Kaffe Matthew’s sound installation The lock shift songs – both of which included participants from Milton Keynes. The Festival is always full of surprises and we invite you to reflect on our achievements to date and to look forward to our next 10 amazing days when you can experience happenings, events and installations where you wouldn’t normally expect to find them and do things you wouldn’t usually imagine yourself doing. We could not present such a large-scale event without the commitment of our funders and partners, and we hope to work with these supporters to further develop the Festival going forward. Our thanks go to Arts Council England, Milton Keynes Council, our corporate partners and many supporters who make the impossible possible.” Monica Ferguson, Festival Director and Chief Executive of The Stables
www.ifmiltonkeynes.org
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“ Niftylift are strong supporters of Milton Keynes and the Festival is very much a representation and reflection of the culture here in MK. It’s a great opportunity to showcase the city to the locals and people further afield.” Niftylift, Corporate Partner
Inspiring
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“ The Festival is a key factor in driving the international development of Milton Keynes as one of the world’s most innovative new cities – helping to invigorate its cultural identity, build its reputation as a visitor and investor destination, and with an economic impact of £7.5million.”
“I am passionate about Milton Keynes and proud to be the Chair of The Stables Events Board which oversees IF: Milton Keynes International Festival. As one of the UK’s newest towns, Milton Keynes is always been progressive and future forward in its thinking. The fastest growing city in the UK over the last decade, Milton Keynes leads the way in business and commerce – and people who live here will not have a negative word said about the place.
Lifelong memories are made of events like these and I call on everyone living and working in the city, as well as organisations based in Milton Keynes – particularly those with national or international roots and connections – to continue to pledge your support for IF. In doing so, you are making an investment in the city, its economy, its people and its future as well as in one of the most exciting new international festivals worldwide.
When first created in 2010, the Festival established a ‘new tradition’ by way of a responsive, innovative, high quality event that linked tourism, business, culture and people together. IF had arrived at exactly the right moment with exactly the right ingredients to support the city’s economic growth at a time of national financial austerity.
The coming years will doubtless bring fresh challenges and unexpected opportunities, and I know that the Festival will embrace these to offer something even bigger and more exciting as we approach future editions.
As we look forward to celebrating Milton Keynes 50th birthday in 2017, the Festival’s major impact on the city is thrown into greater relief as it draws in visitors from all over the country and overseas and encourages them to try something new.
A recent study of festival cities demonstrated that festivals influence people’s idea of a city – IF: Milton Keynes International Festival has certainly done this in a hugely positive way for Milton Keynes and I hope you will want to be part of this success going forward.” Dr Ann Limb OBE DL, Chair of The Stables Events Limited
I’ll never forget the crowds flocking into an unoccupied supermarket to see Janek Schaefer’s contemporary art installation – a surprise hit of the 2010 Festival – or the sight of literally thousands and thousands of people flooding into Campbell Park to see La Compagnie Carabosse’s Fire Gardens in 2012, the queues of enthusiastic Festival-goers to get into the Spiegeltent at Willen Lake or Architect of Air’s Pentalum in centre:mk in 2014.
www.ifmiltonkeynes.org
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new commissions for and about Milton Keynes
IF Facts Drawn from the 2014 Festival
ÂŁ55,000 in value of volunteer hours
92% said
IF had a positive impact on perceptions of Milton Keynes
economic impact generated
267
artists from 8 countries
39%
increase in ticket sales
140,000
725
hotel nights for artists, crew and staff
96%
attendances at free events
8
ÂŁ7.5 million
of Festival-goers said they enjoyed the Festival
www.ifmiltonkeynes.org
ÂŁ1 million
in value of PR and social media coverage
65%
25,000
of the programme was free
Turnover of
ÂŁ1.3 million
tickets sold
190,000
encountered pop-up installations
81%
143
events and 52 exhibition days
100
people took part in Under The Vaulted Sky
of tickets sold to new customers
117
volunteers involved over 10 days
www.ifmiltonkeynes.org
98%
said they will be coming to the next Festival
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“What a great experience it was to be part of The lock shift songs project.” The lock shift songs Choir Participant
What people are saying about IF
“The coverage of the festival in the media was good and high quality and did direct more traffic to our social media in particular.” The Parks Trust, Silver Event Partner
“As the poem itself says, ‘Nothing is what it seems’. If the combination of poetry and technology appears odd, it in fact speaks volumes about both Jackie Kay and Milton Keynes.” Nell Frizell, The Guardian, on the collaboration between Jackie Kay and mechanical writer SKRYF “I was so proud to be representing the OU as a Festival Sponsor, and was delighted by last night’s breath-taking performance by the Australian circus company, Casus.” The Open University, Silver Event Partner
“I will treasure this incredible experience forever” Under The Vaulted Sky Participant
“Fous de Bassin was spectacular!!!!!! We had three generations watching it, and we ALL loved it!!!!!! Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous!!!!!” Festival-goer “I was impressed by the array of work presented throughout the city – to be discovered in such a range of locations. Also the pride of the Milton Keynes people in their city and all that it is achieving.” Elizabeth Mischler, Artist Development Producer for South East Dance
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www.ifmiltonkeynes.org
“I noticed this year there were many reviews in national publications/online media of events at the Festival and this raises the profile of the city” Festival-goer
Partners & Supporters “We may never look at Milton Keynes in the same way again” The Times Produced by
Supported by
Partners
THE WAVENDON FOUNDATION
Festival Supporters
Milton Keynes City Centre Management, Destination MK, Arriva, David Lloyd, Gullivers Theme Park, Holiday Inn Express, Ramada Encore, Yamaha, VW, Taylor Wimpey, River Island, Blum UK, Milton Keynes Dons Sport & Education Trust “What a day, thank you @IFMKfest for giving me a lifetime of memories!”
The Splinter Group and IT Project Craft Team (both MK Christian Foundation), MK Men in Sheds (supported by Age UK MK), Milton Keynes College Learning Disability Services, Idea Generation, Jardine Michelson, Sumo, Make A Difference
Festival-goer
Innovation Founders: Dr Ann G Limb OBE DL, Mr and Mrs David and Gillian Hill, P J Care (Pioneers); Lord and Lady Scott of Foscote, Robert and Angela French (Adventurers); Professor and Mrs Robert Cumming, Dr Philip H Smith (Explorers) IF extends thanks to the many individuals, organisations and companies, staff and volunteers who have worked to make the Festival a success. IF Official Photographer: Shaun Armstrong. ©Shaun Armstrong/mubsta
www.ifmiltonkeynes.org
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IF: Milton Keynes International Festival The Stables Stockwell Lane Wavendon Milton Keynes MK17 8LU T: 01908 280800 E: festivalboxoffice@stables.org
www.ifmiltonkeynes.org @IFMKfest www.facebook.com/IFMKfest
Produced by
For further information contact Monica Ferguson, Festival Director and Chief Executive of The Stables. Telephone 07809 617545 or email monica.ferguson@stables.org The Stables Events Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wavendon Allmusic Plan Ltd (Registered Charity No. 261645) Registered Office: The Stables, Stockwell Lane, Wavendon, Milton Keynes, MK17 8LU. Registered in England No 7097197