You’ll find MK’s first ever free ‘A Festival of Creative Urban Living’ from 26 September – 13 October on Midsummer Boulevard in Central Milton Keynes.
The main theme is ‘The Built, The Unbuilt and The Unbuildable’, looking at art, design and architecture in urban environments.
Through a free, public programme of new commissions, exhibitions, conferences and associated programmes, the Festival will ask and explore the question ‘how do we live well in cities – now and in the future?’ Within this macro exploration, the Festival will attempt to address the micro – with a critical revision of MK´s urban planning ideals, opening up debate and discussion concerning the founding design principles of the city, and their relevance or irrelevance to the 21st Century.
Through a multidisciplinary Festival programme, raumlaborberlin will work in collaboration with MK associations, organisations, community groups, cultural institutions and the active civil society in order to explore MK’s current urban reality and the city’s future prospects. A Festival of Creative Urban Living will include many art forms – with contributions from a range of cultural organisations, projects, artists, creatives, architects, designers, planners and urban theorists.
Housed in a series of temporary structures, located on Midsummer Boulevard East – the central spine of MK’s infamous grid road system, these new ‘spaces’ will provide a hub and a visual focal point for the Festival.
Due to this location and the planned regeneration of Midsummer Boulevard East, the Festival will also provide an opportunity to engage Milton Keynes’ citizens and the wider audiences in creating prospective plans for the future of the city-centre and re-designing of the public realm.
It has been commissioned by MK Council, funded by Arts Council England, and is programmed and curated by experimental architectural practice raumlaborberlin.
To get involved and find out how to take part – drop us a line at
[email protected]