Alright you Hulligans - anyone? Raschulls? No? Moving on… Earlier today, the first season of Hull 2017 was finally revealed so I went into the city centre to check out what was happening.
At 1.30pm this afternoon, Hull 2017’s director Martin Green revealed Made In Hull, the first season of our City of Culture celebrations. We now have a solid itinerary for January to March 2017, packed with exhibitions, art installations, festivals, music, film, theatre, comedy, dance and even a circus act. Needless to say, we’re all pretty excited and I’ve listed a bunch of stuff you guys might want to attend next year.
The Culture Pod
I also went to check out the Culture Pod (I’m not sure if thats it’s real title, but at least we can pretend it had something to do with peas) where I spoke to a very chipper volunteer who was incredibly excited for the coming year. Situated in Paragon Station, the Culture Pod is the best place to go if you want to know more about what’s on and when.
Speaking of Paragon Station, there’s some pretty snazzy looking banners up in there now. In fact the entire station looks a lot more lively already.
Hull 2017: Made In Hull Highlights
Now, onto the most exciting part of the day: the itinerary. It’s not often other people are as excited about schedules as I am so I’m making the most out of it! This also serves as a notice to April because I am dragging her along to ALL of this.
1 January - IN WITH A BANG
Where better to start an itinerary than at the start, and good Lord is this a good start. On Sunday 1st January at 20:17, the largest firework display Hull has ever seen will light up the shorelines of our beloved estuary. According to one volunteer I spoke to at the Culture Pod, a lot of money has been spent on turning this firework show into a true pyrotechnic phenomenon. Plus, it will apparently be set to music which should be fascinating. Although the event is free, you will need to get one of 15,000 tickets to get in - this is according to the volunteer, however the Hull Daily Mail states that 30,000 people will be able to get in Hull City Centre that night. If you don’t manage to get a ticket, I guess you can still go down to Hessle Foreshore or even across to Barton to watch the show.
1 January - 31 December - LOOK UP
This year-long art exhibition will include new art intended to ‘intrigue and inspire’ individuals to look up from their phones. They probably shouldn’t do this on the marina because I’ve been there a lot recently and all I see is Pokestops and Tentacools.
1 - 7 January - OPENING EVENT: MADE IN HULL
Throughout the first week of 2017, large scale projections will be draped over Hull’s historic buildings, the skyline will be illuminated and live shows will grace the streets of our beloved city. The idea of this opening event is to celebrate how Hull has transformed over the last 70 years, as things have changed somewhat since we were targeted in WWII. And by ‘targeted’ I mean they just didn’t want to waste the bombs.
2 January - 19 March - BOWHEAD
I know what you’re thinking: but what about all that fish stuff our grandparents are always on about? Well, for a few months there will be a Bowhead - AKA a Greenland Right Whale - at the Hull Maritime Museum. Unfortunately, the whale is not real but students at Hull University and the Hull School of Art & Design (where I went to uni, represent!) have done a great job on this replica. Randomly, the whale will also apparently showcase ’emerging talent in music and games design’? Interesting choice.
3 January - 28 February - LINES OF THOUGHT: DRAWING FROM MICHELANGELO TO NOW
If you’re an uncultured swine who is yet to visit the British Museum like me, you’ll be happy to know Hull have been loaned a spectacular collection of art with everything from Degas to Rembrandt. These pieces will be found at the Exhibition Hall (do not know where that is), Brynmawr Jones Library and the University of Hull.
2 February @ 7.30pm - ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Celebrate the music of John Williams at Hull City Hall. This may seem like something for the oldies but you should know John Williams is responsible for the music in Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Superman, Jaws, Schindler’s List, Home Alone and many, many other classics. Tickets cost between £18 and £28.
10 - 14 February - DIGITAL DYSTOPIAS: A CYBER FILM FESTIVAL
It’s a five day film festival named Digital Dystopias: I am so going! At 7.30pm each evening at Middleton Hall they’ll be screening a movie that explores what it is to be human in a digital age. Ex Machina, Ghost In The Shell, Her, Snowden and 2001: A Space Odyssey will all be screened and tickets cost from £5 to £7.
15 February @ 7.30pm - CIRCUS OF HORRORS
Then there’s only a bloody Circus of Horrors! Hull City Hall will host this weird and wonderful show filled with death-defying stunts, and I am so going because tickets cost as little as £18.
22 - 26 February - BACK TO OURS
The description for this festival is a little vague but I’m intrigued nonetheless. Apparently, touring companies from around the UK will be visiting Hull throughout the year to team up with local acts and put on some ‘exciting shows’ all over the place. Kingswood Academy, North Point Shopping Centre, Winifred Holtby Academy, Freedom Centre, Archbishop Sentamu Academy, William Gemmell Club, Hymers College and Sirius Academy West will all be visited.
24 February - 18 March - THE HYPOCRITE
Betcha were wondering what’s going on at Hull Truck, huh? Well, there’s a play all about Sir John Hotham - that bloke who denied King Charles I entry into Hull - and ‘sexually arousing furniture’ that you should go check out. Ticket cost between £10 and £22.50.
3 March @ 8pm - JIMMY CARR: THE BEST OF, ULTIMATE GOLD, GREATEST HITS
Jimmy Carr is back at Hull City Hall in March so anyone who is yet to see him live has another chance! Tickets are £27.50 and for the love of God do not take your children. Or anyone else’s children for that matter.
10 - 12 March - WOMEN OF THE WORLD FESTIVAL
Oh yeah ladyfaces you read that right, we have our own festival! There will be talks, debates, music, film, comedy and activism celebrating women and equality spread over an entire weekend, and if you’re mad about it you need to consider why that is.
17 March @ 6pm - ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS
No, they won’t actually be performing because that would be too grim even for me, but there will be films and documentaries celebrating Bowie and our very own Mick Ronson. I vote that we’re allowed to punch anyone who says anything along the lines of “vinyl just sounds better” in their smug, boring face.
24 - 26 March - HULL: CITY OF CINEMA
Middleton Hall will host this fascinating look into how Hull and East Yorkshire have influenced cinema and television over the years. That’s really all the book says but it sounds like it could be interesting?
How To Book
Tickets will be available to purchase through the official Hull 2017 website, including tickets for Hull Box Office, Hull Truck Theatre and Hull Culture & Leisure. All you have to do is visit the What’s On tab, find the event you’re interested in and follow the instructions. Of course, you do need to have an account on the site but that only takes a few minutes:
I am so excited! If there’s anything else in the itinerary that you’re excited about or any year-long events I’ve missed out please let me know in the comments below!
