News | Tuesday, 3rd July 2018
Manchester Metropolitan buzzing for Bee in the City
The University will sponsor one of over 100 giant bees placed across the city
Manchester Metropolitan is delighted to announce its support for Manchester’s latest creative adventure, Bee in the City.
The University is a proud sponsor of Manchester’s biggest ever public art exhibition, which will see over 100 giant bee sculptures buzzing into the city centre for an interactive trail over the summer.
Each bee will be individually designed to go on display through streets, parks and public spaces across Greater Manchester, and Manchester Metropolitan will sponsor the Shakespeare themed bee, ‘To Bee or not to Bee’.
David Shirley, Director of the Manchester School of Theatre at Manchester Metropolitan, spokesperson for the University’s Bee in the City involvement and Shakespeare practitioner said: “We’re really ‘buzzing’ to be involved in this project. It’s really going to bring the community together over the summer and reinforces how important partnerships and community are to the University and the great connection we have with Manchester.
“We have chosen to sponsor the Shakespeare Bee to link in with our excellent creative offerings at the University. The Manchester Theatre School has an outstanding reputation for training actors with the professional skills necessary for employment in film, television, radio and stage, while the Manchester Writing School is one of the most successful literary centres running in the UK today.
“Our Shakespeare Bee is also a fitting curtain-raiser for the new Arts and Humanities building, which will bring these two fantastic schools under one roof. Opening in 2020, the building will be home to the Writing School, a brand new Poetry Library and a 180-seat auditorium for Manchester School of Theatre productions.
He added: “Shakespeare’s legacy spans many centuries and his work is as important now as it ever was – that is his genius. The next generation of students that study in his fantastic new facility will continue to interpret his work in new digital and creative forms.
“Shakespeare was also a keen naturalist and animals and the environment were common themes in his work. So there is no better figurehead to represent our ambitious plans for the future and play our part in the fantastic Bee in the City initiative.”
The bees will fly into the city on 23 July and the interactive trail will run until 23 September. You can get involved by downloading the Bee in the City app, which will help you navigate around the city, discover new places, and find and unlock each bee – more information on the app will be released at a later date.
The location of our Manchester Metropolitan bee will be kept a secret until the launch on 23 July, so keep your eyes peeled for further updates.
