Interview: Arcadia Spectacular

Arcadia Spectacular this week confirmed rumours of a Bristol event to hit the city centre this September.

The spider will touch down somewhere in Bristol on September 4-5. Although details of the two-day event are being kept hush hush for now, it’s guaranteed to be a one of the biggest parties of the summer, as the theatre-robotics superpower has teamed up the mighty Team Love; and the Brisfest team have had more than a look in as well.

Tickets are expected to be in high demand as this will be the only place to see the Arcadia Spider in the UK this year, apart from sold-out Glastonbury. Pre-registration for tickets is now open via www.arcadiabristol.com

With so much buzz circulating the mysterious city-centre event, we had a chat with Arcadia Spectacular’s creative director, Pip Rush.

Can you give us Arcadia in a nutshell?
Arcadia are a creative collective who unite elements as diverse as sculpture, circus, electronic music and pyrotechnics into an interactive, immersive, multi sensory experience.  

To what degree of the production are you involved with? Are involved in the music side of things? 
We direct every aspect. The team work very closely together and the magic comes in the level of creative communication between the different artists and technicians. If we outsourced a creative element it would be instantly obvious during the show.

What can you tell us about the Arcadia event in Bristol this summer? 
It’s the first time Arcadia have performed in a UK city and the only place this year to catch us in the UK apart from the sold out Glastonbury. It’s particularly special for us because we are coming home, and we’re working on lots of new, innovative ideas to launch there.

Do you think Arcadia is influenced by the city Bristol (would it have been the same had it been created in Liverpool, for example)?
Hugely so. Its circus community, its engineering community, its arts scene, its music scene and its scrap dealers have all played an integral part. Even the mayor was seen raving underneath the Spider one muddy Glastonbury.

You’ve joined forces with Team Love and Brisfest for the September event. Why do you think there are so many great festivals and production companies coming out of Bristol? 
Because there is space for people to work, space to get out to the countryside and think, there is Glastonbury and all its folklore, and there is that rebellious streak that runs through Bristol’s history that seems to help drive creativity. It’s a profoundly independent city that has always embraced creativity from the most unexpected sources, and that in turn has generated a very free, positive environment which allows creativity to flourish.

September 4-5, Bristol, www.arcadiabristol.com