Museums at Night - With Strings Attached!
London, UK (PRWEB UK) 26 March 2015 -- A unique music and artistic collaboration will take place as part of Culture 24 Museums at Night, the UK’s biannual after-hours festival of arts, culture and heritage. Catrin Finch will give a charity recital at the London Canal Museum on Saturday 16th May with 75% of the profits going to WaterAid. She is one of the most highly acclaimed harpists working in the world today, and was official harpist to the Prince of Wales between 2000 and 2004. The music programme will comprise solo harp repertoire and extracts from Catrin’s latest album Tides, which features artwork by artist Simon Tarrant. As a backdrop to the recital Simon Tarrant will exhibit a series of his latest paintings, including an original artwork that will be auctioned for the benefit of WaterAid.
Catrin, an ambassador for WaterAid couldn’t have picked a better venue, she said “Knowing the history of the building, and how it was used to store ice in its life as a commercial ice house makes it particularly fitting for this concert. Today over 748 million people are living without access to safe, clean water - a human tragedy that results in the needless deaths of over 1400 children die every single day". Catrin supports WaterAid’s mission - to bring safe, clean water to everyone everywhere by 2030.
Simon’s paintings are part of an art exhibition Tides running from the 6th-31st May. Simon Tarrant is a London born artist, who has exhibited at many well-known galleries. Painting across a variety of medium, including canvas, glass and Perspex, Simon's work alludes to the school of abstract expressionism. This exhibition also supports WaterAid.
And more ways to experience the museum….
The Museum’s hugely popular children’s activities will run on Wednesdays in the Easter, spring and summer school holidays. A highlight is the boat trip that is included – together with the opportunity to take part in craft activities and more. Sessions begin at 10.30 or 13.30 and are ideal for ages 6 – 12 at only £4 per child.
For those interested in local history, the museum is home to an exhibition Hackney Heritage Then and Now – the Regent’s Canal in Hackney by the Laburnum Boat Club from April 14th to May 3rd. This will include reminiscences and historic images of the canal as it winds its way through East London.
Take a tunnel boat trip from the museum to view the canal from the water, and travel right underneath Islington through the 880 metre Islington Tunnel. Our ever-popular guided tunnel boat trips set off at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500 and 1600 on Sundays , and (and 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month from May until 11th October). £8.40 adult, £6 child, and it is advisable to book online.
The museum looks forward to welcoming Mikron Theatre back to the museum in June in its 45th year of touring the canals, bringing the magic of live theatre to new audiences. Mikron's shows are lively, entertaining, musical, funny, and tackle serious historical themes. It is a close-up theatrical experience in the atmospheric surroundings of the London Canal Museum.
July brings a rare opportunity for fit adults and older teenagers to descend into the enormous ice wells beneath the floor of the museum on a guided tour, with an explanation of their history by a museum guide. Ice Sunday is on the 19th July.
Martin Sach, Chair of the Trust says “We are fortunate to be able to welcome visitors to such a diverse and eclectic series of events. We know that the museum provides a unique backdrop, as it is the only remaining commercial ice warehouse open to the public. The popularity of canals and canal boats is also timeless and enduring.”
Full details of all the Museum’s exhibitions and events can be found on the museum's website.
Notes to Editors
1. The London Canal Museum's main story is that of the waterways, but one unusual canal cargo - imported Norwegian ice - features strongly. The building is a uniquely preserved Victorian ice warehouse and two huge brick ice wells survive underground. The fascinating story of the ice trade that once kept London's food cool is the museum's second theme. Find out more about The London Canal Museum at http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk and at:
Facebook: facebook.com/canalmuseum
Google Plus: google.com/+canalmuseum
Twitter: twitter.com/canalmuseum
2. The London Canal Museum is just a few minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and St. Pancras. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday 10 – 16.30. Late opening until 1930 on the first Thursday of each month. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.
3. Admission prices are £4 adults, £3 concessions and £2 children. A family ticket is £10. Special prices apply for special events including Museums at Night.
4. Full details of the museum including full event listings can be found at http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk/whatson with booking at http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk/book. Advance booking is strongly recommended for Museums at Night especially, and also for other bookable trips and events.
5. The museum is one of London’s most accessible museums with facilities including lifts, accessible displays, accessible toilet and an audio tour for blind and visually impaired visitors.
6. For more information on Catrin Finch and Wateraid please visit http://www.wateraid.org, or contact Suzy Vickers on 020 7793 4995 / suzyvickers(AT)wateraid.org
7. The Canal Museum Trust which runs the museum is a registered charity number 277484
Martin Sach, London Canal Museum, http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk, +44 7971248497, [email protected]
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