Hands Up for Unlimited

Another sun kissed day of Unlimited treats as more of the Festival unravels and our PUSH ME artists put the best of their produce on show.  Graeae and Strange Fruit are busy ensuring The Garden’s all set to bloom outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall.  Bobby is cooking up her daily well being mix in her Mad Gyms and Kitchens and we’re still basking in the aftermath of Rachel Gadsden’s Unlimited Global Alchemy performance in the Purcell Room last night.  And of course, Jez Colborne will be cranking up for more outdoor entertainment tonight outside the National Theatre – a simply Irresistible way to end the day. 

We’re not in the least bit surprised to see that our PUSH ME artists are crossing The Space into other commissions. Did you catch Claire Cunningham on Lauren Laverne’s Space pod?  Bobby Baker will be interviewed by Lauren this afternoon at The Serpentine Gallery.

It’s fair to say that from the positive responses to the work so far that the Southbank has a winner on its hands and we’re pleased as punch at PUSH ME because the Southbank were the first to put their hands up to host the Unlimited Festival: staging accompanying talks, debates and workshops alongside the eclectic mix of Unlimited commissions.

Artistic director Jude Kelly opened proceedings by announcing that it was ‘the most significant festival in the Southbank’s history, for its transformative power for artists, audiences and the arts sector itself”.

So says our co-curator Jo Verrent who considers in Paralympics 2012: pushing the arts, as well as athletes, to new limits for the Guardian online.

Today we are working with Charlies Hazlewood, Artistic Director of the Paralympic Orchestra,pushing him on a journey through the Festival to meet some of our Push Me artists and to see what he makes of it all.