Sun 5 July / Deansgate, City Centre

‘Vintage Deller and, somehow, pure Manchester’
Charlotte Higgins – The Guardian

Watch a clip of Jeremy Deller’s Procession on Sun 5 July.

Click here to view images from this event.

On the opening weekend of MIF 2009, thousands lined the Deansgate mile to witness a uniquely Manchester procession created by Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller. Over 12 months Deller had been out and about meeting and researching communities across Greater Manchester, seeking out unexpected stories, characters and traditions.

Procession comprised over 25 elements, each developed in partnership with a local community or group; their stories contextualised and made vivid by an accompanying exhibition at Cornerhouse and an online project led by Let’s Go Global: Manchester Procession Online.

As part of the development of this commission MIF invited Greater Manchester schools to enter a competition to design a futuristic image of Manchester. The winning design was made into a full size float for the live event on 5th July and was designed by Millie Floyd from Chorlton Park Primary School. Millie’s float depicted Manchester 2050 as an underwater city with water powered submarines!

For more information on Procession, visit the event’s page here.

Commissioned and produced by Manchester International Festival and Cornerhouse.
Supported by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA).

Photo © Tim Sinclair