About Us is a free open-air spectacular event using cutting-edge projection mapping, animation, music and poetry to celebrate our extraordinary connections to everything around us: past, present and future. The spectacle toured five locations from March to May 2022 and was free for all and open to all ages.
The show visited iconic locations in all four nations of the UK, including Paisley Abbey, Guildhall Square in Derry-Londonderry, Y Maes in Caernarfon, Luton Town Hall and Queen Victoria Square in Hull.
Alongside the main show was a wide-ranging engagement programme which worked collaboratively with schools and community organisations in each location. To find out more please visit our Behind The Scenes page.
Meet the team
About Us is a collaborative project created by 59 Productions, The Poetry Society and Stemettes, and commissioned by UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK as part of a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of creativity taking place across the UK in 2022. This is an unprecedented opportunity for people to come together and take part in a series of awe-inspiring major events and creative projects for free. UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK is funded and supported by the four governments of the UK and is commissioned and delivered in partnership with Belfast City Council, Creative Wales, and EventScotland.
59 Productions
59 Productions is a design studio and production company that specialises in story-driven design. From architectural projection mapping to exhibitions; from Virtual Reality experiences to events; from theatrical design to technical consultancy, 59’s company of writers, directors, architects, animators, visual artists and technologists produce artistic work that seeks to amaze audiences of all kinds. Building on more than a decade of experience making theatrical work for some of the world’s greatest venues – including Olivier and Tony Award-winning work for the National Theatre, West End and Broadway, and for many of the major cultural organisations of the world – the company has more recently become renowned for creating spectacular public artworks, projection-mapping some of the world’s most iconic buildings, including the Sydney Opera House, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the Washington Monument in DC and the United Nations Headquarters in New York. 59 Productions is also known for projects such as the David Bowie Is exhibition at the V&A Museum, which it designed, and for its own multi award-winning work in Virtual Reality.
The Poetry Society
The Poetry Society is the UK’s leading organisation for poetry. With innovative education and commissioning programmes, and a packed calendar of performances, competitions, and digital projects, The Poetry Society champions poetry for all ages. The Poetry Society was founded in 1909 to promote a “more general recognition and appreciation of poetry”. Since then, it has grown into a dynamic arts organisation, representing British poetry both nationally and internationally. It has a thriving worldwide membership, publishes Britain’s leading poetry magazine,The Poetry Review, and runs influential talent development schemes such as the National Poetry Competition and Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award. Every year people of all ages participate in Poetry Society activities from every single postcode area of the UK and more than 100 countries around the world. Experts in young people’s poetry education, The Poetry Society organises poet visits in classrooms year-round, as well as creating trusted teaching resources, facilitating work in informal learning settings and running the vibrant online community Young Poets Network. The Poetry Society is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and a registered charity.
Stemettes
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE created the Stemettes in 2013 to ensure girls, young women, and non-binary young people know that technical fields are for them. The Stemettes’ mission is to inspire, encourage and support young people into STEM fields with their ‘Free, Fun, Food’ ethos. As of 2021, Stemettes has changed the lives of more than 55,000 young people across the UK, Ireland and parts of Europe.
Stemettes run more than 50 interventions each year – a mixture of intersectional cohort programmes, impactful events and inspirational content platforms. These interventions improve perceptions of STEM, raise awareness of options within STEM, grow the network these young people have across STEM and improve their self and STEM confidence.
The next steps for Stemettes lie in developing the reach and programmes they have across the country to STEM cold spot areas, extending the Stemette provision to Parents, Guardians and Teachers (who the Stemettes call Influencers) and transitioning alumnae into STEM fields.
Anyone wanting to help can donate to Stemette Futures, spread the word about Stemettes as far and wide as possible, and volunteer on a Stemettes programme. For anyone already in the industry, the best way to support would be to ensure that Stemettes doesn’t need to exist. Use your sphere of influence to be a good ally, ensure that equitable practice is employed in your work-place across hiring practices, promotion and the allocation of positions of responsibility.
