SHIFT Festival

January 2010 at Southbank Centre

In January 2010 Cape Farewell presented SHIFT at London's Southbank Centre – an awesome 8-day music-led climate festival with debate, site-wide installations and exhibitions. The festival centrepiece comprised two sensational concerts at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, headlined by the musicians who joined the Cape Farewell 2008 voyage and showcasing new music by leading artists such as KT Tunstall and Shlomo.

• Concert: Marcus Brigstocke

  With Special Guests

  On Friday night comedian Marcus Brigstocke, a seasoned Cape Farewell voyager, introduced some very special guests including Dan Antopolski, Alistair McGowan, Mitch Benn, Russell Howard, Shlomo, Lemn Sissay and politician Ed Miliband, in a night of comedy and music uniting against climate change.

• Concert: Robyn Hitchcock Presents

  A Maritime Evening

  Saturday night saw Robyn Hitchcock and friends join together for a night of maritime music, celebrating Robyn's Arctic expedition with Cape Farewell in 2008.

• Friday Tonic

  Max Eastley & Liam Frost

  Soundscapes met acoustic guitar in a special edition of Friday Tonic, featuring a double bill of Cape Farewell voyagers Max Eastley and Liam Frost in the Front Room at Queen Elisabeth Hall.

• SHIFT Encounters

  Panel Discussions

  Architects discussed the creative process of engaging with climate change, and how to envision and build a sustainable future. Climate scientists spoke about the role of culture and art in helping to communicate climate science, and artists discussed the creative process of engaging with climate change.

• In-Site Projections

  Beth Derbyshire and Nick Edwards

  Projected onto external walls of Southbank Centre buildings, Cape Farewell presented work made by artists in response to their expeditions to the High Arctic. Video projections include Beth Derbyshire's Anthem (developed in partnership with Eden Project), and work by Nick Edwards.

• Sustainable Fashion

  London College of Fashion

  Queen Elizabeth Hall hosted the next generation of style with substance. London College of Fashion’s Centre for Sustainable Fashion showcased work from its inaugural MA Fashion & the Environment and highlights from Fashioning the Future 2009, the international student awards for sustainability in fashion.

• Local Wisdom at SHIFT

  Centre of Sustainable Fashion

  The public were encouraged to be part of a unique fashion research project organised by the Centre of Sustainable Fashion, London College of Fashion to record and celebrate the clothes we wear and the way that we wear them. For more information, visit www.localwisdom.info ›

• A day of Exploration

  By the Dollis Brook Route

  Three walks followed the route of a previous urban expedition lead by Nick Edwards. Re-laid on the London map, the route took participants into areas of London rarely visited on foot. Following the expeditions students shared their findings with the public. This project was led by Nick Edwards, Professor Chris Wainwright and students from Camberwell, Chelsea & Wimbledon Colleges.

• Behind the Scenes

  Climate Change Events

  Two unique events put climate change debate and discussion at the forefront of the Southbank. The 10 was the first in an international series of cross-disciplinary visioning sessions with leading figures in the climate change arena. Next Generation Tipping Point provided a day-long open space forum for young people.    

Cape Farewell works with partners to collectively inspire creative and visionary responses to climate change for the 21st Century. SHIFT was developed in collaboration with partners including: Southbank Centre, Tipping Point, University of the Arts London: Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon Colleges, London College of Fashion, Department of Energy and Climate Change, PricewaterhouseCoopers, SE1 United. Cape Farewell is embarking on a long-term partnership with Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon Colleges, encouraging a new generation of artists to address the issues of climate change, building it into their thinking and practice.