Home > About the Project

About the Project

300 participants

3 venues

3 professional, 3 community and 3 estate-led choirs

An audience of 3,000

1 aim: to sing Birmingham’s truths   

On 28th October 2007, REALITY ESTATE will transform the Five Ways Estate, Shopping Centre and roundabout.  Developed by Friction Arts and working alongside a roster of internationally renowned artists and the people of Ladywood, together they will ‘sing Birmingham’s truths’, accompanied by some of Birmingham’s best known choirs, to a backdrop of spectacular projections and lighting.

An Interactive Performance 

The performance begins on Five Ways housing estate, an island surrounded by an ever-changing landscape of city centre regeneration.  As audiences enter the estate, many of them for the first time, it will be transformed into a place of mystery and music.   Residents appear from their apartments to sing to each other in increasing and diminishing volumes.  The singing becomes quieter and a call and response is initiated with singers from outside the estate, before visitors are led out through the adjacent, semi-derelict shopping centre while experiencing a live performance from local young people. 

Large Scale Projections 

A series of large scale architectural projections created by artists in collaboration with local people will greet visitors as they pass through Five Ways Shopping Centre.  With choirs continuing to sing to audiences as they move towards the concrete underground of Five Ways roundabout, an “undercover choir” will mingle with the audience and perform the finale alongside the people of Birmingham.

Choirs singing from the Rooftops

A unique score for the event will be created by Dutch artist and composer Merlijn Twaalfhoven, who will work with inner city community groups to celebrate their past and look towards the future.  The music will draw its inspiration from a diverse range of musical traditions, drawing on classical, cultural and contemporary influences.

About RealityEstate.tv

As the project develops we will be broadcasting clips every few days through this website. This means you can track the project as it happens.

Please leave us a comment if you see anything that interests you!

More in this Section