First Annual MERGE Festival

A new annual festival that starts next month is celebrating the contemporary culture and rich heritage of Bankside, London’s dynamic artistic and business district.

For two months this Autumn, the river walkway near Tate Modern, a vacant office block, historic buildings, Bankside Mix, as well as Bankside’s open spaces, workplaces, bars and cafes will come alive when major names from the UK and international art world stage installations and musical performances alongside emerging artistic talent.

MERGE is hosted by Better Bankside, which aims to improve Bankside as a place to work, live, visit, and do business, and leading London arts events company, ILLUMINATE PRODUCTIONS.

Key Events

- The work of artists behind legendary bands such as The Sex Pistols (Jamie Reid) and The Ramones (Arturo Vega), being showcased with young hip-hop performers, who rap Shakespearean verse, and a new musical arrangement of the hit pop song, ‘Snoopy v The Red Baron’, produced by Fiona Banner

- Jamie Reid will be exhibiting his largest single presentation to date of works associated with the punk legends The Sex Pistols, some of which have never been seen before, to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the launch of their debut single, ‘Anarchy in the UK’.

- An art installation in the guise of a classic walk-in record store that only stocks vinyl cut in the shop itself by the public and professional musicians. Located in a vacant office block near Borough Market, this is the first time New York artist, Ted Riederer, has brought his internationally acclaimed installation to London.

- A tiny mobile theatre housed in a caravan that can only accommodate six audience members at a time will stage performances on the river walkway near Tate Modern and at Bankside Mix.

- An open air stage on the riverside near Tate and at Bankside Mix will host dozens of live music performances by original talent, while a series of surprise musical events will take place in local cafes, parks, and offices, at unexpected times.

Donald Hyslop, Chair of Better Bankside and Head of Community Partnerhips at Tate, says: “We are delighted to be hosting MERGE as Bankside has such a unique cultural and business offering. It is a fantastic example of what we are working to achieve in the neighbourhood when businesses, local communities and artists work together.”

Curator Caroline Jones, ILLUMINATE PRODUCTIONS, says: “MERGE is a festival with a difference: it takes art and music directly into the heart of the community. It brings together residents, workers and visitors, both as participants and audiences, while allowing artists and musicians to showcase and develop their work without commercial restraint.”

MERGE is supported by Bankside Mix, one of Southwark’s youngest urban destinations developed by Land Securities, Tate Modern, Arts Council England and The Dennis Rosen Memorial Trust.

MERGE Festival is running from September 15 to November 20. For more information on the event go to www.mergefestival.co.uk.