Celebrated performance company Lone Twin is building a remarkable 30-foot seafaring sailing boat made almost entirely from wood donated by the public. They’re looking for pieces of wood of all shapes and sizes – it could be a pencil, it could be a piano. The only condition is that the donation has a story behind it. Over 5,000 people in the South East have taken part so far and donations have included family heirlooms, tributes to those who have passed away, a historic sign - and even a piece of Brighton’s West Pier.

On Tuesday 19 July, the Midsummer Place Shopping Centre will host the Milton Keynes Wood Donation Day. The day will be a chance for people – individuals, families, school groups and businesses - to bring along their donation, meet the boatbuilding team, discover other ways in which they can get involved with the project – or even become a crew member!

Gregg Whelan and Gary Winters, artistic directors of Lone Twin, said: “The response to The Boat Project so far has been incredible, we've had thousands of people bringing us hundreds of donations - we've had everything from a piece of the Ark Royal to a family's much used 42 year-old bath brush. We'll take anything so long as it has a story!”.

Festival Director and Chief Executive of The Stables, Monica Ferguson, said: “The Festival seeks to present new and unusual events in unexpected locations and often in surprising ways – The Boat Project is no exception! Milton Keynes is just about the furthest place from the sea in the UK but this special project, inspired by memories and stories, enables people to get involved and then see the end results of the project when the completed boat returns in July 2012. ‘Sailing’ the boat over dry land – be it by road or rail – to get it into the city and landing it in Central Milton Keynes as part of IF:2012 will be a sight to behold!”.

The Boat Project is part of ‘Artists Taking the Lead’, a series of twelve public art commissions across the UK to celebrate the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The Boat Project is the winning commission for the South East region and is funded by Arts Council England.

Sally Abbott, Regional Director, Arts Council England, said, “Making a donation to The Boat Project is a great opportunity for people of all ages to take part in the arts and to feel a greater connection to the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. We’re pleased that so many people have got involved in the Boat Project so far and hope many people will come along and take part in Milton Keynes. I look forward to seeing the boat set sail for the first time next summer just in time for the Olympics and Paralympics and I hope that many people in the South East will also be able to observe the journey. The participation of The Boat Project in the IF festival will help engage and inspire new audiences in Milton Keynes and contribute to the sense of community pride and engagement that the festival brings to the city and the surrounding area.”

IF:Milton Keynes International Festival, now a biennial landmark event on the cultural calendar, will bring the finished sailing boat back to Milton Keynes in July 2012 as part of the next Festival.

Donation Day Details
Tuesday 19 July 2011 from 11am to 5pm
Bring your wood to: Midsummer Place Shopping Centre (inside, near Prêt-a-Manger), Central Milton Keynes, MK9 3GB
www.ifmiltonkeynes.org
www.theboatproject.com