Arts for Rutland presents a world premiere performance to be held on the shores of Rutland Water on the 25th and 26th of June. 

The Four Winds Festival will present specially commissioned piece, ‘The Way the Winds Blow’ by Chris Baldwion, based on the history of the area and the Gwash Valley. The land, which flooded in 1976 to create Rutland Water, is both one of the largest artificial lakes in Europe and one of the most important wildlife sanctuaries in Great Britain.

As well as telling the story of the people and places of the area, The Way the Winds Blow will also tell the story of Rutland Water’s many passing visitors such as the ospreys who migrate each year to Africa. A unique event on the banks of Rutland Water, the event includes a choir of more than 300 singers accompanied by a brass band, a concert orchestra and an African percussion band.  Four professional singers and a narrator will lead this ambitious piece of storytelling directed by award winning director Chris Baldwin with music commissioned from BAFTA nominated composer Nick Bicat.

The Four Winds Festival is being designed to make the most of its spectacular shoreline setting close to the Normanton Church Museum:  During each day a series of cultural and participatory activities, designed for the whole family, will be offered to visitors related to the theme of four winds.

The Way the Winds Blows is funded by Arts for Rutland, Rutland County Council and Igniting Ambition, sponsored by MJE Productions.

The Igniting Ambition initiative is part of the national Cultural Olympiad programme investing in projects and people that take the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as their inspiration to create once-in-a-lifetime cultural opportunities for audiences and communities.

Chris Baldwin, Artistic Director of the festival and show comments, “It is clear that Igniting Ambition objectives of inspiring and  involving young people, promoting cultural diversity in the run up to the Olympics and generating a positive legacy are at the core of the design of The Four Winds Festival.”

In 2011, Igniting Ambition is celebrating the counties of Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland. The initiative will showcase exceptional cultural projects, events and festivals that celebrate these counties' rich cultural heritage, outstanding natural environment, local traditions and hidden gems. The Four Winds Festival and the show The Way the Winds Blow is Rutland´s contribution to this initiative.

Commenting on the project, Peter Lawson from Arts for Rutland says “This is by anybody’s standards an ambitious project and we are very excited about creating such a large scale event in the area.  It is designed to appeal to local residents as well as people who have never been to Rutland before.

“One of the key objectives for Arts for Rutland is to lead and promote the development and performance of film, theatre, music, comedy, dance, visual art, craft and creative writing in Rutland.  The Four Winds Festival will be our highest profile event in 2011 and The Way the Winds Blows is our largest single project to date.  We are very excited about being involved in a project with such high international production standards with the award winning director Chris Baldwin.”  

The festival takes place from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th June. 

For more details and to book tickets visit: www.artsforrutland.co.uk/four-winds-festival.html