Visit Birmingham to promote city through mass public social media event.
One of Birmingham’s most prolific festivals of the year, The International Dance Festival Birmingham 2016, will form the centrepiece of a unique mass-participation social media event organised by Visit Birmingham.
Taking place on Saturday 14th May, the free-to-attend event calls on the city’s creative community to join forces in order to document and showcase Birmingham’s cultural renaissance to potential visitors worldwide. Using nothing but the photo sharing platform Instagram, and the hashtag #IDFBInstameet, the event aims to tap into a global digital audience. The tour will pay homage to city’s rich heritage in arts and culture and the new wave of intercultural dance, cuisine and creative arts sweeping the city region.
Attendees will be taken around the city, given exclusive insights into the city’s hidden spaces and be among some of the first to capture the world dance premiers of the IDFB as they unfold. Key locations will include Centenary Square, whilst participants will also be taken behind the scenes at Birmingham’s old Municipal Bank.
Emma Gray, Director of Marketing and Communications at Marketing Birmingham, said: “Birmingham has established itself as one of the UK’s major centres for arts and culture. Looking ahead, 2016 offers an exciting calendar of world-class arts events and The International Dance Festival Birmingham is just one example of a signature Birmingham-born event with award-winning talent and global appeal. This event will see some of the finest international dance companies grace the city’s stages, and best of all, the festival is open to all and free to attend.
“Instagram outreach is a proven way to tap into a potential international visitor market. Last year, Visit Birmingham’s Instameet events racked up a reach of over one million on the platform, showcasing the city amongst the trend-setters and influencers of the online world. We’re looking forward to seeing how the International Dance Festival Birmingham is captured next week.”
A major focus of both the Instameet and this year’s IDFB will come in the form of the Centenary Square LIVE NIGHTS, which will bring together many aspects of Birmingham’s most highly anticipated cultural festival. From street food provided by Digbeth Dining Club to a dance and circus show headlined by rock band rinôçérôse, to the debut European exhibition from internationally renowned artist Shun Ito. Taking place in the tourism hub of the city, LIVE NIGHTS aims to boost Birmingham’s night-time economy with activities for all the family to enjoy.
David Massingham, Artistic Director, DanceXchange and Co-Artistic Director IDFB 2016, added: “At International Dance Festival Birmingham we’re thrilled to be the subject of Visit Birmingham’s third Instameet. We anticipate over 60 people will come together in Birmingham’s city centre to capture and celebrate the essence of Birmingham’s festival scene, from pop up performances to bustling food stalls. Instagram is the perfect way to share photographs fast and wide, and on the 14th May we’d like to see the social media platform turn red as instagrammers capture all things IDFB!”
The event will form part of a series of Instameets taking place in Birmingham throughout 2016. The events aim to provide a platform for amateur and professional photographers to raise their profile, with a collection of the images produced throughout the Instameets showcased within a public exhibition. The #IDFBInstameet is free to attend and more information can be found on the Visit Birmingham Instagram page: @Visit_Birmingham.