Students from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) have officially launched a week-long festival celebrating the best of art and culture.
LINE-UP: The students behind Cultural Exchanges with Barbara Matthews and Tony Graves (right)
The final year students from DMU’s Arts and Festivals Management course came together at the Mercure Grand Hotel, in Granby Street, on Friday night to celebrate the start of the 15th Cultural Exchanges.
Cultural Exchanges 2016 runs until Friday this week with 44 different events being staged at DMU and across the city.
Top names including multi-award winning playwright Willy Russell, comedian and author David Baddiel, transgender rights campaigner Paris Lees, crime writer Mark Billingham and former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett have been lined-up for the festival.
The students from the course are doing everything from booking the acts to staging the events as part of their final year studies, under the guidance of course leader Tony Graves.
RELATED NEWS
Book your tickets for Cultural Exchanges 2016
Find out more about BA (Hons) Arts and Festivals Management
Come and see how DMU can inspire you at our next Open Day
Student Charlotte Jacquemin, who organised the launch event at the Mercure Grand, said: “I think the festival needed a big kick-off that felt special for the students and it’s going really well.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how the festival comes together. We have some great people lined-up and I hope people really enjoy it.”
Student Lewis Thompson said: “I am very, very excited. It is going to be a great week. I can’t deny there was a lot of stress involved in organising the festival but several events are already sold out and that’s great news for everyone involved.”
Rio Hayles, a final year student in BA (Joint Hons) Dance and Arts and Festivals Management, has seen events she has organised, including a talk by philosopher John Gray, sell out.
She said: “I’m so excited. This whole experience has shown me that I definitely want to go into events management. It has been hectic organising the festival and we have all felt a bit of pressure but the whole team has worked really hard and we’re looking forward to a really successful week.”
Barbara Matthews, PVC Dean for DMU’s Faculty of Art, Design and Humanities, addressed the guests at the launch event, saying: “It is the 15th year of Cultural Exchanges and every year our cohort of students manages to exceed what has gone before.
“There is a most extraordinary programme this year and there really is something for everyone. So congratulations to you all and thank you very, very much on behalf of DMU, and indeed Leicester, for the amazing people you bring to Leicester during this festival.”
Posted on Monday 29 February 2016