Thousands of breeze blocks toppled over in Newcastle city centre on Sunday afternoon, drawing crowds to witness the large-scale domino run. The event, which was the headline finale of the NOVUM Summer Festival, saw the blocks placed around the heart of the city, forming an evolving sculptural chain that stretched east to west through streets, public spaces and venues.
Volunteers and Venues
Some of the breeze blocks were positioned inside Newcastle City Library, the Theatre Royal and the Tyneside Cinema. More than 300 volunteers built the domino run, which was brought to the region by Station House Opera. The globally renowned artwork aimed to connect neighbourhoods, landmarks and communities through the shared moment.
Quotes and Impact
Julian Maynard Smith, Station House Opera's Artistic Director, said: "After touring the world with our city-wide spectacle Dominoes, we are excited to bring it to the streets and people of Newcastle. Linking new and old, public and private; the spaces of the city centre will be brought together in a single connecting action of joyous disruption, and we invite all to witness it."
Dominoes has already been staged in more than 20 cities worldwide, including St Paul's Cathedral, the National Museum of Denmark, the Royal Swedish Opera House and Melbourne Town Hall.
Jim Mawdsley, Principal Advisor for Events and Culture at Newcastle City Council, said events like Dominoes capture the imagination and bring people together to experience streets, spaces and landmarks in new and unexpected ways. He said: "Newcastle is at the heart of a bold cultural resurgence. Our ambitious 10-year cultural events programme is helping to drive the rapid growth of the city's creative sector, strengthening the local economy while giving artists, freelancers and communities a powerful platform to share their talent with the world. NOVUM sits at the very heart of that vision."
"Dominoes Newcastle is a fantastic example of how large-scale cultural events can animate the city, celebrate local participation and create shared moments that people will remember for years to come – giving residents and visitors alike exciting new reasons to experience Newcastle."
Ian Thomas, Chief Operating Officer at NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: "Newcastle is teeming with personality, character and creativity, and Dominoes is the perfect moment for residents and visitors alike to be able to explore this. This event builds on the city's growing reputation as a creative and cultural hub and showcases the fantastic energy and personality that people witness when they visit Newcastle which creates lasting memories and leaves them wanting to return time and time again."
