Public spaces
Artichoke is a creative company founded in 2002. The company aims to put on shows which, whilst every bit as ambitious and technically complex as those of the major institutions, are popular, if not populist, in nature. Most of their events are free to the public and take place on the streets of cities across the UK.
In May 2006 Artichoke presented the biggest piece of free theatre ever seen in the UK, Royal de Luxe’s The Sultan’s Elephant. More than a million people are estimated to have filled the streets to watch the four-day event.
Taking arts to the people
In May/June 2008 they produced a project by British artist Paul St George, which allowed viewers to see all the way from London to New York by means of a giant, optical device situated beside the river Thames.
And in September 2008 a giant 50-foot high spider delighted the city of Liverpool in the Flagship event for Liverpool’s Capital of Culture celebrations.
It is through this passion for the democratisation of art and a desire to take arts to people in unexpected places as well as the streets of cities right across the UK that has led Sky to a major two year partnership with Artichoke.