Digital arts festival heads to Cumbria this Easter

A scratch 'n sniff film, an ice cream van pumping out flavoured clouds and a pixel playground - yes if you go down to the woods this Easter you're in for a big surprise.

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For Cumbria's Grizedale Forest will be the setting for an exciting range of events under the banner of the Abandon Normal Devices festival which promotes digital arts and new cinema.

The festival is coming to Cumbria for the spring after picking up rave reviews in Liverpool last year where it was described by the Guardian as "A boldly freewheeling art and film festival - something of a call to arms."

Full details of the programme which includes takes in Lancaster and Preston have been revealed this week.

It's certainly out there when it comes to being edgey and downright wacky, but don't let that put you off - there are plenty of events in the programme which can be enjoyed by adults and children alike and it all looks immense fun.

We have relatives visiting this easter and I'm not sure what they had in mind, but I'm looking forward to taking them "disorienteering" and getting lost in Grizedale Forest.

Cumbria is playing a key role in the digital arts festival that will bring international artists and film-makers to the county over the next three years. It is hosting the event each spring for the next three years while Liverpool and Manchester share its events in the Autumn.

Already Cumbria has benefited from an artist in residence on the Irish Sea. A catamaran made its way along the Cumbrian coast, mapping marine ecology and dropping in for workshops in Whitehaven and Barrow along the way. The audio collected along the way was used for podcasts and a blog.

It was just a taster of the spirit of innovation and fun that Abandon Normal Devices (AND) will bring to Cumbria. In 2011 Cumbrian events are likely to centre more on the north of the county.

Taylor Nuttall, Director - folly, said: "AND festival encourages you to abandon normal devices and find new experiences. I'm thrilled that folly has been able to bring such an
exciting and innovative range of art work to Cumbria and showcase this in diverse locations such as Grizedale Forest."

The AND festival is funded through WE PLAY, the Northwest cultural legacy project for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Find out more at www.andfestival.org.uk

* The AND festival is a partnership between three arts organisations, Cornerhouse (Manchester), FACT (Liverpool) and folly (Lancaster).
* AND comes to Cumbria in thanks to funding from Cumbria County Council.

Easter Weekend events at Grizedale Forest
2 – 3 April

Exhibition: ARambo by Geoffrey Alan Rhodes (pic)
Fri 2 – Sat 3 April 11am - 5pm
The Log Cabin
A unique interactive cinema experience using playing cards the viewer can mash up the films of Rambo live on screen.

Hudson-Powell – Grizedale Forest Residency (pic)
Fri 2 - Sat 3 April
11am – 5pm
Grizedale Forest
Creative duo Hudson-Powell are going under cover in the forest. Playing with technologies such as video-tracking and augmented 3D graphics.

Get Lost! by Rob Ray (pic)
Fri 2 - Sat 3 April
Daylight hours
Grizedale Forest
Get Lost! turns participants into “disorienteers” misguiding themselves through Forest using the map, compass and GPS as tools of deviation, introspection, and re-imagination. NOTE: You can Get Lost! with or without a GPS device but if you have one, bring it along.

Portable Pixel Playground
Fri 2 - Sat 3 April
11am – 5pm
Grizedale Forest

Cloud Project
Public Space
Fri 2 - Sat 3 April
11am – 5pm
Grizedale Forest

AND Salon – Diagnose
Fri 2 April
6pm - 8pm
Cafe in the Forest
AND invites artists, UBERMORGEN.COM to answer questions raised by User Generated Illness. Joined by Andy Miah we elaborate on how in an era of self-diagnosis we assess our own health. All Salons are accompanied by food, drink and good conversation. Book in advance see website for details

Scratch 'n Sniff Cinema presents The Company of Wolves
Friday 2 April, 8pm
The Yan
Cert 18
Culinary enthusiasts Bompas & Parr explore classic British cinema by introducing odours that relate to key scenes and dialogue, encouraging personal reminiscence as unlocked associations bubble to the surface.
Full programme details at www.andfestival.org.uk