Totally Thames 2019 Announces Four Highlights

by BWW News Desk Jun. 21, 2019

Totally Thames has announced four incredible highlights of the 2019 festival. This year's celebration of the River Thames will champion the heritage of the river as the vital centre of London's history, its diverse culture and its connection to the rest of the world.

Totally Thames 2019 encourages Londoners and visitors from further abroad to take part in an amazing programme of arts, culture and heritage, including London's newest and biggest river challenge to a ship that explores the inclusive and welcoming history of the nation's capital.

The Ship of Tolerance, created by acclaimed artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, brings together children from a multitude of continents, cultures and identities through the universal language of art. This moving international installation utilises the artworks of a thousand primary school children, refugee groups, hospitals and cultural organisations to create the sails of a stunning wooden ship. The Ship of Tolerance, a floating sculpture measuring 60 feet, will be moored in the Royal Docks in August and by the Millennium Bridge throughout September, promoting unity in the heart of the capital. The project will also be supporting community workshops encouraging tolerance and diversity. The Ship of Tolerance is produced by the Kabakov Foundation and Nadja Romain, Founder Art Action Change in collaboration with Thames Festival Trust.

Justine Simons, Deputy Mayor of Culture and Creative Industries, comments London is a beacon of inclusiveness and acceptance, so there really is no better place to display The Ship of Tolerance. The project is a wonderful example of the power of art to unite communities and inspire young people.