Fish Friendly Fireworks
DJ Ben Osborne & Guests
VJ Jim Horsfield
The Tide Mill/ The Boathouse, Whisstocks Square, Woodbridge IP12 1FP
Free Entry From 5pm
The trail-blazing, eco-minded music and light art event, Fish Friendly Fireworks, is to return as part of the second Winter Light Festival, in Suffolk. It is being funded by Arts Council England and East Suffolk District Council.
The night will feature music by Ben Osborne and guests, with visuals by Jim Horsfield. Following the sucess of 2021’a light art cometition, the event will include a bigger, all ages community art competition; with workshops by artist Alice Stallard. Winning entrants will have their artworks projected onto the Tide Mill.
DJ, creative producer and musician, Ben Osborne’s shows have been performed at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Latitude Festival, Tate Britain, National Portrait Gallery, Village Underground, BFI Southbank and many venues around the world. Described as a ‘polymath’ by Time Out (London), he’s worked with international stars, from Groove Armada, The Beatles and Justin Robertson, to Booka Shade and Jazzie B . He regularly DJs clubs, galleries, and major festivals across the UK and Europe. His events have been described as “an actual Cathedral of Sound” by The Guardian. Ben also works to support and encourage local and regional atcs, and is co-founder of Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music (www.woodbridgefestival.com).
Jim Horsfield has toured the globe, including projecting onto Sydney Opera House, and worked extensively with acts such as Beardyman, Jon Hopkins, Future Loop Foundation and Global Communication. He’s also VJ’d for Phil Hartnol (Orbital), Tom Middleton and Gilles Peterson and made documentaries for Fatboy Slim, Madness and Pete Tong. His latest show mapped bespoke visuals onto Islington’s prestigous Union Chapel in London.
The Fish Friendly Fireworks event was launched in 2021 to offer an eco friendly alternative to regular fireworks. Last year it was enjoyed by large crowds at the Tide Mill, Boathouse Kitchen and Bar and Whisstocks Square by the River Deben.
Last Years’ Winter Light Festival also featured music and light art shows in Woodbridge, Saxmundham, Felixstowe and Ipswich.
About the Competition
Artists of all ages were invited to submit arworks for projection onto the Tide Mill during the annual Fish Friendly Fireworks on Saturday 5 November. The competition involved local schools, Woodbridge Arts Club and featured pop-up workshops by Alice Stallard, such as a cut-out workshop called Matisse at The Mill, designed to introduce artistic techniques and offer inspiration.
Alice Stallard says: “We’re delighted to receive funding from Arts Council England and East Suffolk Cuncil, so that we can continue our work with participatory art and culture in the local area.”
About Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music.
WFAM celebrated its tenth year (2012-2022) on 3-5 September, with its annual flagship event in the town’s Elmhurst Park and venues across town. The weekend long festival promotes music, arts culture and ecological activities in the local area. It has featured leading international acts, such as Jazzie B - Soul II Soul, Phil Hartnoll - Orbital/ Martyn Ware - Human League/ Heaven 17, Tina Turner, Matt Black - Coldcut, Leee John - Imagination, Justin Robertson - Hacienda, Chris Coco - every super club in Ibiza, Red Snapper, Mark Moore - S Express and many others, including Glastonbury headliners, Mercury Prize nominees and acts from countries such as Canada, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Norway and USA. As well as music, the festival features arts and literary strands, active eco areas (including in-class workshops and summer schools on environmetal practices), a kids zone, local producers markets and pop-up book shops.