Liverpool City Council is giving people the opportunity to be part of the Poppies team.
Weeping Window, a moving installation of ceramic poppies, will be on display on the façade of St George’s Hall from Saturday 7 November and is part of the installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red which was showcased at HM Tower of London in 2014.
The artwork will be on display in the city for ten weeks and organisers are looking to recruit a large team of Event Ambassadors to make sure visitors receive an exceptional service when they come to see the poppies.
The role of the Ambassadors will be to welcome, inform and engage with members of the public and any volunteers will be given full training, guidance and supervision and will also get to meet the team behind the work before it is officially opened.
The team are looking for people with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, they also need to be enthusiastic and flexible.
Working in shifts of 4.5 hours, Ambassadors will be required throughout the installation of the Poppies to let people know what is happening, when it will be open and what other experiences of activities are going on in the city at that particular time.
Once Weeping Window has opened, Ambassadors will be on hand to give Poppies information to passing public, be the point of any contact for any pre-booked visits and ensure access to their designated viewing area, working with the onsite security team to ensure the smooth running of the queue and assisting any people with accessibility issues.
Anyone interested in being part of this important team can fill in the application form online at www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/poppies in the ‘Get Involved’ section. Or, email eventambassadors@liverpool.gov.uk and the form will be sent to them. Individuals won’t be expected to work the full ten weeks and the form will give the applicant the chance to indicate their availability for the ten weeks. They will also be asked to tell the organisers in no more than 300 words why they want to be an Event Ambassador.
The deadline for applications is 5pm Wednesday 21 October 2016.
Assistant Mayor and cabinet member for culture, tourism and events, Councillor Wendy Simon, said; “Volunteers play a vital role in our major events and the Poppies is no exception.
“We’re expecting to be very busy across the ten weeks, with thousands of people heading to St George’s Hall to not only admire this iconic piece of art but also take time to remember those who lost their lives during conflict.
“The Event Ambassadors will play an integral frontline role and will really be the ‘face’ of the event as they welcome people to the area and help deal with any queries about the art work, or indeed the Hall or the city itself.
“This is a unique opportunity to be part of the Poppies Team and I hope that we have lots of enthusiastic applicants who would love the chance to show their pride in this city and make it an unforgettable experience for the tens of thousands of visitors we’re expecting until January.”
Weeping Window comes to Liverpool as part of a UK wide tour of the poppies organised by 14-18 NOW, giving people across the UK the chance to experience the impact of the ceramic poppy sculptures in a range of places with particular First World War resonance.
For the latest information visit www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/poppies, follow @culturelpool on Twitter, or Like Culture Liverpool on Facebook.
Weeping Window and Wave are from the installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red by Paul Cummins Ceramics Limited in conjunction with Historic Royal Palaces. The original poppies concept was created by artist Paul Cummins and installation designed by Tom Piper. It was originally at the Tower of London from August to November 2014 where 888,246 poppies were displayed, one to honour every death in the British and Colonial forces of the First World War.
Paul Cummins
Paul Cummins MBE is a ceramic artist, internationally renowned for the installation ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ at HRP Tower of London 2014, as well as many other installations including his work on the Cultural Olympiad in 2012. Locations for previous works include the Houses of Parliament, Chatsworth House, Althorp Estate and Blenheim Palace.
Paul was inspired to produce a ceramic poppy to honour every death in the British forces of the First World War, numbering 888,246.
Tom Piper
Tom Piper MBE was Associate Designer for the Royal Shakespeare Company from 2004 to 2014, and was closely involved in the redevelopment of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. His theatre credits include over 30 productions for the RSC, including the award-winning History series. Other recent designs include Hamlet, King Lear (Citizens Theatre), Red Velvet (Tricycle Theatre and St Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn), Tamburlaine (TFANA New York), Pride and Prejudice (Regent’s Park Theatre), The King’s Speech (Birmingham Rep and Tour) and Zorro the Musical (West End and world tour). Piper’s opera credits include Macbeth and Falstaff (Scottish Opera), Orfeo (ROH and Roundhouse). Tom collaborated with the British Museum and Alan Farlie Architects on the exhibition Shakespeare: Staging the World in 2012 as part of the Cultural Olympiad. Tom is a Creative Associate at the Tricycle Theatre.
His many awards include an Olivier Award (costume design) for the Histories series.
14 -18 NOW
A programme of special commissions by leading artists from Britain and around the world to mark the centenary of the First World War as part of the UK’s official centenary commemorations. The first season centred around 4 August 2014 (Anniversary of the Declaration of War), and the focus of the subsequent two seasons will be July 2016 (anniversary of the Battle of Somme) and November 2018 (centenary of Armistice Day). 14 -18 NOW is supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England and by additional fundraising.
