Feast of fun for launch of The Public in West Bromwich

Jun 20 2008

A GIANT aluminium whale, street theatre and live music will be among a feast of entertainment heralding the public launch of West Bromwich’s £54 million interactive arts centre.

A free festival programme of events for the whole family has been lined up to mark the opening of The Public and The Public Gallery within it next Saturday and Sunday.

From 9am to 11pm there will be performances in the theatre, music in the square in front of The Public, children’s activities and guided tours of the iconic building and the interactive gallery.

More than 1,000 Sandwell residents are being offered free tickets to the gallery.

In return they will be testing the exhibits and providing useful feedback before the first paying visitors are admitted at the start of the school summer holidays.

The Whale By Talking Birds will see a shiny, aluminium whale with its jaws open, with visitors invited to climb inside, from 10am to 4pm on both days.

Cycle tuk-tuks will take visitors from West Bromwich bus station to The Public, and there will also be free hands-on creative activities for children, together with live acoustic jazz and blues in the Pinktank, next to the cafe bar.