This article is a compilation of what we currently know about the plans for the Secret Group’s event and the Lovebox/Citadel Festivals at Gunnersbury this summer. We shall report more after the public consultations.
The Secret Group are proposing to hire their site for 47 days, setting up from either the 19th or 23rd July (while Lovebox are dismantling). After 2 weeks of building they will have rehearsals, then their event will be open to the public for 5 shows a week for 4 weeks (Wednesdays to Sundays). They expect to dismantle in four days. They expect no more than 4,999 people on the site at any one time.
The Secret Group say this about themselves and their event: Secret Group is a pre-eminent and globally recognised cultural organisation, renowned for its theatrical, musical and cinematic productions. Secret Group has become synonymous with high quality, large scale, immersive film screenings which take place in unusual, highly themed or purpose built venues.
Audiences enter the world of the film and explore a 360-degree environment populated by a professional cast of actors/performers and dancers. An award-winning lighting, sound and video team help to bring each world to life. The experience culminates in a spectacular screening of the film.
The event is promoted via Secret Group’s network of followers, social media, print and word of mouth. The anticipated demographic of the audience is 40:60 Male-Female ‘culture seekers’ with an age range between 18 and 34. Historical data from ten years of operations shows that the audience are predominantly theatre and film goers from the ABC1 demographic, seeking exploration and enjoyment rather than the consumption of large quantities of alcohol.
The Secret Group will have to secure planning permission for their built structure.
The public consultation for this event is at 7 pm on 8th February 2018. The venue is Actonians Cricket Club Bar.
The site is shown on this map.
The Lovebox/Citadel Festivals will run from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th July, between noon and 10.30pm. The organisers claim there will be no more than 39,999 on the site at any one time.
A secure perimeter fence will be built from 2nd July and will have been removed by 20th July. The organisers say that some paths and walking routes will be left open until the Wednesday before the event. There will be a number of stages for performances of different genres of live music and the DJs. There will be bars (closing at 10pm), cultural activities, street food, toilets and all the necessary services.
Lovebox will be presented on the Friday and Saturday, Citadel on the Sunday. Both are primarily visited by the 18-30 age group but Citadel is slightly more family-oriented. At the bottom of this article are the two posters which advertised these events in 2017.
Lovebox/Citadel has been at Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets, for more than 10 years, but another festival, promising more community engagement, has won the contract. Plans were being made for Brockwell Park but they changed when Gunnersbury got involved.
The public consultation meeting for this event is at 7 pm on 7th March 2018 in the Actonians Cricket Club Bar.
The site is shown on this map.
These are the posters for Lovebox and Citadel at Tower Hamlets in 2017
James Wisdom
6th February 2018