As I write this there are only 83 days until the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games open, the sun is shining and the BBC will be delivering a fantastic summer of sport including the World Cup, Wimbledon and the Games. The Queen’s Baton Relay is nearing its arrival into the UK on the 11th May and the cultural events across the summer are being announced. The Radio 1 Big Weekend line-up looks amazing and the Radio 1 Academy the week before promises to deliver exciting experiences in Glasgow,. These will really kick off our cultural and event programming around the Games.
Today we launch the BBC at the Quay programme of brilliant radio, television and online events that will be coming to the BBC’s 16 day pop-up festival based at Pacific Quay near BBC Scotland’s headquarters on the River Clyde. After several months of logistical and detailed editorial discussions with programme teams right across the BBC and many external partners, we can now share some of the highlights that will be happening from the 19th July to 3rd August. It is a free site with tickets for special events, and programmes will be on our website from the 30th May. Whether you are in Glasgow for the Games and want to come along and be a part of the festival or whether you want to watch, listen or interact with our radio, television or online content there will be something for everyone. That was key for me I really wanted us to create a site that you could bring your mum, your dad, your friends, your children, your auntie, your uncle or just be a part of it yourself, remember, this is your BBC. Amazing music from great artists like Texas, Paloma Faith, Simple Minds, Maceo Parker, Raghu Dixit to name a few, live radio from all our networks, television programmes and events, and some very special golden ticket events to give you the chance to meet some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment.
It is a great privilege to lead and co-ordinate an event on this scale and there is a small brilliant core team behind this – Andrew, Debbie, Laura, Charlene, Emma P, Joanna, Emma B, Lisa and Charlotte, Jennifer, Niall and Stuart– who are pulling it all together. There has been well thought out collaboration right across the BBC to make something like this happen, from all the radio networks, Radio 1, 1XTRA, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, 4XTRA, Radio 5 Live, Asian Network, Radio Scotland, Radio nan Gaidheal, Radio Wales, Radio Ulster, and the English regions, to different areas including The One Show, Children’s, Learning, Sport, Gaelic, Interactive, and some very special one off events produced specifically for BBC at the Quay.
It is important for us to showcase some of the other exciting events that Glasgow will be offering during this time so we are working collaboratively with many of the other cultural organisations in Scotland, for example Culture 2014 and Festival 2014. We will be running a number of BBC hosting events where you will get the chance to see what Scottish Opera and the National Theatre of Scotland will be doing amongst others.
Music, sport, family and diversity will be at the heart of the content over the 16 days and with over 70 programmes, shows and events already confirmed I hope that you will all be a part of it. I’m delighted that we are working with DF concerts who will be delivering the event management of the site, the Glasgow Science Centre (regarding the location) and a one off event with the Waverley - the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer.
The excitement of the sport during the Games will be amazing but the cultural diversity of all the Commonwealth countries shown through music, history and the spoken word is very powerful and our ambition is to create a site and event that reflects this. So if you are in Glasgow come and visit us if you're not please listen, watch and interact with us on all our content during this period. I look forward to welcoming you and all the BBC programmes, external organisations to the site in July. And if someone can bring the sunshine that would be very helpful!
Sharon Mair is BBC Project Executive for the Commonwealth Games.
- Read more of Sharon's blogs about the Commonwealth Games on her author page.
- Find out how to volunteer at BBC at the Quay on the About BBC Scotland website.
- Follow BBC at the quay on twitter.
