Shakespeare’s Life and Legacy interactive map unveiled in Library of Birmingham
The one-of-a-kind touchtable map features famous interpreters of Shakespeare including Helen Mirren, Orson Welles and Peter Hall.
Published: 2 March 2016
This touchtable map brings to life the fascinating Shakespeare archives for everyone to explore in a brand-new way.
On Thursday 3 March, Director of BBC England, Helen Boaden will reveal a specially commissioned interactive map in the Library of Birmingham to bring the story of Shakespeare to life.
The Shakespeare’s Life and Legacy touchtable map is part of the 2016 BBC Shakespeare Festival. It will allow visitors to explore the life, times and works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries in a new and exciting way.
It features clips of well-known interpreters of Shakespeare including Helen Mirren, Orson Welles and Peter Hall, as well as historic documents and information about theatres and the locations of Shakespeare’s plays.
Director of BBC England, Helen Boaden, says: "This touchtable map brings to life the fascinating Shakespeare archives for everyone to explore in a brand-new way. We're proud to be working with the Library of Birmingham and feel this project demonstrates what a great space our libraries are for public engagement.”
The BBC Shakespeare Festival 2016 is the most far-reaching celebration of Shakespeare’s work ever broadcast to mark 400 years since the death of Shakespeare. Partnering with some of the country’s leading arts organisations, this unique festival will bring to life the genius of William Shakespeare for millions of households in the UK and around the world, across all platforms - national, regional and global. The festival aims to make Shakespeare’s work irresistible to everyone.
The Shakespeare’s Life and Legacy touchtable map is a collaboration between BBC Birmingham, BBC Archive Development, the Library of Birmingham, the University of Birmingham Digital Humanities Hub and the University of Birmingham Shakespeare Institute, including archive from the BBC, the Shakespeare Institute and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Councillor Penny Holbrook, cabinet member for skills, learning and culture, says: “I am delighted Birmingham will be the BBC’s digital centre for this year’s Shakespeare celebrations and that the Library of Birmingham is involved in this. Shakespeare’s themes are so universal and relevant today that it is really important we continue to find new ways for his works to speak to people, particularly those who might feel that Shakespeare isn’t for them.”
- The Shakespeare’s Life and Legacy touchtable map is situated on Level 3, Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square and is also available in the BBC Birmingham Public Space.
- The BBC has also launched the BBC Shakespeare Archive Resource, providing schools, colleges and universities across the UK access to hundreds of BBC television and radio broadcasts of Shakespeare’s plays, sonnets and documentaries about Shakespeare. The collection has been developed in response to BBC Director-General Tony Hall’s ambitious plans, announced in 2013, to digitise the BBC’s extensive Shakespeare archive with the aim of making it available to those in formal education and learning in the UK.
JM5
