Gloucester Guildhall to host 80th Anniversary of The Moomins with a new artwork commissioned from Dana Olărescu.
Gloucester Guildhall has been selected as one of four partners around the UK to host a brand-new artwork co-commissioned by Counterpoints Arts and made possible by the support of Moomin Characters in celebration of 80 years since the publication of the first Moomin story.
The Moomins and the Great Flood was originally published in 1945 by the acclaimed Finnish artist, illustrator and writer Tove Jansson. Since their debut, the Moomin books have inspired generations worldwide with their messages of inclusiveness, kindness and belonging. Under the theme “The Door is Always Open” – referring to the door of the Moominhouse, which offers shelter, comfort and security to all who seek it – new and returning fans alike are invited to join in celebrations which will include charitable fundraisers, fan competitions, new books, a film, product launches and much more.
In the UK, the brand is partnering with Counterpoints Arts and Refugee Week to commission four artists to create four public artworks inspired by The Moomins and the Great Flood.
The four artworks have been co-commissioned and will be co-produced by Counterpoints Arts and partners around the UK: Southbank Centre in London; Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead; Gloucester Guildhall; and Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.
The artworks will appear in May and June 2025 and will be supported by a range of community programming, Refugee Week resources and activations.
James Zambra, Creative Director of Moomin Characters, said: “The shelter, comfort and security that the Moominhouse provides are all universal needs, as relevant today as they were 80 years ago when Tove Jansson penned the first Moomin story. We couldn’t think of a better partner with which to celebrate the importance of a warm welcome and a sense of belonging than Refugee Week.”
Almir Koldzic, Director, Counterpoints Arts, said: "We are so excited to be working with Moomin Characters to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first Moomin book as part of Refugee Week in June 2025. Our vision for refugees and asylum seekers to be able to live safely within inclusive communities aligns perfectly with the life and work of Tove Jansson, and this collaboration will help us reach new audiences of all ages and backgrounds. We look forward to the exciting public art commissions that we are co-producing with our partners in Gloucester, London, Gateshead and Bradford as well as the related programming and the Refugee Week resources that will be available across the UK.”
Red Isaac, Senior Producer, Gloucester Guildhall, said: “As a dock city, welcoming people seeking sanctuary is built into our story. There is huge pride in this heritage, and the theme of welcoming people features prominently in the work of communities and arts organisations across the city, recognising the transformative and rich contributions of all the cultures that make up Gloucester. The story of welcome, belonging and safety at the heart of the Moomins chime perfectly with Gloucester Guildhall and city’s values. We are delighted to explore and celebrate these important themes in this project with Moomin Characters and Counterpoint Arts.”
Other Moomin80 celebrations around the world will include major exhibitions in Finland, Sweden, Poland, China and South Korea; a raft of new publishing and special anniversary editions; and new product lines across high-end fashion, homeware, gifting and much more.
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