Major British exhibition to go ahead in New York

London, UK (September 21, 2001)--Plans for a major two-weekexhibition of British design in the heart of Manhattan next month aregoing ahead, despite the recent terrorist attacks in New York andWashington.

Announcing its intention to open the exhibition in New York's GrandCentral Terminal as planned, on October 16, the UK Design Council saidthe staging of the event would be "a tribute to the close relationshipbetween business communities, and in particular the creativeindustries, on both sides of the Atlantic."

The Great Expectations exhibition was originally intended to be thedramatic centerpiece of a two-week-long festival to promote Britaincalled UKinNY. Earlier today, (during the visit of the Prime MinisterTony Blair to New York), it was announced the program will go ahead, ina revised format, as a show of solidarity and support for the city. Thedecision was taken after New York City authorities made it clear theydid not want such events to be canceled. The festival will be re-namedUKwithNY.

Andrew Summers, Chief Executive of the Design Council said,"Obviously we considered calling off or at least postponing the NewYork opening of Great Expectations in the wake of last week's horrificattacks on the World Trade Center. But in the last few days, ourcolleagues in New York have made it clear that they want it to go aheadif at all possible. They wish to demonstrate that their great city hasnot been cowed by the terrorists, and that as far as possible it'sgetting "back to business."

"In the light of this, we have decided that the exhibition will goahead as a powerful symbol of Britain's solidarity with the people ofNew York, and a tribute to the close relationship which exists betweenbusiness communities, and in particular the creative industries, onboth sides of the Atlantic."

A number of leading figures from the world of British design areplanning to attend the official opening ceremony of Great Expectations,including architect Lord Richard Rogers, Julia Barfield (designer ofthe British Airways London Eye) and the Rector of the Royal College ofArt, Sir Christopher Frayling, who is also Chairman of the DesignCouncil.

The specially built $1 million exhibition and its contents are dueto be shipped from the UK to New York at the end of this week. A numberof logistical hurdles will have to be overcome if its to open on time.But the Design Council team responsible for installing the exhibitionis working flat out to ensure that it does.

Great Expectations, the biggest exhibition of its kind ever stagedin New York, features 100 examples of the best of British design andcreativity. It includes a diverse range of innovative products andservices covering film and new media, engineering and transport,consumer and medical products, fashion and textiles, advertising andarchitecture.

The exhibition is based on the concept of a banquet, with theexhibits displayed on a 180-foot dining table glowing with white light.Visitors will be encouraged to sit at one of the many place settings,where they will be able to hear more about the exhibits throughspeakers built in to the table and chair backs, and through computers.The exhibition will fill the huge Vanderbilt Hall, which runs alongsidethe main station concourse at Grand Central. On average, half a millionNew Yorkers pass through Grand Central every day.