ELEPHANT PARADE MAKES FRENCH DEBUT IN HISTORIC CITY OF CALAIS

Elephant Parade, the world’s largest public art exposition in aid of the Asian elephant, today announces its first ever visit to France. On 19 June 2015, Calais will host the first Elephant Parade of 2015, ahead of further groundbreaking expositions taking place in Brazil, China and Thailand.

Twenty-one decorated life-size elephant statues will brighten the streets and historic landmarks of the City of Calais for the 13-week exposition that runs from 19 June until the 20^th of September 2015. As Elephant Parade nears it’s 10^th anniversary, the Calais exposition will feature a mix of designs by local French artists (such as Agnes B), regional art creations (from MECCANO, the Art School and Jank) and also celebrate Elephant Parade’s global creative footprint. Some top designs from previous Parades from Milan (2011) The UK (2013) and Hong Kong (2014) will also make a cameo appearance - for the first time allowing people to enjoy the best elements of multiple Elephant Parade events in one event.

In the coming weeks, early images of some of the exposition designs will be published on the Elephant Parade Facebook page [facebook.com/elephantparadefan].The full line up will be launched for the first time at the launch event at La Halle, place d’armes at 7pm on 19 June 2015.

The event is being organised and funded by the City of Calais, as part of its strong commitment to bringing the best cultural events in the region - and putting on spectacular events for residents and visitors to the historic city.

With Elephant Parade’s mission to bring together people of different cultures and geographies, Calais was the natural choice to stage the first French Elephant Parade. As the gateway to Europe, more than 25 million people pass through Calais every year by road, rail and port. The city also boasts a rich cultural heritage, both in terms of its annual schedule of cultural events and its wide-ranging recreational facilities.

Members of the public will also be invited to take part in a special community art competition that will give people of all ages and artistic abilities the opportunity to be part of the Elephant Parade and do their bit to paint a brighter future for the elephant.

In additional to showcasing fantastic public art and raising awareness of the plight of the Asian elephant, net proceeds from the sale of the Elephant Statues and 20% of Elephant Parade net profits are used to support elephant conservation projects. An Elephant Parade shop will sell miniature replicas of (Calais elephants and) earlier exhibited at pieces during the 13 week exposition.

Mike Spits, Founder of Elephant Parade commented: “I am delighted that Elephant Parade is set for its debut in France, a country so associated with artistic and cultural vibrancy. We considered a number of cities as options for our first French Elephant Parade but the passion and enthusiasm of the Calais team made it a clear first choice. As well as being a new experience for the French public, a lot of our fans in Holland, Luxemburg, the UK and Germany have been in touch about this new expo, so its also highly likely that this Elephant Parade will also be a major tourism boost for Calais.”

Natacha Bouchart, Maire de Calais, Sénateur du Pas-de-Calais, City of Calais commented: “Calais is a dynamic city: The world capital of lace making, a city of culture, sports, floral displays, with a vibrant university. Calais offers a multitude of opportunities for recreation and relaxation and every year a range of important cultural events are organized and run in the city. We are excited about the prospect of having 21 elephants storming through our city this summer and we are planning a range of family events and activities around the exposition to ensure that Elephant Parade’s first visit to Calais will be one to remember!”

Notes to editors

For French press enquiries on the Calais event or to register for future announcements ahead of launch contact:

Elodie Francois

elodie.francois@mairie-calais.fr +33 (0) 3 21 46 50 91

For more information on attending the launch event contact:

Nele Sottmann

n.sottmann@elephantexpo.eu +49 171 512 95 60

For international Elephant Parade press enquiries and images or details of previous Elephant Parade events contact:

Guy Bellamy/Nicky Brooke

guy@elephantcommunications.co.uk +44 (0) 1342 870142

nicky@elephantcommunications.co.uk +44 (0) 1342 870172

For high-resolution images on Elephant Parade and facts on previous events contact the Elephant Parade international newsroom:

http://www.mynewsdesk.com/elephant-parade