Commonwealth Games Manchester 2002

Manchester’s Commonwealth Games demanded a diverse and aesthetically beautiful closing ceremony – and we shaped a truly memorable goodbye, sealed with an international message of hope.

Our epic and visually engaging work communicated a universal message of hope to a sell-out stadium audience of 38,000 and a further ten million TV viewers worldwide. Simplicity, poignancy and inclusivity were key drivers of this major commission – and the huge anticipation for this prestigious event was met with an ambitious, inclusive and inspirational performance.

Directed by Nigel Jamieson, the ceremony saw us work with more than 50 artists over the course of just eight weeks. Combining large-scale spectacle with intimate spirituality, a series of large-scale lanterns merged to form a 50ft luminous human body, surrounded by religious structures from cultures around the world. A tightly choreographed display formed a river of light symbolising common humanity, as a specially commissioned soundtrack by Dave Stewart filled the stadium.

A further 2,000 smaller handcrafted lanterns carried by members of local communities entered the stadium to form a giant dove, its wingspan stretching the entire diameter of the venue. The audience watched on as the dove slowly dissolved to form a poignant message: ‘Seek peace’. At the end of the ceremony, participants were handed back their lanterns as a permanent legacy of their involvement.

The Manchester 2002 closing ceremony was a landmark moment in the history of Walk the Plank. It underlined the spirit of collective achievement – and showed to the world what could be achieved when communities come together.