==Press release Ede, April 24, 2020==
Dutch Living Statues postponed to summer 2021
On Tuesday 21 April, the cabinet announced an extension of the measures due to Corona surrounding the events. This means that the organization of the NK Living Statues together with the municipality of Ede has chosen to move the championship to a date to be determined in 2021.
The current measures create a lot of uncertainty, as a result of which proper preparation of the NK Living Statues cannot be guaranteed. The original date for this event, which is in Ede for the first time, was July 5. Then it was looked at September 27, but in view of the corona crisis, it was decided to postpone it for a year.
Stop preparation costs
Living Statues receives 40,000 euros from the municipality of Ede. It therefore falls under the events that are asked to stop the preparation costs. This makes it difficult for organizer Robin Hagen to continue the organization: “Now that we know that the measures apply in any case until September, it is wise to take the plunge now. It is too great a risk to organize an event in September. Now we can ensure that we can create a dazzling edition next year ”.
Good hope for next year
“We hope that the situation will enable the next year to organize a large-scale event such as the NK Living Statues in the center of Ede. Edeners love living statues. We have seen this in the number of visitors to the editions of Statues by Night. It would be nice if this event could brighten up the center of Ede next year, ”said Alderman Willemien Vreugdenhil.
==Press Release August 17, 2017==
World Living Statues festival Arnhem continues to develop new and exciting variations of this increasingly recognized street art form
ONLY THE BEST ARTISTS IN THE WHOLE WORLD PASS THE SELECTION AND CAN JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL LIVING STATUES CHAMPIONSHIP IN ARNHEM.
September 29th Statues By Night Ede/ September 30th The Warm up Arnhem/ October 1st World Championship Arnhem
Organizer Robin Hagen can reflect with pride on what his small idea 14 years ago brought to the art of Living Statues. Hagen wanted the small National Championship Living Statues organized in Arnhem to grow into a World Championship. But how would he do this? By flying to different countries and finding street artists in Barcelona, Vienna, London, New York, Madrid en flying them to Arnhem for the first edition of the World Living Statues festival. His idea became a grand success with more than hundred thousand visitors and worldwide attention. It immediately formed the basis of many other editions in Arnhem, but it also grew far beyond the limits of the World Living Statues. Smaller festivals in the Netherlands emerged as mushrooms from the ground. Also Romania, Israel, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, Poland and Ukraine followed and organized Living Statue festivals.
All festivals have been set up with great respect for the World Living Statues festival and in good cooperation. Only during the World Championship in Arnhem, the very best artists come together to compete for the World Championship Living Statues. Artistic Director of WLSF John Eicke (Berlin) can talk about it. Twice Eicke has been the World Champion in Arnhem. He flies all over the world to act as a living statue. China, Canada, USA, Brazil, Russia, Europe and the Middle East, Eicke has been every where several times.
He will take all these experiences to Arnhem this year. As an Artistic Director he is responsible for the huge selection that takes place from the hundreds of applications, of which only 60 may join the Living Statues festival.
Besides the World Championship, 50 children’s statues and amateur statues intend to compete for their own titles. And the quality of these artists increases annually.
Statues By Night Ede
Prior to the World Championship in Arnhem, a number of famous living statue artists meet with performing kids, amateur statues and local artists during Statues By Night in Ede, Friday September 29th. In a fairy-tale beautifully lit atmosphere, they enchant, marvel and entertain the audience during the evening. Children may be made up and participate if they wish.
The Warm Up Arnhem is a Party
Saturday September 30th is Party Time. Kids, amateurs, Dutch participants and participants of the World Championship are invited this year to party on the main square of Arnhem. It is a warming up for the World Championship. But, in particular, it is a warm thank you on behalf of all participants in Arnhem and its residents. The city that is the foundation of the huge growth of Living Statues as a street art worldwide.
