Objectives: Why Are we Doing This?

A whole series of reasons:

  • Build buzz about Pestival; Tweehive is a new media 'sample' of exactly the sort of imaginative, educational, cultural experience that Pestival is all about.
    By staging a 'new media event' we give the media something fascinating to write about now, in the build up to the main event. We will also take part in the actual event and which also has a heavy emphasis this year on bee exhibits and events; including the famous sniffer bees and also a bee colony on the roof who will be miked up to 'sing' with a human choir and a Japanese insect mimic soloist in the closing musical performance by Chris Watson.
  • To help people experience the wonderment of a bee colony, one of the most beautiful and advanced living systems that has ever evolved. As a way to engage people with natural systems and ecology. It's a microcosm of the idea that we need to rebuild a human connection with natural systems. Specifically in the case of bees we should perhaps feel about their potential loss the way we felt about the Taliban destroying ancient monuments; a much greater loss than the pollination and honey services. The further you get into bee colony as 'superorganism' the more you realise we have to learn still from bees.
  • To raise awareness of colony collapse disorder and drive traffic to websites, research, build a public interest and cultural climate where government and business feel they should redouble their efforts, budgets and communications around this issue. "To make the bee the new polar bear" is our motto.
  • Support the already thriving growth of urban beekeeping, both by raising interest in bees but also driving traffic to websites and the community.
  • To create an opportunity for bee scientists to test some hypotheses and do some original research using a simulated bee colony enacted by human agents; an opportunity we should explore at least to see if it is valuable and feasible in line with the overall Pestival philosophy.
  • It is going to be huge fun and learning and hopefully a rewarding, enriching experience for all involved