Dominoes

3.5 km

Over 12,000 blocks

450 volunteers

Missed it? Not to worry – watch our video and enjoy the day!

Dominoes by Station House Opera was Absolutely Cultured’s first major event. Taking place on Saturday 11 August 2018, the internationally acclaimed, site-specific celebratory event, took over Hull playing with the architecture of the city on a 3.5km domino run – a moving sculpture, both playful and epic.

Using over 12,000 breezeblocks, 450 City of Culture Volunteers worked alongside Station House Opera’s Artistic Director, Julian Maynard Smith, to install the incredible structures.

The first domino was pushed at the Boat Yard; creating a chain reaction across the city, a moving sculpture that lasted 60 minutes. Over 30,000 people watched Dominoes weave its way through the city’s streets, public squares, civic buildings and private homes, climbing stairs, falling from windows and occasionally conquering a structure built from yet more blocks.

In a first for Dominoes, the route in Hull was split into two sections which were linked by a vehicle, as the first section paused in front of Burt’s Pizzeria and Gelato restaurant near the Fruit Market, as a vehicle took the block along the A63 to re-start the run at Australia houses on Great Thornton Estate. The domino run finished in Queens Gardens, where the YUM! Food and Drink Festival was taking place.

Creating a true celebration across the city centre, Dominoes transformed the rhythm of Hull for one special day, reclaiming the city’s streets for residents and the public.

Absolutely Cultured would love everyone to share pictures and videos from the day across social media, use @abscultured and #DominoesHull to join in the conversation.

An Absolutely Cultured event Dominoes, was conceived and directed by Station House Opera and produced by Artsadmin.

Past events

Installation view, 2022. INTER_CHANGE Showcase. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister

INTER_CHANGE Showcase

Installation view. Ashley Holmes, Trust Melody. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2022 © Jules Lister

Trust Melody, Ashley Holmes

Working with Children and Young People

Installation View, 2021. Jasleen Kaur, Flesh 'n' Blood. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister

Flesh ‘n’ Blood, Jasleen Kaur

Floodlights, 2021. Absolutely Cultured © Thom Arran

FloodLights

Installation view. HSG Open Call - Season Two. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2021. © Jules Lister

HSG Open Call - Season Two

Installation View, 2021. Leo Fitzmaurice, Enjoy Civic Life. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister

Enjoy Civic Life, Leo Fitzmaurice

Fruit Factory Network site visit to Bloc Projects, Sheffield © Absolutely Cultured

Life as a Creative

Dance Exchange Hull, 2019 © Tom Arran

Meet the funders

Installation View. Practice in Place. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists, 2020. © Jules Lister

Practice In Place

HIPI Hang Out Forum, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured

Arts Council England under £15k Applications: Top Tips with Deb Ashby

Remote Talent Development

Installation view, 2019. Ollie Dook, Proboscidea Rappings. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister

Proboscidea Rappings, Ollie Dook

Dance Exchange Programme, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured

Dance Exchange Hull

Language Café © Chris Pepper

Chatty Hull

Hull Takeover: Previews © The Herd/The Roaring Girls/Just Club

Hull Takeover: Previews

Athena Papadopoulos, A Tittle-Tattle Tell-a-Tale-Heart, courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist 2019. © James Mulkeen

A Tittle-Tattle Tell-a-Tale Heart, Athena Papadopoulos

Installation view. Place To Place: Liverpool Biennial Touring Programme. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2019. © Tom Arran

Place To Place: Liverpool Biennial Touring Programme

Jamie Reid XXXXX: Fifty Years of Subversion and The Spirit © Jamie Reid

Jamie Reid XXXXX: Fifty Years of Subversion and The Spirit

Contains Strong Language © BBC

Contains Strong Language

Land of Green Ginger © Tom Arran

Act VII: Land of Green Ginger

John Grant's North Atlantic Flux: Sounds from Smoky Bay © Chris Pepper

John Grant's North Atlantic Flux: Sounds from Smoky Bay

The Last Testament of Lillian Bilocca © Hull Truck Theatre

The Last Testament of Lillian Bilocca

Kristin McGuire © Studio McGuire / Nikki Rummer © Camilla Greenwell

An evening of physical performance with Kristin McGuire and Nikki Rummer

Installation view, 2021. In Conversation as Collective Strategy. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister

In Conversation as Collective Strategy

50 Queers for 50 Years Workshop © Chris Pepper

Creative Case for Diversity: An Introduction

Parklife / Stories from the Shires

Fruit Factory Network site visit to Bloc Projects, Sheffield © Absolutely Cultured

Introduction to Fundraising in the Arts

HSG x GK Beaulah: Design Challenge

Installation View. HSG Open Call - Season One. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists, 2021. © Jules Lister

HSG Open Call - Season One (2021)

Chatty Hull, 2019 © Absolutely Cultured

Making work with and for communities

Installation view, 2020. Jamie Crewe, Solidarity & Love. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister.

Jamie Crewe, Solidarity & Love

Model City, Absolutely Cultured © Tom Arran

Volunteer Community Support and Crisis Response

Installation view, 2020. Lucy Clout, ZZZ. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2020. © Jules Lister

Lucy Clout, ZZZ

Installation View, 2019. Aniara Omann, Equanipolis. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister

Equanipolis, Aniara Omann

Installation View. Mike S Redmond and Faye Coral Jones (MSR FCJ), Ecstatic Rituals.Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister