THE GREAT GREENWICH WHALE Beaches on the Thames as Part of GDIF2013

Thousands turned out to see the whale that swam up to Vauxhall Bridge in 2006 - now a realistic life-sized art installation of a 17m sperm whale will come to RoyAl Greenwich as part of GDIF2013 (Greenwich + Docklands International Festival), a nine day festival of outdoor performing arts 21-29 June. Londoners can see this vast creature and celebrate the wonder of whales, sea creatures and the sea without harm to a real whale.

This magnificent installation comes from the Belgian artists Captain Boomer Collective in collaboration with Zephyr Wildlife Reconstruction. The whale, attended by a cast of scientists and rescue teams will be beached from 1-5pm today, 20th June on the Thames at the Cutty Sark. The whale will then be moved by crane to the lawns of the Royal Naval College for the weekend, where it will be part of Greenwich Fair, a weekend event of free outdoor performances and events at the opening of GDIF2013.

The beaching captures our fascination and long relationship with the "otherness" of the sea. In the 18th Century Greenwich was the centre of the London whaling industry. A base for whaling fleets, the street lamps and houses were lit by whale oil, the cables for whaling were made in Greenwich and whale oil was used in the local wool industry. In 2010 the skeleton of a 12m whale was uncovered after 200 years under the river mud at Greenwich.

Developed by GDIF in partnership with GLL RoyAl Greenwich libraries and the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the event will be chronicled by libraries writer in residence Lemn Sissay. Sissay was the official poet of the 2012 Olympics and in 2010 received an MBE from the Queen for Services to Literature. Working with local people, he will create a "backstory" to the beaching and the installation, drawing on Greenwich's rich literary and historic association with whaling and giving it a contemporary edge. Lemn will be onsite in a mobile library van.

The event is in partnership with British Divers Marine Association who work in the Thames rescuing animals and preserving its environment - 'Over the last few year we have been seeing more and more Whales and Dolphins around the coast of the British Isles. The beaching of this model sperm whale at Greenwich is something that could happen. If this was happening for real we would do all in our power to avoid a whale of this type and size stranding by using a flotilla of boat to gently coax the whale out of the river' Alan Knight OBE British Divers Marine Life Rescue

This event will epitomise the GDIF approach which, led by Artistic Director Bradley Hemmings, features fantastic arts events created with international and UK artists that entertain, provoke and amaze whilst telling a story - in this case the story of whales, conservation, Greenwich and The Thames.

Full Festival programme: www.festival.org.

The RoyAl Greenwich Festivals is a series of high quality events to celebrate the cultural vibrancy of RoyAl Greenwich. Running from April to September 2013. The RoyAl Greenwich Festivals will provide some of the best and most varied entertainment in the capital in one of the UK's best locations - in the heart of a World Heritage Site on the banks of the River Thames. From high quality street performance to comedy, music to suit all tastes and invigorating dance performances - The RoyAl Greenwich Festival's will firmly establish RoyAl Greenwich as the place to enjoy summer in the capital. Many of the country's best loved and most experienced cultural groups are based in RoyAl Greenwich - from the internationally renowned Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance to Greenwich+Docklands International Festival supplemented by a host of high quality organisations ensuring there is something for everyone this summer in RoyAl Greenwich.

GLL Libraries is a division of GLL and now operates 26 libraries in London on behalf of 2 local authorities.

GLL is a charitable social enterprise, created to manage community services and spaces. It oversees the management of over 100 public facilities across the UK. GLL is an employee-owned organisation and works in partnership with fifteen London boroughs, two city councils, four borough councils, six district councils and associated partners, including the London Legacy Development.

GLL makes community services and spaces better for everyone - in particular, providing high quality library, leisure and fitness facilities.