As a lot of eyes would be on the UCI version of the ‘BMX World Championships’ in the city, our goal was to share, with the general public, what we considered to be a more engaging/realistic version of BMX - the version that has kept some of us hooked for over four decades and the version that has been at the heart of DIG for the past 30 years. We weren’t interested in what was going on with the mainstream version of the Worlds (the UCI aren’t our thing and broadly speaking we’re not fans of their approach - aside of course from the new opportunities afforded to female riders worldwide) but we did want to show people how much better BMX can be, and how it’s much more accessible (and fun - to us at least) than a regimented ‘sport’ held behind a fence. Now if that’s your thing then fill your boots, but we’ll continue to be motivated by the side of BMX that’s led by riders, and not the side that’s driven solely by committees and corporate sponsors.
Glasgow City were right behind our approach too, even though they knew it wouldn’t be promoting the main BMX events that the city was hosting. It was all about getting people on bikes as far as they were concerned and their understanding that BMX isn’t just a sport, and their appreciation of DIG’s approach didn’t go unnoticed. In our view they had a better understanding of BMX than the UCI itself.
So our original anniversary event plans grew from being a DIG 30 year photo show / book launch to something that would reach way more people. The city was keen to get BSD involved too, along with the local Loading Bay skatepark (run by BMXers), so that we could create a wider celebration of Glasgow and its rich BMX culture.
Firstly we produced a 32 page newspaper that was given out free on our opening night, and to thousands of people around the city over the course of the ten day event. DIG BMX ’A Love Letter to Glasgow’ featured the ‘real’ riders who have pushed BMX in the city and beyond for over four decades.
Alongside this we produced a video short (directed by Peter Adam) called ‘SHOTS FIRED’ featuring DIG’s own Fred Murray. The video, which focused on a week in the life of a modern day BMX photographer, was shown on big screens thought the city during the championships. Containing a little bit of DIG history along with some epic Reed Stark action shot in Glasgow by Fred, the aim of the video was again to show the general public that there was a hell of lot more to BMX than what was being fed to them via the championships.
