I don’t know about Community Networks but I know what I like...
Tea, buns and TVs - What have they got in common? You’ll find out in January in a city centre venue. Don’t miss out, make sure your details are logged with Artsnet. Over the next few months, we’ll start leaking info, but only to those linked to our Facebook & Google groups.
Seven diverse artists have been crawling over Manchester, observing council meetings, getting to grips with strategies, partnerships, networks, flowcharts, maps and the complex world of regeneration. As well as bus routes, the third sector and the work of Community Network for Manchester as their subject.
A big ask... So what did they discover? The results will be presented in an exhibition in January involving a trail between a wide range of venues across the city. We’ll even give you public transport info on how to get to each of them.
Alison Kershaw, project curator says:‘This is a really exciting project. It’s about artists being able to produce work as a personal response to a complex subject when so often artists have to work to external agendas. Being given the open brief in itself at first caused confusion for some artists used to criteria and outcomes being required.’
The 7 artists: Simon Grennan & Christopher Sperandio, William Titley, Hafsah Naib, Andrew Wilson, Jo Lewington, Jil Moore and Joe Richardson represent a wide range of professional experiences, approaches, concerns & techniques that reflect the varied practice of artists today.
The project aims to raise more questions than it answers and the audience is expected to be broad, from those working directly in the arts in the city, to workers in voluntary & statutory agencies and local people interested in what’s happening to the city and what it means to their lives. So, watch this space for more news.
To find out more contact Alison on 07767 356302 or email alison.sl-arts@good.co.uk
I don’t know about community networks, but I know what I like... is a project managed by Artsnet, keep and eye on www.artsnetmanchester.co.uk for updates and make sure you subscribe to the Google group.
The project is supported by Artsnet, CN4M, Arts Council England's ‘Grants for the Arts’ and Voluntary Action Manchester.
News
Get Yourself in the news!
Community Newswire is a free news distribution service created by Media Trust for the Third Sector in partnership with The Press Association (PA).
The Newswire service aims to make it as easy as possible for community and voluntary groups with little media contact, to get access to the media and get their voices heard.
To find out more about what they can do for you & your organisation visit www.communitynewswire.press.net
ARC Space
ARC Space Manchester (Autonomous Reflective Creative Space Manchester) is a virtual and physical launch pad for creative and ethical exchange, run by local community artists and academics.
We’ll facilitate a series of cultural, educational, intergenerational, intercultural and creative skills-based exchanges from visual to musical to written word and everything in between using technology that will enhance and engage the wider community.
ARC wants to transform what was Arch Bar, Stretford Road into a hub - run by local artisans. We’re currently in talks with lots of organisations to gain support for what’s already been regarded as a valid initiative.
We aim to regenerate the area through hosting a physical and virtual creative cluster which will in turn be a trading zone for ethical and environmentally sound products. There will be workshop spaces, computers, cafe, discussion space, early morning yoga /tai chi etc, rooftop garden.
People of all ages and backgrounds can join this cooperative and we aim to bring positivity and innovation to the well-located venue, which will not be used as a bar, but as a cultural hotspot where ideas can be nurtured and realised.
Within the virtual hub there’ll be an online information centre - a sort of Yellow Pages, with TV station, swapshop, project information, trading place, boardroom and much more. This will become a new virtual hub where you can socially network with like-minded people, book artists and lots of other helpful stuff to help local, regional, national and international communications become much easier.
The aim is to creative a holistic zone which seeds inspiration and peer to peer learning both in the physical and virtual cluster. We will communicate with similar projects internationally and nationally, and already have located many potential partners all over the world.
Should you like to be involved with setting up the initiative or you know somebody who might, please get in touch with Vicky Sinclair on vickysinclair@gmail.com 07872 939216.
Citizen
Citizen is a new, occasionally published, low-budget zine of critical writings focused on artistic practice within Manchester & the North West.
• It will provide a forum for discussion & debate on the exhibitions, events & practices in the area
• It’s interested in reviews of exhibitions & events; opinions on art-related news as well as critical writing
• It will operate on a submissions basis
• It will upkeep its primary policy of anonymity
• It will remain free
Events
Calling all young talent!
Community Arts North West in association with Zion Arts presents an original Urban Music Theatre 2008 production fusing dance, live music, digital arts and spoken word and we are looking for local young people to get involved.
Launched in 2006 by Community Arts North West as the youth arts initiative branch of the Exodus Festival, the Urban Music Theatre programme presents its final performance this December marking the end of an ambitious 3 year project.
Following last year’s Urban Music Theatre show Inside The Lines, this year’s performance promises to be just as diverse, passionate and direct.
We’re looking for a cast of 50 young people who are aspiring actors, dancers, singers, emcees, digital artists, musicians or spoken word artists. Asylum seekers, refugees or young people aged 13-20 from local communities living in Greater Manchester to get involved in devising and performing a dynamic hip hop theatre production to be shown at the Zion from Thu 4 to Sat 6 December at 7.30pm.
If you’re interested and would like the opportunity to be part of this project again, or for the first time, come along to the youth sampler day on Sat 4 October at Zion Arts, Stretford Rd, Hulme from 10am–4pm to see what it’s all about.
To book or to find out more, call Michelle Udogu on 0161 234 2980, or 07905 494583, or email michelle@can.uk.com
Toolkit artist networking drop-in
These monthly Toolkit meetups are back!
Community Arts North West & Artsnet are pleased to invite you to attend the one of our monthly Toolkit artists’ professional development drop-ins.
Sessions include:
• Access to extensive information about local, regional & national arts industry employment & volunteering opportunities
• Info about funding available for projects
• Info about various upcoming courses, seminars & conferences you can attend
• Peer support & networking
• Refreshments!
Once here, you’ll be able to book in for a future personalised 1-1 CV / job application / funding application surgery.
Monday 13 October, 4-6:30pm at Green Fish Resource Centre, 46-50 Oldham Street M4 1LE.
To register your interest contact Adelle Robinson on 0161 234 2985 email toolkit@can.uk.com or RSVP via the events page of the Artsnet Facebook group.
Ladyfest
Ladyfest Manchester is a not-for-profit, female-focused arts and music festival which is looking for female visual artists to contribute to an exciting group exhibition as part of the festival.
Artists should respond to the following theme: ‘a celebration of women in the arts’. The festival is about diversity and aims to celebrate women in all fields of the arts, your work should therefore reflect this aim. Submissions may be existing or new art work and any media is welcomed.
Please send a maximum of 4 jpeg images and a short artist statement to exhibit@ladyfestmanchester.com
Deadline: Tuesday 7 October, 5pm.
Once A Month
Once a month, every 3rd Sunday, 1-4pm.
For hoorah! It was announced in July that Platt Fields Park has won back her prestigious ‘green flag’ status!
It wouldn’t have been done had it not been for the ongoing support of all our vigorous volunteers who have beamed their way to the park every month to lend help come rain or shine. This is why we would very much like you to come along to the GREEN FLAG RAISING an hour before our OAM begins for the day.
It will be a nice chance to get your face papped in the paper, have a nibble on the buffet & get stocked up on community spirit before the summer is officially out...
In September, we lent our shovels to:
Cementing our many painted pebbles that were so carefully made at the last OAM around cherry trees in the Eco garden to complete our poem installation.
We sanded down and oiled new tools to put to good use around the park, taking care of the over lively planters in the Eco Garden whilst manuring our veggie patch to prepare for our next batch of FOOD FOR FREE to grow in 2009.
We also (of course) got out the paint to see to other tasks as well.
We’ve sure got our work cut out, so really hope to see you this month!
Reverberate presents...
How Many Poets Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb?
RE:Verberate, Manchester’s much loved literature night, returns with a comedic poetry event which gathers more than 100 poets & comedians to read for around 3 minutes each for a record attempt to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust (registered charity number 1062559).
To take place as part of the Manchester Comedy Festival, the show has a fantastic line up and special guests to make you roar with laughter. Full line up at: www.reverberateliterature.co.uk
Thu 23 October, 7.30pm until very late.
Upstairs Music Hall at The Deaf Institute
135 Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HE
£6/£5 concs. Tickets available at Ticketweb.co.uk
To take place as part of the Manchester Comedy Festival this coming October, the show has a fantastic full line up and special guests to make you roar with laughter. Full line up at: www.reverberateliterature.co.uk
Featuring, to name but a few:
Jason Cook, Seymour Mace, Greg Cook, Julian Daniel, Marvin Cheeseman and Rosie Lugosi.
UN-CONVENTION - New music industry event
A new music industry event featuring Huw Stephens (Radio 1), Andrew Dubber (New Music Strategies), Stephen Bass (Moshi Moshi), Dave Cooper (In House Press and Melodic), Nathan Sudders (The Whip) and over thirty of the most cutting edge innovators and opinion leaders of the current scene, accompanied by evening performances from Graham Massey, Pacific!, Toolshed, Denis Jones, Silverclub (formerly This Years Model), Cats in Paris and many more, will take place this October in Salford.
The event, under the banner of 'Un-convention' is specifically aimed at the grass roots of the music industry, and aims to stimulate debate and ideas around how those at the cutting edge of new music can adapt and prosper.
Inspired, rather than intimidated, by new leaps in technology, a collective of independent record labels, promoters and musicians have sought to put together a forum for like-minded people, to discuss the future of the industry.
Often overlooked amongst the doom-laden headlines of the majors and larger Indies, the grass roots industry really is at the forefront of change. They are breaking new bands to the most tech-savvy and copyright liberal audience ever. At the same time, new methods of production, distribution and promotion have given them unprecedented opportunity to access markets around the world.
For once, talent and imagination are the only real limit to what can be achieved.
To that end, Un-convention has gathered together some of the country's most innovative and influential players to get a handle on where the industry is today, and where it will be tomorrow.
With panels chaired by Huw Stephens (Radio 1), Howard Mills (Humble Soul), Ruth Daniel (Fat Northerner), and Howard Monk (The Local), for two days, and three nights, Un-convention will look at all aspects of the modern music industry.
Joined by over thirty of the most forward thinking minds in the current scene, there will be discussions on the future role of record labels, the renewed emphasis on live performance, how to gain exposure across all forms of media, and also a look at some of the most innovative ideas and business models around.
A core value of Un-convention is that it is inclusive and accessible to everyone. It is an event very much aimed at people working at the coalface of music. It is as much about participation as it is learning; it's about asking questions and sharing experience. Un-convention is running a blog so participants can have their say on what should be discussed at the event. The blog can be found at www.unconvention.wordpress.com
It is an opportunity to network with others trying to find new and exciting ways of working with music. Un-convention is for DIY and small independent labels, self-releasing artists, promoters and venues, record stores, distributors, journalists & PR, and anyone else with an interest in the future of the music industry.
The two days of industry discussion will be interspersed with acoustic sets from some of the most exciting new acts around.
The evenings will see full band sets from the likes of Graham Massey's Toolshed, the hotly tipped Silverclub, the impeccable Cats in Paris, and Mancunian favourites the Ironweed Project, with many more still to be announced.
Un-convention will take place at the Sacred Trinity Church, Chapel Street, Salford M3 5DW.
The opening night will be Sunday 5 October, and the event will run until the evening of Tuesday 7 October.
Panel events, networking and acoustic sessions will run through Monday & Tuesday daytime. Band showcases will run on Sunday, Monday & Tuesday evenings.
Early bird full event passes, which allow access to all of the evening band showcases and all the daytime panels, networking and acoustic sessions are currently available for £18. Individual ticket options are also available.
For full details of this years line up, and ticket information visit the Un-convention blog at www.unconvention.wordpress.com
Un-convention is a not for profit organisation, and has been organised on a voluntary basis.
Manchester Literature Festival offer
Manchester Literature Festival is offering friends of Artsnet Manchester some free tickets to two events at Manchester Town Hall on Tuesday 21 October: Public Lecture on Arabic Prison Literature presented by the Egyptian writer Radwa Ashour at 5.30pm, and Stories from the Middle East – the launch of a new Comma Press anthology with readings in Arabic and English from editor Joumana Haddad (Beirut), and contributors Yousef Al-Mohaimeed (Riyadh) and Hassan Blasim (Baghdad) at 7.30pm.
There are a limited number of free tickets available and these will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. If you'd like a ticket to attend these 2 events please email cathy@manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk with MLF Exodus Offer in the subject line of your email.
Writers will be travelling to Manchester from as far a field as North Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the United States to take part in this year’s Manchester Literature Festival. With events ranging from Past Crimes to A Place for Romance and poetry in translation to children’s fiction the programme caters for all literary tastes.
Other highlights of this year’s festival include:
The Changing Lives of Chinese Women, featuring readings and discussion with Liu Hong and Xinran on Saturday 18 October, 3.30pm at the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama. Tickets £3.
Bernadine Evaristo and Laura Fish, discussing their new novels on the theme of slavery, on Saturday 18 October, 6pm at St Ann’s Church. Tickets £5/3.
Poetry in Translation, featuring distinguished international poets Corsino Fortes (from Cape Verde), Noshi Gillani (from Pakistan), Maxamed Xaashi Dhamac ‘Gaarriye’ (from Somaliland) and their UK translators Sean O’Brien, Lavinia Greenlaw and WN Herbert, on Monday 20 October, 1pm at Manchester Central Library. Free event.
Polish Poets, featuring readings from Jacek Dehnel, Agnieszka Kuciak and Tomasz Różycki, on Thursday 23 October, 1pm at Manchester Central Library. Free event.
Full details of this year’s festival, including booking information, can be found on www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk or you can phone 0161 236 5555 to order a copy of the festival brochure.
Get Plugged In!
Autumn Networking Event: Wed 15 Oct, 6.30-8.30pm.
Get Plugged In! is an opportunity to network with like-minded entrepreneurs with 3P’s on their mind - people, profit and planet.
We attract over 80 entrepreneurs from a whole range of sectors from design, events, fashion, technology, media to our networking events.
We want to create opportunities for collaboration, trade and idea generation. To bring together commerically minded entrepreneurs who strive to achieve success in a responsible and ethical way.
The event is being held in partnership with www.3pbusinessclub.com and Ethical Junction.
Taking place in the Lounge, Revolution Bar, Arch 7, Deansgate Lock, Whitworth Street M1 5LH.
Register to attend at www.stridingout.co.uk/networking-events/manchester.html
Spoken Like a True
FKuk in association with Contact presents Spoken Like a True.
Saturday 18 October, 8pm. £8/£5
Contact, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA
Tickets & info: 0161 274 0600
www.contact-theatre.org
Prepare to cancel everything, as New York, Manchester and Liverpool come together in a lyrically challenging explosion of words, sounds and dance from the cream of the hip-hop theatre crop in Spoken Like a True on Saturday 18 October.
Spoken Like a True returns for its 3rd year at Contact Theatre and will be aided and abetted by home-grown female spoken word talent from Manchester & Liverpool.
Expect verbal gymnastics, flashes of anger and truth as a veritable powerhouse of female artists of the word take over the stage.
This performance is artistically directed by New York's Tavi, hip-hop artist, emcee and composer, with vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Seaming To and Yvonne D'Alchemiss-Ellis – multi-talented producer and sound engineer. Also featuring visuals by First Take.
This is an event not to be missed and a night not to be forgotten as these inspirational femme fatale artists take over and show us how it's done.
NUJ Photography Exhibition
National Union of Journalists - Exhibition of Photography
6.30-8.30pm, Thu 16 October. FREE.
This is the 1st National Union of Journalists Exhibition of photography put together by the Union photographers on the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the NUJ.
From street photography to war zones, social disorder to great sports events, NUJ photographers have photographed the world.
This exhibition is a showcase of their work, demonstrating the quality produced by dedicated professionals.
Calumet Unit 4 Downing Street Industrial Estate, Charlton Place, Manchester M12 6HH.
It’s second nature
Second Nature Theatre Company presents The Judgement of Mr Jenkins (Winner ‘Best fringe production’, MEN Theatre Awards 06). Developed with the support of Oldham Coliseum Theatre.
Dark comedy meets stand-up with a dash of audience participation in this innovative production about life, death and corporate mistakes...
STUDIO SALFORD, The King’s Arms, Bloom St, Salford M3 6AN. (Bloom St is a continuation of Manchester’s Bridge St. Wed 5 – Sat 8 November, 8pm
Tickets: £7/£5 concs. Book via www.studiosalford.com
For more info contact Sue McGeorge, 07703 880631
mcgeorgesusan@hotmail.com
Blank Media Presents...
Sat 25 Oct & Sat 22 Nov
BLANK MEDIA PRESENTS...
live music / film / art / creativity / cake!
Fuel Bar, 448 Wilmslow Rd, Withington M16 8JN
Doors open 8pm. Admission £3
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Sat 8 Nov
BLANK MEDIA PRESENTS... extravaganza!
live music / film / art / creativity / cake!
To celebrate Blank Media’s 2nd birthday, Blank Media Presents... will host a day of exciting new bands & talent from across the UK.
MS Thomason / Messner / My First Tooth / The Farthest Thing / Kait DeVoy / James Gale & more...
Kro Bar, 325 Oxford Rd, Chorlton M13 9PG
Doors open 3pm. Admission £5 (all day ticket) / £3 after 8pm
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Fri 21 Nov
LOCATION...
Blank Media invites you to LOCATION, an evening of sights & sounds of Salford. Musicians & film makers from G. Manchester collaborate to create an exciting night of music & film in association with Salford Film Festival 2008 (15-23 Nov).
Islington Mill, James St, Salford M3 5HW
Starts 7pm. FREE admission
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Tue 25 Nov
blankpages Presents...
Following the success of the creative writing contributions to our e-zine, Blank Media invites you to our debut spoken word event, blankpages Presents... in aid of Manchester’s Christies Hospital.
The Briton’s Protection, 50 Great Bridgewater St, M1 5LE.
Doors open 7:30pm
More info at www.blankmediacollective.org
www.myspace.com/blankmediacollective
Woodend Artists open studio
Woodend Artists Winter Studio open 29 & 30 Nov, 10am till 5pm.
Festive fun for all the family.
Woodend Mill, Manchester Rd, Mossley, Tameside OL5 9AY.
Visit www.woodendartists.co.uk for more information.
Everyone’s invited!
Reddish-based arts organisation ARC (Arts for Recovery in the Community), launchs its brand new exhibition space.
The launch of the Arc Community Gallery takes place as part of Arc’s ‘Open Studio Day’, an opportunity to come in and see the exciting work happening within this artistic community.
It’s a new gallery space for South Reddish and Stockport, open to the public, 10am–4pm, Mon-Thu (and by arrangement.) The gallery has full disabled access and groups are welcome.
The gallery will provide a positive, inspirational experience for both audiences and those showing their work. Exhibitions will feature high quality arts & crafts, including photography, jewellery, fine art and textiles, all for sale at affordable prices.
Arc is particularly interested in supporting artists at the outset of their careers, especially those who have been marginalised or socially excluded, for instance because of emotional or psychological distress.
The inaugural exhibition will feature a wide variety of work – from landscape photography to glass jewellery, felt & knitted textiles to fantasy art produced by artists who have been associated with Arc over the past few years.
Also on view will be The Creative Community, an exhibition drawing together the work of Arc artists alongside photography by residents of Heaton Norris. Both groups explore the concept of identity, community and environment, with powerful results.
The Arc ‘Open Studio Day’ & launch takes place on Fri 10 October, World Mental Health Day. The studios will be open from 12–6pm and everyone is welcome to come and see examples of the talent and ideas which Arc has to offer, both through our outreach programme, and through our creative art and design agency, ArcMedia.
The Arc Community Gallery is being launched by Michael Greenwood, Chairman of Stockport Primary Care Trust, at 3pm. There’ll be live music and refreshments will be provided.
For more info contact Jacqui Wood on jacqui_arc@yahoo.co.uk
About members
Kurdistan Art & Culture
Established in December 2006, Kurdistan Art & Culture is an artist-led co-operative that aims to connect Kurdish artists and cultural groups to assist in the facilitation of education and training within the artistic community; and to share experiences, inventions and creative practices with a view to setting them free into the great, wide world.
The work and activities of the centre specialises in both the arts and cultural dynamics. It provides assistance and encouragment to Kurdish artists who live in the UK achieve their true potential, by providing information, education and training - enabling them to achieve new skills, develops their professional capacity and integrate new technology with their art form and cultural practice.
Kurdistan Art & Culture (KAC) group in Manchester is holding a concert showcasing two famous Kurdish singers (Adnan Karim & Tara Jaf) who have successfully enriche Kurdish music through mixing Kurdish folklore style with contemporary style, creating a superb, professional and cultural art work.
We look forward to seeing you at the concert, an opportunity to share and experience Kurdish music and to have a wonderful Kurdish evening.
1 November, 7pm, Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA.
Box office: 0161 489 3000.
For more information contact Amang Kamil on 07759 263611 / k.art_culture@yahoo.co.uk
Slap-dash!
SLAP-DASH publishing’s exhibition, 10 New Books has been extended till mid October.
You can visit and look at the books any Monday, Tuesday or Thursday, 2–4pm at St Lukes Church, Longsight (near Mc Donalds on the A6).
The work in 10 New Books was funded by Arts Council England, North West and coordinated by artist Rae Story.
You can also view and purchase copies of books at www.lulu.com/stlukesartproject or by visiting www.stlukesartproject.org and following the SLAP-DASH books links.
Since 10 New Books, another two titles have been added to the growing collection of book works created by participants at St Lukes Art Project. African Masks by Annette Ebanks and issue 2 of La Clair’s Mag are now available.
(Photo: Angelica Botsoe with her photo essay book Two Months In Ghana. Credit, Rae Storey).
Sofa, so good
Join us at the Royal Exchange Theatre in our brand new Education Lounge which has just opened in the Hall.
Relax in our comfy sofa, tune in to our talking chair and open up the drawers of our coffee-table-with-a difference to DISCOVER THINGS YOU NEVER DREAMT WERE THERE...
For more information contact Kate Reynolds, Education Administrator on kate.reynolds@royalexchange.co.uk, 0161 615 6721.
GMMAZ youth programme
GMMAZ will be launching its 2008-9 programmes on Fri 31 Oct at the RNCM, Oxford Rd. This is your chance to see the fantastic work achieved by the participants from the various projects that we run.
On Top of the World will return this autumn for the next phase of the GMMAZ Engagement programme. Activities will happen in Tameside, Manchester (The Royal Oak Community Centre) and Bolton (Harper Green School). The workshops started in mid-September & run to March 2009.
The progression strand brings Step Up Your Game back with another phase of the mentoring programme which began in September.
Mentors have been confirmed as Audrey Lawrence-Mattis, Joe Botham and Chantelle Codner. GMMAZ has worked with these guys for a number of years and they do great work.
Running alongside the AMP programme, mentees will get the opportunity to get one-to-one mentoring, be a part of workshop activity in Manchester, achieve an Arts Award and perform at a local events. Their closed sessions take place throughout October at City College and RNCM.
For more information contact Andrea Ahimie-Carthy, Company Co-ordinator on andrea@gmmaz.org.uk
State Of Hysteria
Aidan Jolly is a Manchester-based musician who writes songs in a contemporary roots style, combining poetic and hard hitting lyrics with infectious tunes and musically diverse arrangements, from traditional English folk to the Iranian influenced performances of Jilah Bakhshayesh.
His new album State of Hysteria was recorded live in one week at Grange Studios in Norfolk. It features Jilah Bakhshayesh on violin, vocals, and kamanche; Martin Milner on guitar, mandolin, vocals, and daf; Jaydev Mistry on percussion and electric guitar; and Aidan on vocals, guitar and symphonie.
The songs tell stories of people on the move, from village to city or from state to state, historically and in the present, the borders that are put in their way and the implications for civil liberties that follow.
State Of Hysteria can be ordered from shops or you can buy online at www.aidanjolly.com
All The Skills
All The Skills is a new, Manchester-based business which delivers performing arts workshops and training to schools, businesses and community groups across the north of England. All The Skills was created by Naomi Sumner & Sean Morris who are the two main practitioners.
Naomi is a LIPA graduate and has a BA Hons in Community Arts. Since graduating she has been self employed, delivering drama and dance workshops in schools, youth clubs, theatres and even outdoors!
Sean studied at Bretton Hall and is a former secondary school teacher. He has over ten years experience in a wide range of circus skills as a practitioner, performer and teacher. Sean has performed at various large festivals throughout the U.K. and is available as a circus performer and walkabout artist for village fairs, carnivals and school fetes. It was Sean who came up with the name ‘All The Skills’ to reflect the company’s aim to be a “one stop shop for performing arts workshops and training.”
Currently, All The Skills is able to offer workshops in Drama, Streetdance, Cheerleading, Chinese Fan Dance, Circus Skills, Visual Art, Documentary making and Creative writing. Customers can choose the length of their workshop from hour-long sessions to week-long residencies. Longer term projects can also be catered for.
We also offer arts training to teachers and other community leaders and can tailor make projects according to the client’s specifications. Also available are child protection and disability and equality training sessions.
In the future we hope to add to our list of skills available and are particularly interested in hearing from community musicians, and video artists who want to join our pool of freelance artists.
We’re currently taking bookings for Spring 2009.
For more information please visit out website www.alltheskills.co.uk or contact Naomi on 07815 804571 or email info@alltheskills.co.uk
All The Skills is currently running circus skills sessions on Monday evenings at Sunshine Studios on Newton Street 7-8pm. We’d love to meet you there!
Pool Arts SHED gallery
Eddie Price MERZSHED an homage to Kurt Schwitters.
In July, Pool Arts members travelled to Langdale in theLakes to visit the Kurt Schwitters Merzbarn. Schwitters, one of the most influential artists of the 20th Century lived in exile in Britain during the war.
In Langdale, he worked in a barn lent by a sympathetic farmer, where he created an abstract installation that was embedded into the stone walls – one of his famous Merzbarn works. The artwork was removed in the 60s to Newcastle University, but the site was recently aquired by local arts charity, Littoral.
Pool Arts member, Eddie Price, created his own homage to Kurt Schwitters in the Pool Arts SHED gallery in Tonbridge Road Allotments, Levenshulme, displaying the results of his research in September. Eddie’s work attracted Littoral’s artistic directors Ian Hunter & Celia Larner who suggested that Eddie develop more work at The SHED including a Raku workshop next spring. They also suggested that he show some of his work at the original site.
Pool Arts is run by and for its members, providing mutual support and opportunities for training & development, see website for further details. www.poolarts.org and www.littoral.org.uk
(Photo: Eddie Price working on his MERZSHED homage to Kurt Schwitters)
Training
SSR open day
School of Sound Recording open events are especially designed for you to find out more about your training opportunities with us.
Learn about our courses, meet our tutors, get advice from leading industry experts and experience our facilities - including our brand new purpose-built Ina Centre campus. We are open to visitors between 11am & 4pm.
During the Open Day you’ll have the opportunity to:
Attend short presentations about the school and its courses
See studio & equipment demonstrations
Meet our tutors
Get expert advice from key industry figures
Participate in free workshops
Take advantage of special Open Weekend course offers
Next open day: Saturday 29 November, 11am
Everyone's welcome at SSR Open Events, there’s no need to book. However, if you’d like to reserve a place and receive further information about such events, call 0161 276 2100 or visit www.s-s-r.com.
SSR is located at 69 Downing Street, Manchester M1 7JE.
Writing for the Theatre
An opportunity to work with Julian Hill & Maureen McDonagh, practitioners/playwrights from Manchester Playwrights Forum.
Participants will take part in an organic process towards writing, using themselves and the world around them as a way of approaching storytelling and will work towards the completion of a piece of theatre for performance. Learn and experience the working conditions of professional theatre.
•Developing the playwright’s sense
•Finding your story
•Character, action, dialogue, plot
8 Mondays from 7–9pm from 6 October. Fee £106, pre-booking essential. 0161 275 3275 cce.reception@manchester.ac.uk for application form.
Jobs & opportunities
Artist competition
The John Rylands Library is the home of internationally important collections of rare books, manuscripts and archives, housed in one of the city’s most iconic buildings.
The Library reopened last year after a major redevelopment project, involving the construction of a new entrance wing at the side of the original Gothic structure. Visitors entering the Library now experience a dramatic full-height atrium that separates the new and old buildings.
The Library has launched a competition for a major piece of public art in the atrium, generously funded by the Oglesby Charitable Trust.
Artists are invited to submit outline proposals for a competition to design and make an artwork for the west wall of the atrium. The artwork can be in any medium, but we are looking for high-quality proposals that respond positively to the Library and its collections, and enhance this impressive space. The total cost should not exceed £40,000.
There will be a two-stage competition for the commission. The first call invites expressions of interest indicating the media/format that the artists would suggest for the atrium space and their initial artistic response to the brief. Hard-copy or digital images of work may be submitted but cannot be returned.
Deadline for expressions of interest: 12noon, Mon 3 November.
From this call, four artists will be awarded £500 each to prepare full proposals for their artwork - specifying scale, medium, design and cost, and providing material samples, sketches, model, etc. The submissions will be displayed in the Library.
Deadline for full submissions is 12 noon Mon 6 April 2009.
A single winner will be chosen who will receive a prize of £2,000 plus the commission itself. The artist will be responsible for the installation, working with Library staff. We expect the artwork to be installed by the end of 2009.
For further details please contact John Hodgson, Keeper of Manuscripts and Archives, The John Rylands University Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3EH, 0161 275 8741, email john.hodgson@manchester.ac.uk.
For background information on the Library, visit www.library.manchester.ac.uk/specialcollections
Are you a United Creative?
United Creatives works in graphic design for print, screen and spatial environment placing the mediums of metal, mosaic, stone & glass on a par with paper & ink.
An experienced Creative Artworker is needed to aid the delivery of a variety of cutting edge graphic design projects.
You must be organised, articulate, enthusiastic, intelligent and possess an interest in technology & craft. Technical skills, a good level of design literacy, attention to detail, expertise in Illustrator CS, Adode InDesign & Photoshop are a must with a working knowledge of CAD & Flash MX an added bonus.
Fees paid commensurate with experience.
Send your CV, a brief covering letter & 2-3 examples of your best work to kit@unitedcreatives.com
Deadline: 7 November.
Call for board members
CAN is an arts development organisation that works in partnership with communities, the voluntary sector, agencies and artists to encourage, develop, produce and promote cultural programmes of work by people who are excluded or on the fringes of the mainstream.
Its current programme of work is centred around Exodus - celebrating and developing refugee arts across Greater Manchester. CAN is a registered charity with 30 years experience in participatory arts.
We’re looking for people with particular skills to complement those of the existing board and would be particularly interested in recruiting:
•Practicing artists with experience in participatory arts
•People with experience in managing human resources
•People with legal experience
If you would like more information about the post and how to apply, please contact David Martin, Company Secretary on 0161 234 2996 or david@can.uk.com
Contents may vary... call for submissions
Issue 3: Does the spectator run the show?
Submission deadline: 31 December.
Email your artwork that responds to the title Does the spectator run the show? to c-m-v@hotmail.co.uk
Please provide your name for publication.
There’s no submission fee.
Image file formats: tiff or jpg; black & white/greyscale; 300dpi; A5 portrait (148x210mm). Word limit for text submissions: 500.
By submitting your work for consideration, you grant us the right to publish your work within Contents May Vary Publications. Content copyright of Contents May Vary Publications belongs to the respective artists.
Contents May Vary Publications are free of charge & distributed internationally. If you’d like to distribute our publication please contact us at c-m-v@hotmail.co.uk
For any more information please contact us.
Internship opportunity
Lets Go Global, a leading arts-led internet TV channel based in Old Trafford, is now recruiting for an intern.
The placement is at our offices for 1-2 days a week, with some occasional out of hours work assisting the Lets Go Global Project Manager, New Media Communications Coordinator and Pixelate Project Manager for 3 months, subject to review.
The internship is unpaid but travel expenses within Greater Manchester will be reimbursed.
The most important requisites are an interest in & knowledge of new media arts and technical experience of uploading rich content to social networking sites.
The placement will offer valuable experience to anyone looking to develop a career in the arts, cultural or media sector as well as networking for potential future employment opportunities.
Apply to info@letsgoglobal.tv with covering letter & CV no later than 15 Oct. Internship to start the first week of Nov.
For more info & enquiries contact Kim May on info@letsgoglobal.tv or call 0161 850 5555.
Call for visual art volunteers
The Gorton Visual Arts Group need volunteers to help deliver our arts projects. We meet every Monday, 10.30am-3.30pm at the Angels Centre Endcott Close, West Gorton Manchester M18 8BR.
We can pay £10 per day expenses. A current CRB check or be willing to undergo a check is needed.
Please contract Ian Mckay on 07752 126007.
WANTED: Emerging and Established Community Artists
Bolton at Home’s Housing Percent for Art service is one of the largest employers of artists in the local area. We have approximately twenty projects running at any one time, and our commissions range from £1500 to £50k. We're currently looking to expand our database of community artists... and we want to meet you!
On Thursday 23rd October Bolton at Home are hosting an open interview/networking event for artists working in any medium. We are particularly interested in meeting local artists who have never been commissioned by Bolton at Home, whether you are fresh out of university or an established practitioner.
We're looking for artists with:
•A degree or equivalent experience in their particular artform.
•Great communication skills.
•Some experience of working with the community (this can be on a voluntary basis).
•Passion and enthusiasm for community arts.
(If you’re not sure whether you meet these criteria then please contact Graham Marsden on 01204 335115 for an informal discussion about the process.)
In return we can offer:
•A ‘live’ interview/pitching experience with feedback
•An opportunity to meet the commissioners from Housing Percent for Art and other agencies including Bolton Council and the University of Bolton
•Space during the event to display your portfolio / examples of your work
•An excellent networking opportunity and light refreshments
•Inclusion on our artists’ database, for notification of appropriate commissions as they become available
The interviews, although informal, will follow a specific format - the artist will briefly introduce themselves and their work, this will inform a discussion between the artist and the panel, then to conclude the artist will have an opportunity to question the panel.
Each artist will repeat this process twice to different panels. We expect the interview to last no longer than half an hour.
The event will take place at the Bolton Science & Technology Centre, Minerva Road, Farnworth, Bolton BL4 0HA from 1pm onwards. Please be advised places are strictly limited and booking is therefore essential.
For more information or to book your place please contact Graham Marsden or Shonagh Ingram on 01203 335115.
