Worcestershire Arts Partnership Blog

Thursday 23 May 2013

Writing workshops in Kidderminster with Museum of Carpet Writer in Residence, Heather Wastie

Writing workshops in Kidderminster with Museum of Carpet Writer in Residence, Heather Wastie
Prose – Poetry – Songs
Thursday 6 June 11.00pm – 1.30pm
Cost £5.00 plus Museum admission (£4.50/£2.50)

Thursday 13 June 11.00pm – 1.00pm
Cost £5.00
 
DAY WORKSHOP - “Writing a Life”
Sunday 9 June 12.00pm -4.00pm
Cost £10.00 + Museum admission (see below)
How to reflect true life stories, your own or those of other people, in prose, poetry or song. The workshop will begin with a tour of the Museum.

No previous experience necessary. For further information, see weavingyarns1.wordpress.com, email
weavingyarns@icloud.com or call 07850 529637. All participants will have chance to take part in a performance on Thursday 11th July  4.00-6.00pm

Monday 20 May 2013

An Angel Abroad ...a new play by Andy Higgitt


Art Retreat at The Clover Mill





Julie Dent and Caro Sweet are holding a very special event this summer that I would like to give you advance notice of.  We are bringing together our areas of expertise to offer you an exciting and unique retreat experience at The Clover Mill.  Dates for the 5-day residential retreat are 19 - 23 July 2013.  Please forward this email to anyone who you think might like to join us or be happy to publicise this special event.


Set in the middle of 11 acres of untouched Herefordshire and Worcestershire wild flower meadows and native hedgerows, The Clover Mill is the first luxury destination spa to be opened in the UK dedicated to providing specialised ayurveda treatments and yoga classes.
Caro Sweet is leading a special 5-day retreat with art which includes The Clover Mill ayurveda retreat package but all your treatments, yoga and meditation will be specifically tailored to enhance your creativity.  In addition, on 3 of the days, Caro Sweet will lead workshops on Personal Exploration and Enlightenment working with Colour and Nature.    All experience levels are welcome. A maximum of 6 guests will be on the retreat.
You will be able to enjoy working within a small group, and learn to draw in vibrant colour to create your own ‘mandala’, with expert guidance.
You will learn to:
·         Notice what is truly present, rather than what you think you see
·         Explore colour and symbolism and their personal meanings for you
·         Express your soul’s urge and learn how to bring things towards you
·         Start manifesting your future.
 
Further details and bookings: The Clover Mill, Cradley, WR13 5NR.
01886 880859
 
 

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - CALL FOR ARTISTS

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - CALL FOR ARTISTS
A new W-CA commission / WORCESTER OPEN 13 / AND THE W-CA PRIZE now £1000

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NEWS.. I AM THE WARRIOR Vs. WORCESTER OPEN 2013

To coincide with the Worcester Open 2013 W-CA and PITT projects have commissioned the artists Juneau Projects to show I Am The Warrior.
Everyone, regardless of selection for the main exhibition, who has entered the Worcester Open will have the option of having their work displayed in this ongoing artist project. I Am The Warrior is a serial art event for an open display of creativity. During the Open exhibition there will be a dedicated space for this event. Artists, non-artists and hobbyists are invited to share their paintings, their knitting and pottery, their processes and ideas all in this area defined as I Am The Warrior.


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Open exhibition and prize (now £1000) - at The Worcester Museum and Gallery, ground floor.

W-CA
have invited six selectors to advise in the selection of work to be exhibited in the Worcester Open 2013.
Selection is an important and difficult task, so when 'selecting the selectors'  for the Worcester Open it has been essential for W-CA to take into consideration each selectors' accomplishments, knowledge and professional experience as well as their relationship to Worcester.  W-CA are proud to present a panel of selectors who have clearly provided a significant and innovative contribution to contemporary and critical art discourse nationwide and more specifically within the West Midlands.

Anne De Charmant (Director at Meadow Arts)
Juneau Projects (Artists)
Wendy Law (Director at Turning Point West Midlands)
Nada Prlja (Artist)
Gavin Wade (Artist, Curator and Director at Eastside Projects Birmingham)
ENTER at www.worcesteropen.co.uk

DEADLINE for entries: 11th July 2013
Exhibition opens: 12th July 2013

Wednesday 15 May 2013

About the artists at Wildgoose F-f-f-festival

Nicola is a storyteller and retired speech and language therapist, with 30 years’ experience in storytelling with children and adults with learning difficulties and special educational needs.  She’s worked in over 50 schools in the UK, and lectured internationally, training staff in how to adapt literature and poetry and to tell stories with children and adults with severe communication difficulties. Publications include Learning to Tell (2010) & Using storytelling to support children and adults with special needs( 2013).  Nicola is Founder, Director, now Chair of Trustees of Openstorytellers, the first professional company of storytellers with learning disabilities. The charity works in the west country and nationally, offering training and support in all aspects of narrative and storytelling for adults with learning or communication disabilities, support workers and families.

As well as telling stories, Nicola and Suzie will be leading a special session at 2.20pm in the Desert Tent, offering carers and people working with special needs adults a chance to learn more about the Openstoryteller multisensory approach.

Suzie Damon Johns, Openstorytellers  http://www.openstorytellers.org.uk/
“I have been doing storytelling for years, something I love. One of my favourite stories is Cinderella – I love being the stepmother, although we tell lots of different stories and I enjoy them all.  I love acting because I am a drama queen.  As well as storytelling, I love dancing and writing stories.”



Barry Walmsley has been a teacher, musician and storyteller for more years that he cares to (or indeed can) remember. He has a long relationship with an amazing organisation called ATE Superweeks, which provides what are probably the best holidays ever for children aged 8 to 14,  and he first developed his storytelling skills whilst working with a group of children on a Superweek in a real and very ancient castle in the wilds of Northumberland. All Barry's stories seem to include a song and a mystery, and he might need you to help him with both!


Barnaby Hiles
Barnaby was Co-Founder & Director of  Break-a-Leg Theatre Company for young people of all abilities, co-directing, producing and writing over 100 shows involving young people of all abilities & leading up to 14 workshops per week plus shows involving up to 350 young people & volunteers. 
In 2003 Barnaby was Highly Commended in the National Beacon Award for services to young people
A singer and fanatical motorcyclist, his main stage session tells you everything you need to know about his unique slant on tales: "Once upon a time someone went somewhere, met someone else and something happened, the consequence of which was..."



Pyn Stockman
www.dramask.com
Pyn has worked as a storyteller and performer in many settings, from schools, festivals and to streets, gardens & community venues. She offers a range  of off the peg performances  that will inspire and delight family and school audiences.
Performances are interactive and often involve props and puppets. Many of her stories have been developed through residencies, now existing as dramatic and interactive performances in their own right.



Ian Craigan  
www.puppettree.co.uk
Ian was born in Belfast, went to Singapore aged only 6 weeks, learnt to walk in Ghana and started school in Wellington, New Zealand. He has a brother in Australia, cousins in Canada & America, friends in France, Norway, Germany and India. He’s been to Mumbai, Paris, Lindisfarne, Letterkenny and Ross on Wye – and now lives in Worcester! All these things are reflected in his approach to story telling & making, whether performing or working alongside people, helping them tell their own stories full of mystery, giggles and hope.



Carley Edge, Visual Attic 
http://www.visualattic.co.uk
Worcester-based Visual Attic fuse theatre and art creating a fantastical and mysterious world, bursting with visual treats! Co-founder Carley is an illustrator and experienced workshop leader: she can’t wait to help children and adults get messy making amazing F-f-f-festival hats, flags and puppets for our “On The Spot” Percussion Parade!




Una & Tom are based in Stockton-Upon-Teme and have years of experience with corporate and community film making. They are working with a small group of Wildgoose students to produce a short ‘postcard’ documentary of the F-f-f-festival. So don’t run away if you see a camera pointing at you – wave, smile and tell us a story!


Festival Programme
(the organisers reserve the right to alter this programme at any time to suit the climate, the performers and the audience too!)

1pm





2pm





3pm





Green Polytunnel Main stage telling
1pm – 1.30
Nicola Grove & Suzy DJ
Silly Jack & other daftness

1.40 – 2.10
Pyn Stockman
Roots & Seeds

2.20 – 2.50
Barnaby H
Once upon a time someone went somewhere, met someone else and something happened…



3.20 – 4
Land, Sea & Sky
All tellers join in sharing stories inspired by these themes; audience choose their favourite element at the end.
Desert tent
5 minute tales
1pm – 1.30
Pyn Stockman

1.40 – 2.10
Nicola G & Suzy DJ

2.20 – 3 Nicola G & Suzy DJ
A chance to learn about the Openstoryteller multisensory approach developed by Nicola.






Bell tent
Fur, feather & fin
1pm – 1.30
Barry Walmsley

1.40 – 2.10 Ian C

2.20 – 3
Barry W






Walkabout
Fantasy guided Tours
starting from the Straw bale house
1.10pm – 1.30
Ian Craigan

1.30 – 2
Barnaby Hiles



2.30 – 3
Pyn S






The Ledger House

Visual Attic - Join Carley to make amazing puppets, hats and flags
3 – 3.20 Grand procession with "On the Spot" percussion band







Wildgoose Storytelling F-f-f-festival & Open Day
Fur, feather and fin - a fun day out for all the family!

Saturday June 8th 2013  12-4pm.
Wildgoose Rural Training Centre, Top Barn Farm WR6 6NH
 under cover - free car parking
Two amazing events on the same site - at the same time!
Full programme of storytelling for children, adults and families




Monday 13 May 2013

Conference - Lessons in Geography



Lessons in Geography  presents an opportunity for artists, writers, and commentators to discuss the complex space between the physical and hypothetical realms within creative practice. How do our histories shape our perspective of a particular place, be that real, metaphorical or imagined? The University of Derby in association with mac birmingham will host this international conference taking place at mac birmingham from 8-9 November 2013. Both organisations would now like to invite proposals for conference papers from established and emerging contributors – deadline Monday 10 June 2013.

The Lessons in Geography conference is particularly intersted in, but not limited to, proposals from a range of disciplines, which consider the following areas:

·         Borders and territories
·         The Ocean
·         Exoticism and cultural association
·         Country
·         The city and suburbia
·         Gender
·         Mapping and indexing
·         Indentity
·         Childhood memory
·         Architecture and the notion of home
·         Object and idea
·         Sound

How to submit: Potential speakers interested in applying should send a proposal in the first instance of not more than 250 words, accompanied by their CV to Craig Ashley at craig.ashley@macarts.co.uk.

Lessons in Geography takes place at mac birmingham on 8 - 9 November 2013, with  confirmed keynote speakers, internationally acclaimed artist Tom Hunter, and Carol Mavor, Professor of Art History and Visual Studies at the University of Manchester. 


Tickets for the conference will go on sale shortly.



Marcia Springer MCIPR

Senior Marketing and Communications Officer
mac
Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH
T: 0121 446 3200
DL: 0121 446 3237
Registered Charity No. 528979

Thursday 9 May 2013

Number 8 Community Centre are looking for artists to submit work for their exhibition

Hi there, I wondered if you'd be able to post...
9 May 14:17





Number 8 Community Arts Centre in Pershore are looking for artists to submit work to be considered for exhibitions in 2013-2014. The deadline has been extended and the new closing date for submissions is Tuesday 14 May 2013.

Click here for all the information about submitting work: http://www.facebook.com/l/ZAQGoZj1nAQFI0rYXKODomlzEjcDtebDCFTi6QIKxn3wLOQ/www.number8.org/news/gallery-deadline-extended/

Funding available - Your chance to organise a music festival for your local community!

I work for Superact and am looking for community event organisers to be part of a new project called Our Big Gig.  We are one of the first London 2012 Legacy Projects supported by the DCLG.  I am looking for organisations and voluntary groups to host an Our Big Gig during July (11th, 12th, 13th or 14th) to showcase the work they do to a new audience and to provide an opportunity for people to participate in music making activities.  This can be part of an already planned/ existing event but it must be free and open to all.  This could be in partnership with other organisations or as a taster for future events.

Each event organiser will receive support, advice, marketing materials and £400 funding for their organisation.

I have listed our key mesages below - if you have any questions or queries please let me know.  I would really appreciate your help in getting this opportunity out to the relevant people you are working with.  The closing date is just a few days away, Sunday 12th May, but the application process is very easy.  Please let me know if you would like an electronic copy of the Application Pack.

Many thanks

Nicola

Nicola Toms
West Midlands Regional Manager
07415 799 589
 
Our Big Gig 11-14th July 2013
Your chance to organise a music festival for your local community!
Our Big Gig is a community music celebration which takes place across the UK from the 11th- 14th July 2013. This annual event aims to bring communities together to celebrate their local musical talents and get more people involved in music making.
Superact is looking for people who would like to take on the role of Community Event Organisers across England to organise Our Big Gig events in July 2013.
If selected, you will be provided with training, advice and support, marketing materials and a grant of £400 towards your event. We are looking to support a range of musical events across the UK that encourage people who are new to music making to give it a go! 
For more information check out www.ourbiggig.co.uk  and apply before the 12th May 2013.

Nicola Toms
West Midlands Regional Manager
07415 799 589

Check out our websites below...

Superact is a member of the International Music Council