Hot from our Creative Conversation with Matt Fenton, programmer / curator of the Nuffield Theatre in Lancaster University. An intimate meeting, I found it completely rewarding to have such a focus on different styles of programming. We discussed whether programming can be classed as an art form, and the different ways Nuffield has opened up its programming procedures this last year.
Here's some of what Matt had to say:
"I suppose I’m interested in having a conversation between artists and myself as a programmer, and maybe people that are interested in the fields of curating, programming, running festivals, animating spaces and so on. I’m interested in exploring what gives someone the right to decide what to commission or present in a publically funded venue, and how institutional models might be challenged. I’m interested in exploring issues of the public realm, arts subsidy, identity, access and diversity in a critical way. Above all I’m interested in how artists are their own first and most important curators."
Programming as art? Any thoughts? Go on, post a comment, click that button below!
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Working internationally
April's Creative Conversation featured Sabrina Smith-Noble from Visiting Arts, who joined our discussion on how to develop international partnerships for your work.
Sabrina gave a short presentation on Visiting Arts' work - their purpose is to strengthen intercultural understanding through the arts by creating opportunities for artists to explore new connections and expand the skills and knowledge of new and existing cultural players for a diverse and sustainable arts environment.
It was exciting to hear about the different schemes that are available, and I am amazed that so few performing arts practitioners have taken up the opportunities of working with international artists, developing residencies, or just accessing the funding to pay for international artists to come over and 'play' with a UK artist for a week. As soon as I got back to the office I went straight to their website www.visitingarts.org.uk to sign up for their E-newsletter so that I am among the first to hear about new opportunities as soon as they become available, and I suggest you do the same.
Sabrina said “As we’re continually reflecting on our programmes to facilitate the needs of the UK cultural sector in engaging internationally; I’d like to take the opportunity to explore how appropriate our current programmes are in creating opportunities for the performing arts sector. " True to her word, the Conversation was quickly opened up to ask participants what they felt would be useful for them within the performing arts sector, as artists and directors, and I know that Sabrina took our comments and feedback away with her to her team. Watch this space to find out how many wonderful new international partnerships blossom as a result of people hearing about the work of Visiting Arts and making their own plans for improving inter-cultural relations!
Next month the Creative Conversation theme is Innovative Programming with guest Matt Fenton from the Nuffield Theatre at Lancaster University, who has given over the programming of the venue to local artists or residents a couple of times, so it will be interesting to hear how he and his audiences feel after that brave move! May will also be my last Creative Conversation as Director of PANDA, so an emotional one for me. I'll have to make sure that we get extra special Pain-au-chocolat to keep me chirpy and chipper. See you there!
Sabrina gave a short presentation on Visiting Arts' work - their purpose is to strengthen intercultural understanding through the arts by creating opportunities for artists to explore new connections and expand the skills and knowledge of new and existing cultural players for a diverse and sustainable arts environment.
It was exciting to hear about the different schemes that are available, and I am amazed that so few performing arts practitioners have taken up the opportunities of working with international artists, developing residencies, or just accessing the funding to pay for international artists to come over and 'play' with a UK artist for a week. As soon as I got back to the office I went straight to their website www.visitingarts.org.uk to sign up for their E-newsletter so that I am among the first to hear about new opportunities as soon as they become available, and I suggest you do the same.
Sabrina said “As we’re continually reflecting on our programmes to facilitate the needs of the UK cultural sector in engaging internationally; I’d like to take the opportunity to explore how appropriate our current programmes are in creating opportunities for the performing arts sector. " True to her word, the Conversation was quickly opened up to ask participants what they felt would be useful for them within the performing arts sector, as artists and directors, and I know that Sabrina took our comments and feedback away with her to her team. Watch this space to find out how many wonderful new international partnerships blossom as a result of people hearing about the work of Visiting Arts and making their own plans for improving inter-cultural relations!
Next month the Creative Conversation theme is Innovative Programming with guest Matt Fenton from the Nuffield Theatre at Lancaster University, who has given over the programming of the venue to local artists or residents a couple of times, so it will be interesting to hear how he and his audiences feel after that brave move! May will also be my last Creative Conversation as Director of PANDA, so an emotional one for me. I'll have to make sure that we get extra special Pain-au-chocolat to keep me chirpy and chipper. See you there!
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Theatre without walls
March's Creative Conversation yesterday was our most well attended yet. I'd like to attribute this to the strong coffee and mouth-watering pastries but suspect that our guest 'conversationalist' might have had something to do with it. Neil Murray, Executive Producer at National Theatre Scotland came down from Glasgow to talk about the history, the future, the good times (and the bad) at NTS.
The Conversation began with a general discussion on what 'theatre without walls' could and should be, ranging from the love-it-or-hate-it outdoor spectacular of La Machine's Spider to the intimacy of Janet Cardiff's audio walks. A range of performance preferences were shared but people came back together to agree that 'theatre without walls' means more than outdoor spectacle. Conversation became even more animated as we started talking about breaking through barriers, challenging preconceptions of what theatre can be and the effect it can have.
A good cue for Neil to come in with a fascinating insight into how NTS was set up, enthusaistically talking us through the many highlights of the company's existence, having created a staggering 59 productions in the first two years! Neil was refreshingly candid and I know that everyone present really welcomed hearing about what didn't work so well, and the lessons NTS had learned as a result. I know I'm not alone in prefering to learn from other people's mistakes more than my own!
As ever, the conversation could have gone on well into the afternoon, but we had to stop before 'brunch' turned into 'afternoon tea'. Til next time then... when we have Sabrina Smith Nobel, Arts Officer from Visiting Arts who will come and give us a perspective on working internationally (Tuesday 7th April greenroom, Manchester).
The Conversation began with a general discussion on what 'theatre without walls' could and should be, ranging from the love-it-or-hate-it outdoor spectacular of La Machine's Spider to the intimacy of Janet Cardiff's audio walks. A range of performance preferences were shared but people came back together to agree that 'theatre without walls' means more than outdoor spectacle. Conversation became even more animated as we started talking about breaking through barriers, challenging preconceptions of what theatre can be and the effect it can have.
A good cue for Neil to come in with a fascinating insight into how NTS was set up, enthusaistically talking us through the many highlights of the company's existence, having created a staggering 59 productions in the first two years! Neil was refreshingly candid and I know that everyone present really welcomed hearing about what didn't work so well, and the lessons NTS had learned as a result. I know I'm not alone in prefering to learn from other people's mistakes more than my own!
As ever, the conversation could have gone on well into the afternoon, but we had to stop before 'brunch' turned into 'afternoon tea'. Til next time then... when we have Sabrina Smith Nobel, Arts Officer from Visiting Arts who will come and give us a perspective on working internationally (Tuesday 7th April greenroom, Manchester).
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Our First Creative Conversation
Last year we at PANDA piloted a series of 'brunches' aimed at more established performing arts practitioners in the North West and giving them the opportunity to get together, share views and experiences on various topics and be inspired by our range of illuminating guests. This worked so well that we have now launched Creative Conversations which have an open application process.
Our first Creative Conversation was on 3rd February, featuring guest Marcus Romer, Artistic Director of Pilot Theatre who came to join the conversation about blogs, podcasts and wikis (seductively titled 'weapons of mass collaboration'). This was most appropriate for me, as anyone who knows me will know I am a very reluctant social networker, preferring to do my communication face-to-face. However, I have been toying with the idea of joining the blogging brigade because (again, as anyone who knows me will verify) I do quite enjoy giving vent to any performing arts related topics that spur me to get my soapbox out. Blogs seem to me like a 21st Century soapbox, and as my bolser wood crate has certainly seen better days in the last century, here I am. And what makes it even better is that you can join in too. I can't wait to start getting comments from you lovely readers - Creative Conversations go 'virtual'.
So you can see why self-confessed enthusiastic amateur Marcus Romer was the perfect guest for February's Creative Conversation. With that much knowledge and enthusiasm for all things social media, how could I help but be inspired. We skyped, we blogged, we twittered, we wiki'd, we created websites at the touch of a buttton, we even toured Pilot Theatre's Second Life venue; all from the comfort of the greenroom bar! Perhaps the great coffee also played it's part in creating a vibrant couple of hours of conversation, sharings of ideas and some fantastic new ways of thinking (especially from Ben Mellor who provided a case study with his show Voices of Dissent which he created and powered by bicycle!). Whatever the reason, everyone was so fired up that people didn't have time to finish off the immensely tasty croissants and Danish pastries that we'd laid on. Never mind, Rachel and I can always give any left-overs a good home back at PANDA HQ!
Our first Creative Conversation was on 3rd February, featuring guest Marcus Romer, Artistic Director of Pilot Theatre who came to join the conversation about blogs, podcasts and wikis (seductively titled 'weapons of mass collaboration'). This was most appropriate for me, as anyone who knows me will know I am a very reluctant social networker, preferring to do my communication face-to-face. However, I have been toying with the idea of joining the blogging brigade because (again, as anyone who knows me will verify) I do quite enjoy giving vent to any performing arts related topics that spur me to get my soapbox out. Blogs seem to me like a 21st Century soapbox, and as my bolser wood crate has certainly seen better days in the last century, here I am. And what makes it even better is that you can join in too. I can't wait to start getting comments from you lovely readers - Creative Conversations go 'virtual'.
So you can see why self-confessed enthusiastic amateur Marcus Romer was the perfect guest for February's Creative Conversation. With that much knowledge and enthusiasm for all things social media, how could I help but be inspired. We skyped, we blogged, we twittered, we wiki'd, we created websites at the touch of a buttton, we even toured Pilot Theatre's Second Life venue; all from the comfort of the greenroom bar! Perhaps the great coffee also played it's part in creating a vibrant couple of hours of conversation, sharings of ideas and some fantastic new ways of thinking (especially from Ben Mellor who provided a case study with his show Voices of Dissent which he created and powered by bicycle!). Whatever the reason, everyone was so fired up that people didn't have time to finish off the immensely tasty croissants and Danish pastries that we'd laid on. Never mind, Rachel and I can always give any left-overs a good home back at PANDA HQ!
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Welcome to PANDA's New Blog!
Hello friends and welcome to our exciting new blog.
I'm Liz O'Neill, Director of PANDA, the Performing Arts Network and Development Agency for the North West.
I'll be using this new blog to post updates and reviews of PANDA's work, seek feedback from our members and to spark discussions about the performing arts in general.
Let me know if there are any topics or burning issues that you think need raising and we'll blog it out!
And don't forget to keep an eye on the main PANDA website at www.panda-arts.org.uk, for all the latest performing arts news, events and opportunities from the region.
Liz
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
