craft

Arts Council Empowers North Kent’s Creative Community

Creative and Art News, Creative Opportunities

Arts Council England have announced that a community consortium from Swale and Medway has been successful in applying for a commissioned grant from its Creative people and places programme – designed to empower communities to take the lead in shaping local arts provision.

Swale and Medway is one of seven successful consortium applications across England that have been awarded a total of just under £16 million over three years, with Swale and Medway receiving £1,476,000.

Creative people and places takes a new approach by supporting communities and grass roots organisations to play a leading part in inspiring others to get involved with the arts.

The projects all employ innovative ideas for reaching new audiences. The Swale and Medway consortium comprises Swale Council for Voluntary Service and Volunteer Centre; Medway Council for Voluntary Service; Artlands North Kent; LV21; Kent Architecture Centre; Creek Creative Studios; FrancisKnight – project managers for Leysdown Rose-tinted ; and FellowCreative. The consortium will showcase and test new arts activities, support local people to develop their own creative ideas, help strengthen existing arts provision and celebrate what’s great about the arts. Three local authorities (Medway, Swale and Kent) will work with the consortium to develop the project. The consortium will be working with locally based arts and cultural partners to do this, including: Royal Opera House Bridge Organisation, South East Dance, and Kent County Council Libraries and Archives.

Carl Jeffrey, Founder of FellowCreative and a member of the Swale and Medway consortium, says: ‘We are thrilled to have the support of Arts Council England. This substantial investment will make a real difference to the communities of Swale and Medway. The long-term aim of our Creative People and Places vision is to enable a spirit of creative experimentation and the art of doing, together.

‘Initiated by an ever-developing network of small-scale, grass roots individuals and organisations, we hope that Swale and Medway become widely recognised as places where all forms of creativity can thrive; where communities directly benefit from the power of the arts to make positive changes in people’s lives; where new routes for engagement are opened up through testing out pioneering and experimental approaches.’

Sally Abbott, Regional Director, South East, Arts Council England, says: ‘We have a long history of working with artists and arts organisations in North Kent and we know that there is a real desire among people locally to get more involved in the arts and culture. We’re looking forward to seeing what ideas the community come up with to encourage more people to feel the benefit that taking part in the arts and culture can bring.’

Alan Davey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said: ‘I’m excited by the possibilities of this programme and by the vision of the successful applicants.

‘All the projects have the potential to make a visible and lasting impact on the places where the work will happen and, very importantly, they all share the ambition to unite increased access with excellent art.

‘We’re looking forward to working with them to help them develop their ideas for creating and sharing great art for everyone – which is crucial to the vitality and long-term sustainability of the arts.’

The projects will be delivered by consortia and partners which include arts organisations, museums, libraries, local authorities and commercial organisations working in collaboration with the local community, grass roots organisations and the amateur sector.

The successful applicants will now receive a small percentage of their award in order to develop their plans. Receipt of the full award is dependent on the Arts Council approving each consortium’s full business plan. Round two of the programme will open to applications in September 2012.

The Creative people and places programme is one of a number of initiatives designed to help the Arts Council achieve its goal of more people experiencing and being inspired by the arts – as set out in Achieving great art for everyone, the Arts Council’s ten year strategic plan.

Keep up to date with news here: http://creativepeopleplace.info

Area: South East

Treasure Or Trash? – Artistic Freedom In A Digital Age – Free Conference on 20th September 2012 – Folkestone

Creative and Art Events, Creative Communities and Inspiring Websites

(CC BY-NC 2.0) by naoyafujii

The future is digital. Traditional distribution channels are changing,
and whilst this offers unprecedented opportunities for artists and
creators it also raises issues around censorship, cultural identity,
ownership and quality control.  If the gatekeepers are removed and
artists, writers and musicians can be their own distributors, who makes
judgements about quality?  Should anyone? Or should we embrace an
artistic and social free for all? 

This event will be of interest to artists, performers, musicians,
writers, entrepreneurs, academics, students, philosophers and social
commentators. 

Venue: University Centre Folkestone 

FREE to attend but booking required – contact Jane Seaman – jane.seaman@canterbury.ac.uk

Key speaker Chris Meade, writer and Director of if:book UK

Other speakers include:  Matt Wright (composer, sound artist, Senior
Lecturer at Canterbury Christchurch University), Shane Record (visual
artist), Danuta Kean (writer and journalist), Greg Klercx, Director of
Reauthoring, and others to be confirmed.

Area: South East

An ebook is for life…..by Jane Ayres

Editorials

(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) By alienratt

In a previous post I quoted author Jonathan Franzen, and do so again as his views are thought provoking. Regarded as one of America’s greatest living novelists, he is not a fan of the ebook.

“The technology I like is the American paperback edition of Freedom. I can spill water on it and it would still work! So it’s pretty good technology. And what’s more, it will work great 10 years from now. I think, for serious readers, a sense of permanence has always been part of the experience. Everything else in your life is fluid, but here is this text that doesn’t change.”

When I first read this quote I immediately thought, what a strange thing to say.  An ebook is forever.  Once it’s out there, it’s there until the writer takes it down.  A printed book only exists while it is in print.  And paper and ink can rot, burn, fade and be physically destroyed. Therefore lost in that way.

Then I thought some more about permanence/impermanence.  When it comes to matters digital, different formats need different hardware to read.  We have a choice of formats  –  kindle, kobo, nook  – to name a few, that all vary.  But if you can read, you can read a print book without needing some special device.

And of course, some digital formats become obsolete. We only have to think about  Amstrad (my first proper computer!), cassette tapes, video now replaced by dvd (which will undoubtedly disappear in time). Content on these formats has been lost.

When I started writing, my work was stored on big floppy disks, then smaller versions for the Amstrad (not compatible with any other format!), then pc floppies, and memory sticks.  Now we can store data on wafer thin cards and out there in the cloud.  All these changes in the space of a relatively few years.  So now I can get a handle on what Franzen is saying.   And it is so easy and cheap to alter digital content compared to amending a printed copy of a book.

Personally, I am a fan of both formats.  I love printed books and I love my kindle.   I’ve also read extended pieces on my blackberry. I can’t help wondering what the future will hold…….

By Jane Ayres

Area:   UK   Britain   East of England   East Midlands   London  North East   North West    Yorkshire    Scotland    South East South West    Wales   West Midlands

The Hoodwink Project – Bringing Art Into Unexpected Places

Creative / Artist Wanted, Creative and Art Events, Creative and Art News

Suzie Plumb and I work as Cultural Projects Managers for the Arts Development Unit at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. We’ve recently received funding from various bodies, including Arts Council England, Kent County Council and Medway Council to embark on a 3 year audience development project: Hoodwink. This article aims to introduce the reader to the concepts behind the Hoodwink philosophy and to stimulate debate about the value of contemporary art in everyday life.

The Hoodwink team are trickster do-gooders, working at the very edges of curatorial practice. They target non-users of museums and art galleries and expose them to art practice in the most unlikely, surprising and exciting of places. By bringing the art to the people, their work creatively challenges current perceptions of exhibiting space and environment, and often deliberately subverts the traditions of curatorial practice in order to break down the barriers to engagement. They provide opportunities for museums and artists to expose their work to new audiences and develop their own practice through working in new site specific ways.

60 Large Aerial Photos have been on display in Chatham town centre, Kent. for a number of months. The alternative photography exhibition has brought a new look to the high street and has been a positive influence on the general public.

Hoodwink Venues

We will be commissioning work for 9 commercial venues across the next 3 years. Unlike other arts projects that have used empty shop spaces, Hoodwink venues are already occupied for commercial use, for example: supermarkets, sports centres and public houses. Showing work in these spaces targets non-users of galleries and museums by exposing the venues’ existing customers to the work on display in a comfortable and familiar setting.

We’re using Arts Council England research to define and target our non-users. ACE arts-based society segments define the majority of non-users into 3 categories: time-poor dreamers; a quiet pint with the match; limited means, nothing fancy.

http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/what-we-do/research-and-data/arts-audiences/arts-based-segmentation-research/

Targeting is realised through community engagement undertaken by the commissioned artist during the research and development of their work, which will include creative sessions with venue staff, and from the approach to and presentation of interpretative material displayed with the artwork. The effectiveness of this approach was established through qualitative evaluation of previous audience development projects undertaken by Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery: Kentish Delights (2010 – 11) and Public Art House (2011-12, http://publicarthouse.tumblr.com). This evaluation exposed some exciting revelations:

  • Customers enjoy seeing things out of the ordinary in their daily lives because it gives them something different to talk about than the weather (Kentish Delights)
  • When staff are confident about a display, they enjoy talking to customers about it (Kentish Delights) Perceptions of customer service are improved if staff are able to engage with customers about objects on display in their venue (Kentish Delights)
  • Customers enjoy having an activity associated with the art on display, even if they don’t think it has anything to do with the art on display (Public Art House)
  • Customers are able to make meaning in their lives from engaging from art in this way (Public Art House)

Hoodwink will allow us to explore these concepts in greater detail, by commissioning artists to create work on a larger scale, and through experimenting with different types of interpretation.

Pubs will be one of the spaces used for the Hoodwink project.

Hoodwink Artists

Our commissioning process is very simple: once we’ve secured a Hoodwink venue, we agree an artist brief with the venue management, and advertise it as widely as possible across the UK. The brief asks that the artist respond to any aspect of the venue, its community, or the environment the venue sits in.

We also offer the artist the opportunity to work with a museum from Kent, by researching and selecting objects from that museum to be displayed in the venue. For many artists, this can give a local or historical context to their work, providing an access point to engaging with their work. This commission offers the artist opportunities to:

  • Engage with a new audience in a meaningful way
  • Expose their work to a large number of people
  • Develop their work in new directions, through responding to a commercial, competitive setting

Hoodwink Interpretation

Interpretation is a vital component of good engagement with contemporary art, and is an element that will be experimented with during Hoodwink.

Hoodwink aims to realign interpretation with marketing, and borrows from commercial practice to do this. Selling concentrates on informing the customer why a product is important to them, and therefore why they should invest in it financially and in many cases, philosophically and intellectually as well. Customers think carefully about what they purchase and what meaning this has to their lives. Decisions are based on having the essential information about a product accessible and available. Access to this information depends on the success of the marketing campaign in exposing it to the right audience.

Hoodwink draws its audience by selling information about the works on display, and this is approached through many different media and interactions.

Firstly it will look at building an audience in advance of the exhibitions of work at the venues, by generating interest through social media communities, exposing the story of the artists’ work as it develops from ideas to installation.

Secondly, interpretive material will accompany the artwork on display. This material will offer customers different ways to engage with the work on display, avoiding presenting a single-voiced textual interpretation and encouraging meaningful interaction. This is a creative and exciting curatorial challenge for the Hoodwink team and offers them the opportunity to:

  • Find and showcase effective models for meaningful engagement in real situations
  • Grow a vast audience for contemporary art
  • Work with different and unexpected specialists to achieve our aims.

Hoodwink has enormous potential to change arts practice and display, and it is something that we expect to gather momentum as it progresses. The social benefit of this change in practice can be enormous and life changing for everyone involved. We welcome your thoughts on our model and ideas at every stage of the project.

Our second commissioning opportunity is about to go live – we’ll be announcing it on our Facebook pages soon, so please join us at   http://www.facebook.com/groups/396956693682730/

By Polly Harknett

Hoodwink Project Manager

hoodwink@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

Area: Kent    South East

Awesome Websites: IdeasTap

Creative Communities and Inspiring Websites

IdeasTap is a creative network and funding body for emerging arts talent. They are a not-for-profit organisation, bringing young, creative people together and offering funding, opportunities and a portfolio to showcase your work.

It’s free to join and only takes about two minutes to sign up.

You can find out more about them – including history, meet the team behind the site and check out some of the IdeasTap alumni they have supported with their funds and briefs in the past – in the About us section.

Twitter – @ideastap

Area:   UK   Britain   East of England   East Midlands   London  North East   North West    Yorkshire    Scotland    South East South West    Wales   West Midlands

Artists Display Their Spare Parts – Exhibition – 25th August to 9th September 2012 – London

Creative and Art Events, Creative and Art News

Spare Parts is an exhibition that brings together a diverse range of artists using pre-loved prosthetics as their canvas.

The exhibition runs from Saturday 25th August – Sunday 9th September 2012. It will be open from 10am – 7pm daily. Entry is FREE.

OPENING NIGHT is Saturday 25th August 2012, from 5pm.

The venue is The Rag Factory (E1 5LJ), which is just off Brick Lane in East London. It is very close to public transport, and awesome curry. The Rag Factory is 100% accessible for wheelies.More information will be added to this event over coming weeks. To read more about the exhibition, friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our RSS feed on the website!

www.facebook.com/sparepartsexhibition
www.twitter.com/spare__parts
www.spareparts2012.com

Any questions feel free to email Priscilla: contact@spareparts2012.com

Area:   UK   Britain   East of England   East Midlands   London  North East   North West    Yorkshire    Scotland    South East South West    Wales   West Midlands

Grandmaster Flash To Hit The Decks In Rochester – 9th November 2012

Creative and Art Events

Hip-hop pioneer, Grandmaster Flash, is set to hit the decks in Rochester High Street on 9th November, at the Casino Rooms. The era-defining icon created the loop and cross-fade DJ techniques, spinning minds and decks across the globe in the 70s and 80s. Scratch the surface of hip-hop and experimental rock of the past 35 years and the Furious Five godfather is at the heart of it.

It’s rare to be able to witness a legend at work, and even rarer to do so at just £12 a ticket. But that’s the small price to pay to see the man who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 and stoked the musical fires of greats including Run DMC, Public Enemy, Beck and Jay Z. Grandmaster Flash was also the first person to use the turntable as an instrument. 

Since launching in September 2011, with a headline gig by prog-rock and Can icon Damo Suzuki, Medway-based TEA Concerts has focused on bringing to the towns artists that are shaping the current musical underground. In a short ten months they’ve put on bands on the up that knock the knees of indie darlings, including: Tigercats, Stuart Turner, The Bobby McGee’s and Darren Hayman; BBC 6 Music A-listers one and all.

To book tickets for Grandmaster Flash visit seetickets.com or teaconcerts.co.uk Tickets will be available from 9am on Friday 3 August and cost £12 in advance. This is a late concert style event in the main upstairs room with Re:fried DJs spinning tunes before and after the main act.

TEA background

• TEA put on shows in Medway, London and Brighton

• Aim to put on new or era defining acts in interesting spaces

• Formed in 2011 from the now defunct MILK

• Former acts include Jeffrey Lewis, The Mae Shi, Damo Suzuki, TEETH!!!, Sister Mantos, Com Truise, The Bobby McGees, Seafood, Blackbird Blackbird, Mystery Jets, Darren Hayman, Euros Childs, UpCDownC, BITCHES, Moustache of Insanity, Honey Ride Me A Goat, Let Our Enemies Beware, and Trash Kit.

Area:   UK   Britain   East of England   East Midlands   London  North East   North West    Yorkshire    Scotland    South East South West    Wales   West Midlands

Splashing In The Sea – By George Langridge

Editorials

Last week I found myself in Menorca, well I say found, I mean went on a family holiday, where I spent ages taking photographs.

Soaking Up The Sights

I spent a good while flicking through the folder before actually being able to decide on ten photographs, so here are three of those.

I started with this photograph because it is that classic/vintage European bicycle and small street combination. I thought this almost represented the entire set of photographs. Just before I took this, a little old Menorcan woman got off of this bike and walked in to the bakery opposite. For this photograph I thought the rule of thirds needed to be followed here as to not give an ‘over importance’ to the bicycle. When I imported this in to Lightroom I think I made around six or seven virtual copies and spent an entire afternoon just playing with them.

On the north coast of Menorca there is a small fishing village named Fornells, here the coast-line is very rocky and can be a little rough at times. After about five or so minutes of burst shooting I finally got a decent breaker shot. I thought it was stunning, especially relative to the coast two or three miles along where it is complete calm. In Lightroom I didn’t actually have that much that needed to be done to make this remarkable photograph. I think all I did was pop the vibrancy, drop the highlights and add some contrast whilst crushing the blacks ever so slightly.

This photograph was taken in Cuitedella, the old capital city, which was the most traditional Menorcan/Spanish city/town that we had come across. It is safe to say that I had an absolute treat of a day here, with its purposely narrow streets and hidden shops and large houses. This photograph in particular I wish I had spent longer composing the shot and maybe coming out from 24mm to 18mm. As far as editing this photograph I think all I did was fiddle with the shadows and vibrancy.

I am always excited to hear feedback from anyone.

Please check out my Flickr -where you can find more of the photographs from my recent trip- and enjoy.

Select pieces of my work are available to purchase on Redbubble, please check it out. I do vary which photographs are available at different times during the year. If there is a specific image you would like to purchase, drop me an email: georgelangridge95@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter/Instagram: @georgelangridge

Remember to enter the ‘Creatabot Creatives Competition‘

Before I Die… Arrives in the Midlands – Participatory Interactive Art Project – 7th to 26th August 2012

Creative and Art Events, Creative Communities and Inspiring Websites

Before I Die… Savannah by Trevor Coe

From 7th-26th August, visitors to Leamington Spa will be able to take part in ‘Before I Die…’, a moving and thought-provoking, public participatory art project that will be hosted at Gallery150 in Regent Court Shopping Centre.

When Candy Chang, from New Orleans, lost someone very dear to her, she struggled to maintain perspective and wanted to find out what was important to the people around her. With the help of friends, she turned the side of an abandoned house into a giant chalkboard and stencilled it with the sentence “Before I die I want to_______”. Anyone walking by could pick up a piece of chalk, reflect on their lives, and share their personal aspirations in a public space.

To Candy’s amazement, the very next day, the wall was covered with the hopes and dreams of hundreds of people and continued to grow. But, what initially started out as an experiment has fast gained worldwide momentum, appearing as far afield as Australia, Canada, Lebanon, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Scotland, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.

Over the next few weeks, the public will be able to add their own thoughts to a dedicated wall at Gallery150, and, if they wish, they can also have the moment captured by a professional photographer, using equipment kindly sponsored by the London Camera Exchange in Leamington. Each day, the best of these portraits and statements will be documented and exhibited in the gallery, becoming an integral part of the exhibition. The event will culminate in a human and fascinating reflection on life, death and love, which will be presented in a private view on Sunday, 26th August 2012.

Situated in 9 Livery Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 4NP, Gallery150 is open Tuesday-Saturday 11am to 6pm and Sunday 11.00am to 4.00pm.

Credits: Image by Trevor Coe.

Area: West Midlands

Craft Club – Strood Library – Kent

Creative and Art Events, Creative Communities and Inspiring Websites

Strood library have a craft club that meets in the library on the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month, 1.30pm – 3.30pm.

People bring along their own projects. Beginners, experts & enthusiasts are all welcome. 

For more information, contact Strood Library: 01634 335890

 Area: South East

Crafty People Wanted For New Craft Market In Rochester

Creative and Art News, Creative Opportunities

A new craft market is being planned for Rochester and the organisers – Craftybunch – are looking for people to sell their lovely creations there. Leigh from Craftybunch says “I would love to bring a Greenwich style market to the area for a Sunday afternoon once a month. I noticed how arty Medway is and want to provide an event to cater for the expanding creativity”.

If you are interested in selling your creations in Rochester please contact Leigh through craftybunch@live.co.uk

Twitter @craftybunch

www.craftybunch.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com/craftybunch

Area – South East

SDNA and Digitalize – Brighton

Creative and Art Events

As part of my work experience, I helped out at on a Brighton Museum and Art Gallery Exhibition today and thought it was so brilliant you need to know about it. Over the next week (Today Tuesday till Saturday of this week) a Digital Art company called SDNA (http://www.sdna.tv) with Ellie Newland, are setting up an art exhibition for people to get involved with and on Saturday there will be a showcase of the work. The exhibiton is called ‘Digitalize – an artist in residence project’.

Here is an example creature of which I created.

The public can get involved throughout this week by visiting the free exhibition and creating a creature of their imagination. This creature is constructed out of paper of photographs from other exhibitions present in the gallery, particularly from World Stories:Young Voices.

http://www.brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk/WhatsOn/Pages/BMAGworldstoriesyoungvoices23jun12.aspx

These creations are then photographed and using SDNA’s software they will create animations to bring these creatures to life. They will then be projected on to art cabinets to display to others as they move and the public to interact with.

Another way to get involved is to take part in an interview. This interview is asking questions about what you think of the afterlife, what things would you take with you and what you would look like as a mythological creature. The answers people were giving were fantastic from taking their Pokemon cards into the afterlife to describing themselves as creatures with giant wings and a hippo’s head. These recordings over the week will create the soundtrack to accompany the projections of the creatures and text of quote’s people have said from interviews and post it notes from another exhibition where people have answered more questions.

This is taking place free in Brighton throughout this week, so with this weather why not pop in then spend some time on the beach!?

For more details:

Royal Pavilion Gardens
Brighton
East Sussex
BN1 1EE
United Kingdom
Telephone 03000 290900
Fax  03000 290908
Email  visitor.services@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Opening times

Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm

Closed Mondays (except Bank Holidays 10am-5pm)

(World Art gallery closed for redevelopment 3 January to 22 June 2012)

http://www.brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk/Museums/brightonmuseum/Pages/home.aspx

Alice Stansfield your friendly neighbourhood vlogger: http://www.youtube.com/user/HisLittleEmo

Feel free to Tweet me if you have any questions or feedback:  @hislittleemoo

Email me for anything extra: aostansfield@hotmail.co.uk

Area – South East

London Design Festival Celebrates A Decade Of Design – 14th to 23rd September 2012

Creative and Art Events, Creative and Art News

This September sees the London Design Festival, one of the most important events on the global design calendar, mark its tenth anniversary. Conceived by Sir John Sorrell and Ben Evans, the Festival was originally designed to pay tribute to the capital’s creativity and innovation; ten years later, this aim has been achieved beyond all expectations. “It is especially exciting to be staging the 10th London Design Festival in September during the year of the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee,” says John Sorrell. “Over the last 10 years, we have grown the Festival across the world’s creative capital and this year, the Festival will be better than ever as we join in the celebrations and put the spotlight on design.”

 Since 2003, the Festival has been responsible for showcasing a range of exciting and ambitious projects, from installations in London’s public spaces to commissioned projects, highlighting emerging talent, in museums and galleries. Year on year, the Festival has evolved and developed in terms of its partners and its audience with 2011 seeing over 300 separate events and projects in London as part of the ten-day celebration. For 2012, a year when the global spotlight is firmly on London, the Festival is delighted to present a programme that will more than equal the quality, imagination and innovation that it has demonstrated for the last decade. “The London Design Festival continues to present design in new ways to an ever expanding audience. We stay ahead by being different and more relevant each year,” says Ben Evans, Director of London Design Festival.

Craft Central will also be involved in London Design Festival and have an interesting programme of events planned:

Craft Central Events For London Design Festival

To see the programme of events please visit www.londondesignfestival.com

Area:   UK   Britain   East of England   East Midlands   London  North East   North West    Yorkshire    Scotland    South East South West    Wales   West Midlands 

Creatabot Conversations: Music – 25th July 2012 – Rochester

Creative and Art Events

What turned out to be an invite to a few people to come to coFWD to see the space has turned into something much more interesting. There are now a number of people coming to coFWD on Wednesday to have a look at the space – and they all have one thing in common – making music. 

Having spoken to various people recently about possibilities and needs in Kent, Medway is quickly becoming a place bubbling with inspiration and like minds who want to create and collaborate. 

If you would love to meet other musical creatives and discuss where there are needs and also help others find out about things they maybe didn’t know, then we would love to see you Wednesday: to indeed see coFWD but also to have a nice relaxed (emphasis on RELAXED) afternoon to chat about creativity, collaboration and ideas.

We would love there to be a wide mix of people attend such as:

Songwriters
Singers
Musicians
Photographers
Gig organisers
Music Video Producers
Record Labels
Social Media peeps
Web designers
Illustrators

Place – 161 Rochester High Street – ME1 1EH

Time – 3.00pm until 5.00pm

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/296198113812612/

For more details email: natasha@creatabot.co.uk

#creatabotconversations

Please note, our venue (http://coFWD.org/) is a very old bank building that is being slowly shaped by a community of individuals for long-term Community Interest. Sadly the startup project is in its infancy and being run on limited funds so the building currently has some accessibility issues. If you have specific access or disability requirements and would like to attend an event or activity please let us know at least 5 days before the event date so that we can do our utmost to resolve any potential problems to accommodate.”

This reason for the above is two fold:

1. by law we (coFWD/161/CreativeMedwayCiC) are required to make any ‘publicly promoted’ events or activity accessible to all and failure to be ‘accessible’ or not provide advanced notice of building/space accessibility limitations will likely land us in trouble.

2. it is very important that all of our events are measured for capacity and that we know who is coming to or has been through our doors, this is important for safety and security, and it also means the person running such activities can easily update participants of any changes or additional correspondence.

Area: South East

Stories we tell ourselves – by Jane Ayres

Editorials

Writers think instinctively in terms of narrative, of story.  It’s how we make sense of the world.  The brain, our computer, processes what we see, feel, hear and looks for meaning in this input, based on our internal database of past experiences, of what has already been recorded and stored.

“Our brain casts us as ‘the protagonist’ and then edits our experience with cinema-like precision, creating logical interrelations, mapping connections between memories, ideas, and events for future reference.  Story is the language of experience.”

(Quote from Wired for Story: The Writer’s Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron, Ten Speed Press.)

A story isn’t just about an event, a drama, a character.  It’s about how what happens affects that character and changes them, however subtle or enormous that change.  At the end of the story, things will never be the same.  A story is life.  Life is a story.

We learn from stories and engaging with characters, real or imagined, teaches us about ourselves.

Many people have a profound need to seek solutions and resolutions, to solve the puzzle that is our life, and I wonder if this need is enhanced in those driven to create.  We can explore this desire and feed this compulsion through our work, our stories.  Our therapy and remedy. Imagination is both a blessing and a curse. Reading other people’s stories, whether through fiction, painting, photography, film, music, is just as vital in helping us understand our own stories.

Maybe it explains the human instinct to document, record and collect.  By compiling evidence of your existence, you are assembling your story, or stories, proving that these things happened.  It is saying to yourself and the world; I am, I was.

The phenomenal success of Facebook testifies the depth of this need.  Author Jonathan Franzen is quoted as saying,

“We star in our own movies, we photograph ourselves incessantly, we click the mouse and a machine confirms our sense of mastery….. It’s all one big endless loop. We like the mirror and the mirror likes us.”

The revolution that is the internet has changed the world, presenting us with a dazzling array of creative tools and distribution channels.  We all have a story to tell, to share with the world.  And now all of us can.

By Jane Ayres

Area:   UK   Britain   East of England   East Midlands   London  North East   North West    Yorkshire    Scotland    South East                South West    Wales   West Midlands

‘Trails of Thread’: Exhibition inside the ‘Adain Avion’ – The Mobile Arts Space Plane

Creative and Art Events, Creative Communities and Inspiring Websites

The ‘Trails of Thread’ installation consists of artwork created during a series of Workshop sessions run by Llandudno based artist Wendy Couling. Working with the Textile-based group ‘Serentex’, including members of the Embroiderers Guild, and also a series of Masterclass sessions with members of the community. Using Wendy’s own work on perspex and aluminium as a starting point, the artwork is based on the participant’s collection of memories of Llandudno, and thus builds a connection between the fuselage of Adain Avion and the local landscape.

I was thrilled to be a part of the exhibition initially housed inside the DC plane that was the centrepiece of the Adain Avion project. The exhibition only lasted two hours and I was on hand to help with the install and take down, alongside our other studio-mates Gerallt and Toni. The exhibition then moved onto Mostyn Gallery where it will hang for two weeks [until July 25th].

Part of the London 2012 Festival, Adain Avion is one of 12 London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Artists taking the lead commissions to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in creative ways across the UK, and has been funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council of Wales. Adain Avion is Curated and Directed by Marc Rees, co-produced by Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea University and receives additional funding from: Major Events Unit, Welsh Government; City and County of Swansea; Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council and Conwy Borough Council.

By Badge

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Any Questions, Uckfield? – By Alice Stansfield

Creative and Art News

Earlier this year, students from Uckfield Community Technology College studying politics, philosophy and critical thinking won a competition to have the BBC Radio 4 show ‘Any Questions’ broadcast live from the school on Friday 13 July. Although Friday 13th is known for bringing bad luck, the evening went very well and described as ‘successful’ by one of the teachers running the event, Dan Buschle. Attending the event beside an audience made up of parents, teachers and students were the panelists: David Starkey, Liz Kendall, Jeremy Hunt, Matthew Oakshot and with presenter Jonathan Dimbleby.

 

At the beginning of the event, Charles Hendry said it was ‘brilliant that students had put this together and was pleased to see how the night would go’ as at that moment students were still preparing back stage. What the audience didn’t see was behind the stage were students and some of the panelists choosing questions that audience members has submitted to be discussed on the show and then ten individuals were selected to be on air. One question submitted was by a student named James Baker. His question ‘Has the recent Tory blocking of the Liberal Democrats plans for Lord’s reform sparked the beginning of the end of the coalition government?’ was discussed on air.

Liz Kendall began with ‘it’s a good question’ and that it’s relevant to what’s been ‘discussed at Westminster at the moment’. This was the most discussed question of the night. Kendall continued the discussion to say that ‘Where do we want to take the country? When David Cameron was asked why he wanted to become Prime Minster he said because he thought he’d be rather good at it. You might question that.’ She seemed to be the best speaker of the night gaining the majority of applause from the audience, as Matthew Oakshot remarked as having the student’s ‘parents well trained’.

 

Kendall mentioned earlier ‘Politics seems so small when the problems seem so big’ and this seemed to summarise well how some audience members felt and wanted to know what was being done about it.

After the event some people involved in the event went to the Green Room to discuss the evening’s questions further off air. David Starkey said that the evening was ‘alright, but the politicians were extremely dull weren’t they? I suppose it comes with the job’. Assuming he was speaking from a student view of politicians this seems to mean he enjoyed the evening. Whereas Matthew Oakshot said how it was ‘the first time’ he’d been on the show, but loved the school’s ‘buzzy atmosphere’ and ‘wonderful students’ who made him ‘feel at home’.

 

Special thanks go to all the panelists and members of the BBC for bringing the event to Uckfield; the students for winning the competition, Dan Buschle; Helena Read; Nick Stoker and the music department for organising sound and equipment; members of the audience and everyone else involved who helped bring the wonderful evening together.

 

Content and interviews by Alice Stansfield, photography by Carl Goldsmith. 

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Introducing A New Creatabot Contributor – Kael Braham

Featured Creatives

Another contributor, woo! And from a different creative angle again. Kael, from Kent, spends most of his creative time acting and making music so will be bringing this interest into his articles. Here is a lovely mini interview so that you can find out more about him:

So Kael, what is your creative background?

I have Studied both media and drama at college.

What made you decide to concentrate on acting?

I tried my hand at everything creative I could, but acting was the one thing that made me think “this is what I want to do”.

Who inspires you both locally and universally? 

I have yet to find local inspiration but  if I had to pick one it would have to be my mum because she has always supported me through anything I have ever wanted to pursue. Universally I would have to say music as a whole inspires me.

Who would you love to work with?

The people I have done acting with have all been friends and people I know, and I actually enjoy working with them most. I know that if I try my best they will do the same and we can all work together.

Are there any other creative subjects you would love to learn?

I have always wanted to be in a band, and I was in one in the past. It was a lot of fun but I didn’t like the music we were making so I would love to be in a band where I truly loved the music we are creating and the style as a whole.

What would you like to achieve in the future?

I would like to get more notice as an actor and I would also like to be in a band again because those are two main things I love doing.

Can you recommend a creative website you love?

TeamFourStar.net

You can follow Kael on Twitter at @kaelbraham

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‘Adain Avion’ mobile arts space lands in Llandudno

Creative and Art Events

Photo by Marc Rees

On Sunday July 8th the fuselage of a DC aeroplane landed on the promenade in Llandudno, the third destination of the wingless plane’s “flight” around Wales, having previously nested in Swansea and Ebbw Vale, it will reach its final destination in August when it comes into land at the National Eisteddfod of Wales which in 2012 occupies a former airfield in Llandow, Vale of Glamorgan.

The wreckage of the DC-9 plane was discovered by Spanish sculptor and designer Eduardo Cajal in a scrapyard, having crashed with no fatalities, Cajal decided to transform the fuselage into a mobile arts space, his artist/architect led collective Trashumante finally unveiled Avion at the international art fair ARCO in Madrid. In 2009 Marc Rees was selected to represent Wales in the UK-wide project Artists Taking the Lead as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. His winning proposal was to bring Avion from its home in Huesca, northern Spain to travel around Wales. Rees acting as the planes Captain became the temporary custodian of this extraordinary sculptural object, celebrating the twentieth anniversary of its conception with an international cultural exchange titled “Adain Avion”.

Photo by Philip Andrews

Alongside “Captain” Marc Rees were 6 Stewardesses – The AAA Troupe [Adain Avion Attendants] played beautifully by ‘Kitsch ‘n Sync Collective‘ and decked out in dresses designed by Melyn Tregwynt  they performed routines around the plane, town and Mostyn Gallery creating a homage to the town’s theatrical entrepreneur Will Catlin who hired Pierrot groups and strategically placed them about town to publicise his shows. Will Catlin’s daughter Margot worked with dancer and choreographer Cai Tomos to develop a performance which took place on the site where Will once built her a roller skating rink.

Local Artists Nick Elphick, Tim Pugh and Wendy Couling staged exhibitions and workshops within the plane, and artists selected from the Helfa Gelf Open Studios Arts Trail took part in a sound and video installation. Aeroplane related films played on screens inside the fuselage and each morning the plane hosted a different fitness class.

The events, exhibitions and performances where all recorded and along with the footage from previous destinations will be edited to produce the planes ‘blackbox’ which will be presented by Marc Rees to the National History Museum at St.Fagans, Cardiff, where it will be archived in the Contemporary Folk Archive.

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By @badgemakesart

Area: Wales

Take A Little Trip – By George Langridge

Editorials

I did have an amazing set of photographs set for this article, however, my laptop decided to die on me. I have decided to use these photographs as they show some amazing sights and it is an insight to my childhood.

A few months ago I took a trip to the north of Wales with my grand-parents. As always I had my camera by my side. So much countryside and fresh air, always good for the lungs.

Wait, Why Is It So Cold Up Here?

 I decided that I would take a walk after dinner – got me out of washing up. Next to where we where staying was a mountain that I used to always climb and walk when I was a kid. This time I had a camera, so I could remember what it looked like – some day I won’t get to go again. All I had on me was a 18-55mm lens, not great for landscapes, but what a view.

Near where we stay is a town called Barmouth, I’d say it is the main town in that area. Connecting the two sides of the estuary is this old rail and foot bridge, as I was walking down to cross it I looked in to my viewfinder and immediately shot this. I believe this bridge is roughly 1 mile long. I just love the detail in this photograph, when I was editing it I noticed there is actually a man walking on the mountain in the background.

This particular image is available to purchase HERE along with a few other pieces of my work although I do vary which images are available from time to time. I have also submitted it to the BBC’s Countryfile competition.

Further down the path I took this quick photograph, although I wish I had spent more time composing it. I think it shows how long it actually is. I went for the de-saturated look as it complemented the previous photograph and it kind of showed the bridge’s age and time. If I had properly framed this I think it would have been ‘awesome’.

For the full resolution photographs and more visit my Flickr. If you like any of my photographs and would like to purchase a print copy email me at: georgelangridge95@gmail.com

Twitter/Instagram: @georgelangridge

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Introducing Project 1440 – By Isobel Eats Fish

Featured Creatives

Isobel Eats Fish is the creative name for Vicky Partner. Based in Kent, Vicky is a photographer and poet who combines both talents to create a unique vision. Her project creates one photo and poem for every minute of a 24 hour day – making 1440 images and poems. Vicky spoke to us about her background, things that inspire her and why she started 1440.

Life

I grew up in Stevenage, a new town with lots of cycle tracks that I used to do time trail circuits of as a teenager in the nineties. My dad was a coach driver and there are not many seaside places in this country I haven’t been to, plus the occasional day trip to France on the ferry. Music was our big thing, huge stereo’s and big music collections. The soundtrack to my childhood included the Stones, Pink Floyd, Status Quo, Led Zeppelin, you get the idea. I used to climb the tree in the back garden, but other than that it was a pretty humble and modest beginning though obviously I developed my own tastes as I grew into supposed adulthood. School wasn’t brilliant, but I got through, did the college and uni circuit, then crashed out after graduation (the joys of academia without the savvy). At least I can say I have a degree in Management and Tourism to my name from the University of Brighton.

Hour 1 – The Smoking Gun
00.00 – The Blue Comfort
The First and Last pub,
camera image inverted,
opposite my evicted flat,
resistant to adding words,
as know the score already,
so writing my discomforture.
(The First and Last Pub, Bower Place, Maidstone)

After my dad died my mum bought me and my younger sister Debra, up herself, working in kitchens of local schools, gradually rising to become head chef at a secondary school canteen. She worked very hard and still managed to take us abroad on holiday every year. It was important to her we didn’t miss out, and nowadays she has a masters herself in comparative literature. I think it is through her and my step dad that the seed of who I am now, at least creatively, stemmed.

Nowadays I live in Maidstone, having moved here seven years ago. I had found myself doing a community regeneration type post in Ashford, but it really wasn’t my sort of thing. It was a consultation role and the residents had a habit of moaning a lot about everything that was wrong in their lives and where they lived. It was very depressing to say the least. 

Why Maidstone? I’d escaped into nightclub and bar djing. Self taught I was first involved with a club called Bar Three Zero in Ashford, but after coming 4th out of 50 dj’s at a competition in Dover, and a residency at London’s Renaissance Rooms I found myself drawn to the town because of a scene called Club Class who were based at what was then the River Bar. Nowadays they have evolved into Saved Records, an eventwhich operates from the Source Bar when it is in town. My perspective on life started to change, though I still wouldn’t have called myself savvy, there was still definitely something I was missing, an invisible barrier of sorts I couldn’t break through. Passion and talent alone wasn’t enough, though I came close, coming 5th in another competition, this time run by an international djing magazine.

Hour 1 – The Smoking Gun
00.01…The Ale House
Four bright red no entry signs,
and closeby drunken limitation,
pissheads all out their league,
in meaningless conversation,
an aggressive confrontation,
what does this say of me,
this being judgemental.
(The First and Last Pub, Bower Place, Maidstone)

Right deep breath, writing about that time in my life does tend to bring to the surface some very strong feelings, but bottom line is I have moved on. That was then and it’s impossible to go back. It’s like an ex boyfriend or girlfriend, the split is very painful, but you recover and hey, plenty more fish in the sea, if you’ll forgive the Isobel Eats Fish pun. And I am actually pretty happy where I am right now. I genuinely have no regrets.

Inspiration 

 Whoever I’m communicating with, working with, or friends with at any time inspires me, these people are our teachers, our own reflections. So who inspires me could be anyone and anybody, even if the experience is negative it teaches you about what you don’t want, a process of elimination is still a positive as long as you don’t give up.

Hour 1 – The Smoking Gun
00.02…The Lady
Peace in sufferation,
is important to forgive,
a pair of black swans,
workshops of beauty,
holy connectedness,
in discovering Mary.
(Aylesford Priory, near Maidstone).

 Outside of friends, family and everyday type situations I would have to say people like Nic Fancily of the aforementioned Saved Records, Michael Palin, JK Rowling, Stephen Fry, and a name not as many people would have heard of, Steve Pavlina, my personal development guru. I’m also somewhat of a Twilight movie junkie, I just love the idea of vampires and really, just about anything that challenges the imagination and takes you to another place, raises the game. I mean, I’ve been reading for the last year and a half the British Museum’s History of the World in 100 Objects which has been fascinating, I’ve just finished reading it. In relation to that I really have to mention that Neil Macgregor the author of the book, and director of the British Museum, inspires me.

Travel and seeing new places also inspires me. To date I’ve visited 20 countries, mostly in Europe, but also the US and Canada.  I want to get to Italy at the earliest possibility and have my sights set on Florence, a simple act of kindness, a million and one things at risk of sounding like Sleepless in Seattle. 

Hour 1 – The Smoking Gun
00.03…That Serves Punters
Pieces of eight in a till,
illuminating the chapel.
(Relic Chapel of St Simon Stock, Aylesford Priory)

I would have to say positive qualities in a person are something that moves me. It seems a really obvious thing to say, but in my experience often people forget to mention it. I find it so refreshing when someone has a can do attitude, there’s not enough of that in this world.

History and science is another subject that fascinates me. This is a later development and wasn’t always the case. I remember once getting 14% in a history test at school, I figure because I’d spelt my name right at the top of the paper. So it’s sort of odd how it’s swung to the other extreme now. I sort of get it nowadays, Night at the Museum is a film I like. It’s not my favourite by a long shot, but it works. I think for pure artistry it would have to be films like Memoirs of a Geisha and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. They are intelligent and beautiful to watch, and the fight scenes are just like, wow!

One day I might be inspired by Gershwin, the next by Faithless or U2, or something the radio plays unexpectedly.

Hour 1 – The Smoking Gun
00.04…Ringing Bell
A churchyard gravestone,
an extraordinary message,
the death of your averaging,
and the birth of the new star,
blood on all of their red flags,
when looking for final frontier.
(St Peter and St Paul’s Churchyard, Aylesford)

Present and Future

 1440, one photo and poem for every minute of the day is what I am currently working on, a project I started when I was in temporary accommodation of all places. It became a way out of my situation then. I figured why should I think anything less of myself as a person just because of where I live. It was sort of like fighting back when I started out on it, and you can see that in some of the early photos and poems, where I reference Banksy, the subversive graffiti artist. Yet I’ve always tried to put a balanced slant on my work even when the subject matter has been quite negative, or dark, which hasn’t always been easy.

Hour 1 – The Smoking Gun
00.05…Before Closing Time
A mannequin without balls,
for all of the world to see,
calm in his expression,
yet quite ambiguous,
packing or unpacking,
reflected journey behind.
(Unused retail unit, High Street, Maidstone)

 At any rate it’s taken me so far to places like Newcastle, Edinburgh, Prague, Budapest, all glued together by Maidstone, my home town, and London and the South East. Each one of which has been a wonderful learning experience. I give each hour a title and theme, hour 1 was “Smoking Gun”, hour two was “The Dream That Died For Me”, and so on. The latest hour I’ve completed, hour nine is entitled “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”.

I have early thoughts and some photos already on what theme and approach to take for hour ten, only time will tell. Watch this space…

You can keep up to date with 1440 on:

Blogspot http://www.isobeleatsfish.blogspot.co.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/isobel.eatsfish

All images subject to Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 

CC BY-NC-ND – Vicky Partner

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HYC – Hello You Creatives

Creative Communities and Inspiring Websites

HELLO YOU CREATIVES: A collective of humans being creative.

‘Help More Make More’ is our M.O. (at the very least its a decent blog you can steal ideas from) 

A wonderful website with so much inspiration!

http://helloyoucreatives.com/

http://twitter.com/hellocreatives

Bestival – 6th to 9th of September 2012 – Isle Of Wight

Creative and Art Events

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With over 20 stages of live music, DJs and performance arts spread over 10 spectacular green fields, Bestival is known as the party to end the festival season, located in a beautiful country park in the escapist wonderland that is the Isle of Wight.

Programmed by the font of all musical knowledge, Mr Rob da Bank, the festival never fails to deliver an outstanding array of hot talent from international artists to a whole host of brand new music. 2012 will see headline sets from the legendary Stevie Wonder, Florence + The Machine and New Order plus exclusives from The xx and Sigur Rós and performances from Friendly Fires, Nero, 2manydjs Live, Soulwax, Two Door Cinema Club, Justice, Annie Mac, Skream & Benga, The 2 Bears and David Rodigan MBE Presents Ram Jam.

For the adventurous among the crowd there’s a wealth of hidden treasures peppered across the site, whether it be bedding down in the Slumbarave, being blown away by the Wall of Death, getting your groove on in the Roller Disco or visiting the magical Wishing Tree. And that’s not all you could be spending the afternoon learning the Cha-cha-cha or Charleston at the Come Dancing tent, stopping off at the Inflatable Church for an impromptu wedding or maybe taking some time out of the madness to visit the Ambient Forest or Tomorrow’s World, a calming haven overlooking the site with everything from freshly made sushi to tea and cakes courtesy of the WI on offer.

Oh… and did we mention that it’s also home to the biggest fancy dress party you’re ever likely to take part in and this year’s theme is Wildlife!

Keep on checking in at www.bestival.net, and the Facebook page and Rob da Bank’s Twitter for loads more info and cool stuff!

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Creatabot Creatives Competition 2012 + Exhibition Open For Submissions

Creative Opportunities

Creatabot Creatives Competition is open to all creatives in the UK.

The brief for 2012 is “Gadgets and Gizmos”.

There are 6 categories for the competition:

Short Film

Photography

Fine Art

Literature

Music

Mixed Media 

(for anything creative that does not fall into the above categories)

Entries will be judged by the following Creatabot contributors:

A winner will be selected from each category and presented with a “Creatabot Creative of 2012” plaque.

Appropriate work will be put on exhibition for the whole of December 2012 at Strood library, Kent. 

To enter please upload your work or an image of your work to

http://creatabotcreativescompetition.tumblr.com/submit

By 19th November 2012

If you have any issue with uploading please send your work to natasha@creatabot.co.uk

Terms and conditions: Entries must be received by 1st November. Judges cannot enter. You can enter as many pieces as you want to into multiple categories.

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Tick Tock – By Jane Ayres

Editorials

All rights reserved by picasnpoints

“Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted.”

This quote, attributed to John Lennon, will resonate with many creatives, especially writers. For some, myself included, writing seems to lend itself to procrastination (a wonderful word!). When you are exploring creative ideas, no time is ever wasted, since your mind is always active, always filtering possibilities, even if subconsciously.

But when you put off writing by doing some other, apparently unrelated task, it can lead to feelings of guilt and frustration. That you have wasted that precious commodity which we label “time.” We are taught that time should be used productively. We segment and categorise time into minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years.

I’ve always had a problematic relationship with time, resenting the way it dictates how we organise our lives. As a child and teenager, I railed against clocks, which may explain my poor timekeeping. (The expression “keeping” time is strange, it being a fluid concept that cannot be stopped or controlled. As the saying goes, “time waits for no man.”)

We are ruled by clocks. Society assumes that our time should be earmarked and that most of it (and our lives) should be spent on work, doing a paid job. And then, if any of it is left, (which we call “spare time”) we fill it with hobbies or leisure pursuits. So it is all used up. Time is a commodity and spare time is a luxury, a privilege. Does this belief system make any sense?

Having worked for an employer for most of my life, I have had to find ways to build in more time to write. For many years, this involved some very early mornings and writing most weekends and evenings. I frequently complained to anyone who would listen that there simply weren’t enough hours in the day. Yet, when, for a brief period, I did actually have some unscheduled time, how ironic that I was unable to motivate myself to produce anything worthwhile. Maybe, for some, working under pressure to a deadline, whether external or self-imposed, assists the creative process. So perhaps we can use the segmenting of time to our advantage.

Art forms such as music and film exist and move through and with time, whereas painting and writing can freeze time to create a snapshot, like a photograph.

Strangely, as you grow older, time goes faster, or so it seems. A panic sets in, that life is slipping away, and the need to create and produce becomes more urgent. Or are these just the ramblings of an ageing, fifty year old writer?

Only time will tell……

By Jane Ayres

www.janeayres.blogspot.co.uk

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Introducing A New Creatabot Contributor – Helen Hanson

Featured Creatives

We have another contributor! Helen Hanson is from Doncaster and is an all round creative who will be writing about many different subjects. I asked her some questions so that we could all get to know her better…

So what is your creative background?

My creative background has involved art in one form or another from cake making, rug making and cross stitching to ceramics, stained glass windows and painting. I have always had creative flair and have a Masters in Multimedia and Education and am looking to start my Doctorate in Social Media and Education in September. I have been involved in e-learning and love learning new software and looking at alternative ways of using technology. I work in a College which gives me lots of opportunities to experiment with new technologies and learn techniques with my students and really bring out their creative side and transferrable skills around technology and software.

I have an addiction to learning new things and playing with technology. I am also a traditional artist using oil paints and pastels and experimenting with a different range of image manipulation packages and then mixing my art mediums to create different creative art pieces.

Who inspires you both locally and universally?

I am inspired by lots of different artists and love to see the different art works that are now coming through on my Twitter feed as well as on Facebook and these have inspired me recently to get more involved with my own art work and produce some digital pieces rather than just the traditional artwork that I have always created.

I have an open mind which can get very over inspired by what I see around me in everyday working life and have got to the stage that I have so many ideas that I now have to create a list to make sure that I don’t forget some of the things that I have seen and what I would like to experiment with. Time is my biggest issue as the days are not long enough and burning the candle at both ends seems to be becoming a traditional pastime.

What would you like to achieve in the future?

I would like to be able to have time to myself to be selfish and just do what I wanted to do rather than life itself having an impact on my time. I would like to be able to spend all my time being creative and creating pieces of art work in the sun with no time constraints. We all need dreams and hopes to aim for and something to look forward to and make plans to achieve to keep us improving and moving forward.

Can you recommend a creative website you love?

There are so many to choose from each with their own different views and perspectives on life. Deviant Art is a brilliant collection of pieces as well as 500px and Planetvisions.com. I am currently enjoying social media like Twitter, it gives me the opportunity to create an interactive list and categorise some of the feeds and interesting people that are sharing their art work, blogs and websites. I would not have met Creatabot had it not been for this aspect of Social Media.

You can find Helen on Twitter @hansonhelen

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Snapdragon Designs – Featured Creatives

Featured Creatives

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Recently at the 10th anniversary celebration of Nucleus arts I came across a new range of jewellery – which I absolutely LOVE. I felt I had to feature these creatives on Creatabot. So I introduce to you Shelley and John from Snapdragon Designs…

So what is your creative background?

John and I met at KIAD (Kent Institute of Art and Design, now UCA) in Canterbury where we both studied for a BTEC National Diploma in general art and design. We both went on to study Graphic Design at De Montfort University in Lincoln graduating in 2004. John has always made military themed models and scenery and I discovered a love for bookbinding and print making at KIAD.

What made you set up Snapdragon Designs?

Snapdragon Designs was set up initially to give me a way of creating my own line of luxury books but when John’s school (where he teaches) bought the laser cutter last year it opened up new ideas and made us create the jewellery side of Snapdragons.

CC BY-NC-ND Snapdragon Designs

What other career paths have you taken?

After uni we took quite divergent paths, I went to get an apprenticeship in bookbinding and have been working as a bookbinder for almost 8 years. John initially went into Graphic Design for a small company (Team Cortexx) near Maidstone and later retrained as a design and technology teacher which he has been doing for 5 years. John is also an archery instructor and we both enjoy making our own arrows.

Who inspires you both locally and universally?

Vivienne Westwood has always inspired me and in the future I hope to do a whole line of jewellery using vintage tartans. Its really hard to say who inspires me locally as I’ve only just started getting involved with the creatives of Kent but I think Nucleus arts are doing a great job and there’s lots of inspiration to be found there. John’s inspiration tends to come from more traditional sources and artists such as Barbara Hepworth, John Constable and artistic movements such as Art Deco, but also from many wargaming/fantasy artists.

CC BY-NC-ND Snapdragon Designs

What would you like to achieve in the future?

We would love to see the jewellery really taking off with a hope to expanding further and getting it into shops.

Can you recommend a creative website you love?

I love looking around www.folksy.com it has so many talented people.

You can see the gorgeous Snapdragon Designs range at 

www.folksy.com/shops/snapdragons

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Gwyl Arall (Another Festival) Art Exhibition – Wales

Creative and Art Events, Creative and Art News, Creative Communities and Inspiring Websites

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Last year I took part in a local arts festival called ‘Gwyl Arall‘ [which translates as ‘Another Festival’] with my series of doll artwork displayed in an old toy shop window, so I was thrilled to be invited to submit work again for this years exhibition organized by the husband and wife team Morgan Griffith and Rebecca.F.Hardy [who also run the brilliant DyfalDonc].

Aided by ‘Bocs‘, a non-profit co-op of artists based in Caernarfon and ‘Gwead.com‘ the exhibition aims to help provide a platform for and to help promote emerging Welsh talent. The role call of artists taking part is impressive with 3 winners from this years “Welsh Artist of the Year”: Gareth Griffith and Iwan Lewis who shared the prize for Painting, and Wendy Leah Dawson who took home the student prize. It also boasts former “Welsh Photographer of the Year” Llinos Lanini and Gethin Wyn Jones who in 2006 won the Nationwide Mercury Art competition and is currently exhibiting at Wales flagship contemporary art gallery Mostyn. Others exhibiting include myself Barry Morris [Badge], Gerallt.D.Hughes, Jaime Kelly, Gethin Wavell, Alana Tyson, Osian Efnisien, Morgan Griffith [Sonomano], Buddug Humphreys, Rebecca.F.Hardy, Jessie Chorley, Ioan Griffith, Siân Green, Sarah McEachran, Richard Cynan-Jones, Nerys Jones, Alan Whitfield, and Rebecca Gould.

Formed after the closure of Oriel Dafydd Hardy in Caernarfon, ‘Bocs’ filled the void left by the gallery by becoming a champion for emerging young Welsh talent encompassing visual arts, music and performance, and helping to nurture up-and-coming artists, this is the first year that ‘Bocs’ has been involved with ‘Gwyl Arall’, but organizer Rebecca.F.Hardy hopes that it will be the start of a fruitful relationship. Rebecca is already working with her colleagues at ‘Bocs’ in securing a new permanent venue for the co-op and approaching artists to develop a programme of exhibitions and workshops for the coming year.

The aim of gwead.com is to introduce the work of contemporary photographers from Europe’s oldest cultures at the moment; Wales, Brittany, the Basque Country and Catalonia. Their mission statement elaborates on this idea: “By submitting visual work and sharing of cultures that are either similar in language, culture and history or a historical or linguistic we hope to strengthen the relationship between them. We may add more countries in the future. In addition to delivering work on the web, we will display the work in exhibitions, festivals and galleries over the coming months and years. This websites is Rhodri Owen idea of Ysbyty Ifan in Wales. “

By Badge

badgemakesart@yahoo.co.uk

Area: Wales

‘Hang On A Minute Lads, I’ve Got A Great Idea’ – Unique Exhibition In Bexhill – 7th July to 1st October 2012

Creative and Art Events, Editorials

Having a dad who loves the brilliant well known film ‘The Italian Job’ I was dragged down to the de la warr pavilion in Bexhill this weekend. However, what I was to find was not a ‘dull’ art exhibition, but a full size bus hanging off the roof.

Taken by Alice Stansfield, 08/07/2012

From the 7th July throughout summer this year the exhibition on the roof on the pavilion is art inspired by the final scene of the movie ‘The Italian Job’. Commission by Richard Wilson, sculptor Richard Wilson’s work fills the roof for a very action packed photograph. Known as his most ‘daring work’ the bus is a replica on the coach in the film balanced on the roof and moving to really resemble the finally scene of the classic film.

Inside the pavilion is details about how the coach was put up and some details on the film. All I really felt this needed to improve the experience was some blinds on the coach as the windows are instead blurred out to make it really look like a model, where instead I feel they could have gone all out to make it look like a real coach. Although driving up to it was scary enough to make anyone believe it was about to fall!

The best part, it’s free and you get a lovely view of Bexhill!

Photo taken by Alice Stansfield, 08/07/2012

Photo taken by Alice Stansfield, 08/07/2012

Also inside the pavilion are other art exhibition rooms. Gallery 1, which is open to September 16th, is titled ‘Everything Flows: the art of getting in the zone’. It features ‘moving image works’ inspired by succeeding in sport, again all free with the option to give a donation for more things like this to happen.

You can always finish the day in the cafe or on the beach. A lovely day out this summer for all the family, as they say.

By Alice Stansfield.

The ‘Hang On A Minute Lads, I’ve Got A Great Idea’ is on exhibition until 1st October 2012 – for more information please visit 

http://www.dlwp.com/event/richard-wilson2

Alice Stansfield your friendly neighbourhood vlogger: http://www.youtube.com/user/HisLittleEmo

Feel free to Tweet me if you have any questions or feedback:  @hislittleemoo

Email me for anything extra: aostansfield@hotmail.co.uk

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A Jack Of All Trades – By Emily Foster

Editorials

This week at work I got into a spot of bother with my boss. He was concerned that I had been potentially sharing insider information on Limehouse Books, telling the secrets of our trade. He was annoyed because I had told people that last week, instead of working, we spent a day cleaning his flat.

Now, I should stress that I did volunteer to help him with the task. On Saturday night he hosted the Limehouse Summer party, and it was me who insisted his flat was at least vacuumed before people could be allowed in. The tidying was necessary to fit us all in. Cleaning the kitchen was just for extra sparkle.

However the experience did make me think about all the other things I do at Limehouse Books, as well as being a designer. Working for such a small company, the more you can learn a little bit of everything, the better. And, as always, there is lots to learn.

By Zfaerman

There’s fun stuff, like organising events and press coverage. This covers most of our marketing and publicity side of things – attending networking events, forging partnerships with other organisations to host events with (for wider audience reach), finding and contacting new ways to gain press coverage through newspapers, magazines, radio.

Being trained in the editorial side of things means I get to be a lot more involved in book projects than just coming from the designer’s perspective. This includes proofreading and editing at the early stages – later everything is proof read professionally by a freelancer.

Then there’s bookkeeping and managing invoices. You’d think that with such a small company keeping track of the finances would be easy, but this is much more effort than you think. We use online bookkeeping software.

There’s other little tasks that keep cropping up too: posting on Facebook and Twitter; attending meetings and liaising with anyone involved in a project, from printers to authors and potential clients; submitting books for awards; responding to any queries.

As you can see, there’s lots to do. It’s hard work, but varied, engaging and, most of the time, fun. Apart from the cleaning… 

By Emily Foster

http://uk.linkedin.com/in/emilyjaynefoster

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Andy Farr Brings the Spirit of the Olympics to Leamington – 17th to 5th August 2012 – Leamington Spa

Creative and Art Events, Creative and Art News

“The power of the sprinter; the poise of the gymnast; the joy of victory; the exhilaration of the dive; the agony of defeat; the audacity of the high jumper… Every sport has its own unique rhythm, its own secret pattern, its own code.”

After the success of his solo show ‘The Space Between” in 2011, Andy Farr will be bringing the spirit of the Olympics to Gallery150, in Leamington Spa.

After a period of experimentation with abstract landscapes and cityscapes, the artist, who returned to painting in 2008, after what he refers to as “a brief pause of twenty years”, has shifted his focus to capturing the essence of movement. This fascination has led to a series of works inspired by carousels, dance, horse racing and sport. The artist begins each work by watching a slow-motion film of the subject to isolate the underlying rhythms, which he sketches then builds into a pictorial composition.

In the ‘Rhythms in Motion’ exhibition, which runs from 17th July-5th August 2012, this highly experimental artist will be presenting a series of works inspired by sport, movement and the emotions and achievements of athletes.  In an impressive play of brushstrokes, depth, colour and light, this series of considered works show echoes of Kandinsky, Boccioni and Rothko, culminating in a complex blend of styles and textures, that hover on a line between Abstract Expressionism, Cubism and Futurism.

The private view of the Rhythms in Motion exhibition will be held on 17th July from 7pm.

Venue: Gallery150, Regent Court Shopping Centre, 9 Livery Street, Leamington Spa CV32 4NP.

Opening times: Tuesday- Saturday from 11am- 6pm and Sunday 11am- 4pm.

Area: West Midlands

MUNGA – By Alice Stansfield

Editorials

“Nations shall not lift Sword against Nation Neither shall they learn War any more”  Micah 4:3

Although the title could stand for many things it actually stands for: Model United Nations General Assembly.

The event took place at Uckfield Community Technology College, one of the only colleges that holds a MUNGA for their sixth form students,  on Friday 29th June. After a few days of research preparation for the students, and a quite a few weeks of preparing the event by staff, it all came together. The event allows students to learn the process of debating and research into sections known as resolutions: Universal Primary Education; Gender Equality; Environmental Sustainability; Crime and Punishment; and Migration. Each group of students had a country they had to research, for example I was a delegate for Russia and then was in the Environmental Sustainability resolution.

After a welcome by Principal and Secretary General and opening statements from delegates, resolution debating sessions began. Separated from teams and put into rooms with nobody else from your country meant you had to know your stuff! Promoted by a member of staff, known as the Chairman of the debate, students promptly began debating.

As an example of what happen in the rooms,  the Environmental Sustainability debate began strongly ,promoted by the Chairman Chris Brooks, focussing on ‘further demands that Japan stops hunting whales and fishing on industrial levels using factory ships worldwide’ due to the destruction it causes. The delegate from Japan (Will Baker) began to debate why what they do is a good thing compared to other situations that other countries cause, but the delegates from China (Luke Lee Brewin) and Palestine (Jack Ashdown) demanded there be a change. After much debate of what needed to be done the resolution was changed to say it would be revisited in a few years. From this the students learnt how to debate and how a MUNGA is normally run where resolutions can be changed.

Thankful for a large buffet lunch provided by the college, students returned to the main hall to report back what had happened in separate resolutions and then begin debating as a whole country about Human Rights. Palestine, China, America, Russia and Israel were big speakers in the hall, along with other countries, on debating the issue of differences in Human Rights. The Secretary General ran the debate and helped organise the students to debate towards changing resolutions in order of what the majority voted for.

On Monday 2nd July students were presented in assembly with certificates for the day with thanks to them and all the staff who helped out with the event, which occurs annually and is a great event to learn new skills, information and to add to CV’s. The day had clearly been a success with comments it has been ‘The best we’re ever had’, but will they top it next year?

Special thanks have to go to Mr Williams, Mr Simmons and all the teachers who were Chairman’s and assistant chairman’s on the day.

By Alice Stansfield.

Alice Stansfield your friendly neighbourhood blogger! http://www.youtube.com/user/HisLittleEmo

Feel free to Tweet me if you have any questions or feedback  @hislittleemoo

Everyday I’m Tumblrin  http://wonderlandreject.tumblr.com/

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The Makery Workshops – Bath

Creative and Art Events

The Makery is a place where people can come and learn how to be more resourceful.It is a place where things are thought of in terms of their potential; re-using what would otherwise be thrown away; getting people to look at objects in a different manner.  And re-using things in such a way that the finished item is just as great as something you’d buy in the shops. Forget that – even better, because it’s been made by hand.

The Makery hold a huge range of workshops including printmaking, bookbinding, sewing, lingerie, felt making, knitting, embroidery and jewellery.

To find out more and to see the workshop calendar visit 

http://themakeryonline.co.uk/workshops/

Area: South West

An Interview With Ben Cameron – Illustrator and Artist

Creative and Art Events

Ben Cameron is an illustrator and artist based in Kent who often works from the same coworking space as myself. I find his work really inspiring and I thought you might like to know more about him.

So Ben, most creatives say they have always been creative, has there been a time you didn’t feel that way?

Strang Paul was actually developed about 3 years ago, when I was working in retail, because it was such a stifling environment, tedious and boring. So to combat this I decided to start doodling and sketching small cartoons in my lunch breaks. From there my drawings grew in ambition and size.

Did you study any creative subjects or are you self taught?

In school, I studied expressive arts and then onto Media studies at college. Some people may think that I missed out on not formerly studying art, but then isn’t creativity about expressing yourself? I did take part in a lot of creative workshops when I was younger but I lost interest as I became older.

If you could collaborate with anyone who would it be?

The answer is ANYONE. Without sounding clichéd I honestly believe that everyone has something to share creatively. With this in mind I decided to start an open project called Doodleshare. This is open ongoing project for anyone to take part in. I am always looking for new projects and people to share interesting ideas with.

Who inspires you both locally and universally?

Lots of people, it is hard to list individuals – but if you look at who I follow on Twitter you will get an idea. But professional artist wise I would say Moose Allain – he has a good balance between word play and beautiful drawings, whilst using interesting techniques for both – this all ties in beautifully with his Twitter feed.

Locally – my Mum – while I was growing up she was incredibly creative. She drew cartoon murals on my bedroom walls and helped me with my school projects, such as creating little books and pieces of work. She encouraged me to focus on attention to detail on things like colours, layout and text. As well as being incredibly supportive and encouraging, she also suggested that I take part in extra curricular projects during summer holidays.

Do you have a “creating” playlist?

It is constantly changing, sometimes it’s my music collection on shuffle, other times it will be a TV series playing in the background. My music taste is very wide, every day is different.

What would you like to achieve in the future?

I want to keep my work interesting for myself and others,supporting myself as I do so.

Can you recommend a creative website you love?

Twitter! It ties everyone in so well, it is the best news service in the world. The amount people I have met through Twitter and been inspired by is ever growing. I can get fantastic feedback about my work and give feedback to others. 5 years ago there is no way I would be able to share my work in the same way.

You can find more work by Ben Cameron on StrangePaul.com and you can contact Ben for commissions on bencameron@me.com

By Natasha Steer

Attribution-NoDerivs (CC BY-ND) Ben Cameron

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‘Not the Usual Suspects’ at LSA’s Summer Show – Warwickshire

Creative and Art Events, Creative and Art News

Leamington Studio Artists (LSA) present a rich and exciting showcase of over 100 works by 68 local and regional artists.

This year, Gallery150 will be hosting the ‘2012 LSA Summer Show’, ‘Not the Usual Suspects’ in the Livery Street gallery, in Leamington, Warwickshire.

This coveted annual exhibition will feature the work of LSA members and non-members from Leamington and across the Midlands.

With a steady rise in members in recent years, the show has become increasingly more popular and covers a broad range of mediums, including painting, drawing, photography and sculpture by talented emerging and established artists alike. And, this year, there will be over 100 works by a good 68 artists, some of whom will be exhibiting with the fifteen-year old organisation for the first time. Visitors to the show will also be able to get a preview of works by a number of artists participating in the up-coming Warwickshire Open Studios (30th June to the 15th July).

This year the audience will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite artist. The winning artist will be awarded a cash prize of 500 pounds and a special feature in Artspace, the LSA arts journal, which has been in print since 1998. All of the voters’ names will also be entered into a prize draw and the winner will receive a Giclée print of ‘Not the Usual Subjects’.

Not the Usual Suspects will run from 26th June until 15th July 2012; the private view, will be held at Gallery150, on Tuesday, June 26th from 7 pm.

Gallery150, 9 Livery Street, Regents Court, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 4NP

Opening times: Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 6pm / Sunday 11am – 4pm.

Area: West Midlands

The Wall Breakers – Inspiration From USA

Creative Communities and Inspiring Websites

Sometimes we hit a wall, a creative block. But there are things that can help this common part of a creatives life, something that is certain to help is the website “The Wall Breakers”. Set up by two guys from Brooklyn – James Scully and Matt Weckel – the site features inspirational artists and their work as well as various creative news and inspiring features that might just get your creative juices flowing again.

To see this website full of all round creative coolness visit www.thewallbreakers.com

You will also find the feed on Twitter and Facebook.

Area:   UK   Britain   East of England   East Midlands   London  North East   North West    Yorkshire    Scotland    South East              South West    Wales   West Midlands 

Draw Your ‘art’ Out! – By Alice Stansfield

Creative and Art Events, Creative and Art News, Creative Communities and Inspiring Websites

Last night (20/06/12) at Uckfield Community College, East Sussex, students from year 12 to year 13 (6th form) displayed all their hard work throughout the last year in the art and photography department. The creativity of the students was clearly displayed across three class rooms that had been transformed to create the exhibitions.

Work shown ranged from finger paintings; photo shoots; all the way to projections. This will be the students worked that will be sent out to exam boards to give them a final grade. Nearly everything shown should take pride of place in a London art exhibition.

The inspiration of the pieces were given by themes, such as ‘mood’ and ‘changing beauty’ of which the pieces of photos were created. However this wasn’t all created in a classroom. Some work was taken in the school’s photography studio, of which I myself have been in to be a model and it’s a very enjoyable experience as the students I worked with were professional with everything they did.

The art was shown all over the classroom walls on canvas and taking up entire walls. From pictures of cats to waterfalls and portraits the talent shown was remarkable, making the evening a success. All they needed was the examiners to visit and see people’s reaction to the work to give out amazing marks they deserve.

Each piece of work came with a project book explaining the process of completing the project. Although some were hard to read as the pages were completely full, they represented the creative minds overflowing.

The school should hold more evenings like this and advisable to other school’s in order to display the student’s work of which they should be proud of!

You can watch a video of the event here, featuring a vast amount of the work: 

By Alice Stansfield.

Alice Stansfield your friendly neighbourhood blogger!  http://www.youtube.com/user/HisLittleEmo

Feel free to Tweet me if you have any questions or feedback  @hislittleemoo

Everyday I’m Tumblrin  http://wonderlandreject.tumblr.com/

Area: South East

THE USCARS

Creative and Art News

With stars in their eyes, students from Uckfield and Beacon, in East Sussex, met at Uckfield Picture House for an award ceremony of their film studies and media studies project finished exam pieces.

This award ceremony has taken place every year for the past six years with an afternoon of watching the student’s work, whether it be music videos or trailers, and then giving out awards in categories for hard work successfully achieved.

Every college should celebrate the students work in such style like this event!

Speeches from students were short and sweet, but overall the evening was enjoyable as always.

Explaining the event (and an award I received):

This also mentions a new YouTube mini series coming soon!

Below is a picture of the winners with their smiles and prizes.

By Alice Stansfield.

Alice Stansfield your friendly neighbourhood blogger!  http://www.youtube.com/user/HisLittleEmo

Feel free to Tweet me if you have any questions or feedback  @hislittleemoo

Everyday I’m Tumblrin  http://wonderlandreject.tumblr.com/

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Writers Revolution – Worldwide Feature Film Screenplay Competition – Closing 30th September 2012

Creative / Artist Wanted, Creative Opportunities

Writers Revolution is a feature film screenplay competition that provides the opportunity for talented writers to advance in their career.

The winner of Writers Revolution will receive a four day trip to LA, where they will meet with top producers and agents with $3000 spending money, a year’s representation with top US management company Zero Gravity Management, three mentoring sessions with the Gersh Agency and Untitled Management in Los Angeles and an 18 month screenplay option with Intandem Films and Writers Avenue Films.

There will be a further four runner-up prizes of three months representation with Zero Gravity Management and a 12 month screenplay option with Intandem Films and Writer’s Avenue Films.

The competition is open to entrants from all over the world, as long as their entry is submitted in English. All screenplays will be considered by Intandem Films and Writer’s Avenue Films, with a selection of the top 50 then entering the final stages where a short list of five screenplays will be considered by the judges.

Entry Fees

  • Early entry fee: £35 (from 7th June to 15th June)
  • Regular entry fee: £45 (from 16th June to 16th September)
  • Late entry fee: £55 (from 17th September to 30th September)

For more details visit www.writersrevolution.org

Competition! Win Free Tickets To: Prima Homemade – Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts Show – 6th to 9th September 2012 – Bluewater – Kent

Creative and Art Events

Have you always wanted to take up a creative craft but never known where to start? Then come along and embrace the homemade trend that is sweeping the nation at the fantastic Prima Homemade – The Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts Show at Glow, Bluewater from the 6-9 September. The organisers of the UK’s most popular craft show have teamed up with Prima to give visitors a truly memorable day out with over 200 exhibitors offering the very latest products, ideas and innovations in the world of creative craft.

The show will feature a brand new display of stunning Masquerade Ball costumes that will showcase the glitz and glamour of the silver screen. With gowns originally worn by some of Hollywood’s finest leading ladies including Drew Barrymore, Uma Thurman, Sienna Miller, Minnie Driver and Catherine Zeta Jones, each costume depicts the exquisite detail and craftsmanship that has gone into its design. The display will include Drew Barrymore’s stunning shimmery fairy winged outfit from the Cinderella tale ‘Ever After’, Sienna Miller’s corseted dress from the romantic film ‘Casanova’ set in 18th century Venice and many more beautiful examples of extravagant big screen fashion throughout the ages.

Pop along to the brand new Prima Live area where you will be able to meet the Prima Craft Team and pick up top tips and advice from the experts. There will be a host of exciting features to discover including fantastic Live Demonstrations from interiors expert Selina Lake. Selina will be demonstrating her ‘Homespun Styling’ throughout the show and sharing her interiors trend predictions for the season ahead including her irresistible Cath Kidston-inspired creations. If you want your home to reflect your personality, style and passion for crafting and be full of homemade pieces and one off treasures, this is the demonstration for you!

Do you have a passion for fashion? Then don’t miss the fabulous Dressmaking Workshops hosted by expert Janet Palmer. Janet will be offering people the skills and knowledge to embrace make do and mend, showing you how to spruce up and stylise your wardrobe using only a needle and thread! As well as this, Catherine Woram’sKids Workshops will offer a chance for children to get involved in crafting and get hands-on to create their very own masterpieces to take home!

Brand new to the show, The Market Place will showcase some of the finest handmade jewellery, crafts and gifts from talented designers and makers from across the UK. Browse through the gorgeous selection of finished crafts and discover unique and charming pieces that any friend or family member would love!

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

All winners have been notified.

FACT FILE

Prima Homemade – The Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts Show

Glow, Bluewater, Kent

6 – 9 September 2012

Open 10.00 – 16.30 (Saturday 09.30 – 17.00)

Tickets:

Adults £8.00 on door (£6.00 advanced price when ordered by 5pm Mon 3rd September)

Seniors £7.00 at door (£5.00 advanced price when ordered by 5pm Mon 3rd September)

Children under 16 free if accompanied by an adult (otherwise £3)

Buy tickets on-line at www.ichf.co.uk or Phone Ticket Hotline: 01425 277988

*COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS

    • Closing date is 12th August 2012
    • One entry per person.
    • There are 5 pairs of tickets on offer, a total of 10 tickets.
    • Employees (and immediate family members) of any company involved in the Competition or, if relevant, any advertising agency connected with the competition are not eligible to enter the Competition.
    • In the event that any entrant is disqualified from the Competition, in our sole discretion we may decide whether a replacement contestant should be selected. In this event, any further entrant will be selected on the same criteria as the original entrant and will be subject to these Terms.
    • You must not sell the tickets. If you are unable to attend the tickets may be passed on to another creative or returned to Creatabot so another winner can be selected.
    • Competition entries must be made in the manner and by the closing date specified on the Competition Notice. Failure to do so will disqualify the entry.
    • We reserve the right to disqualify any entrant if we have reasonable grounds to believe the entrant has significantly breached any of these terms and conditions.
Area : South East       London