Open Door and Lippfest

Dead as a Doorknob

It's in between life

NOT dead!

It's full of life.

Slowly growing.

It looked dead

But isn't dead.

It's only kidding.

Those trees have been

Growing for a while.

This lone one not growing

The same.

I'm gone, but I'm here.

This poem was produced by David, one of our participants on the Open Door Project and scribed by his support worker.  He wrote it in response to a painting of a wintry tree by Milan, which was painted under the project theme of 'the view from the window', after a session exploring metaphors for the self. 

Six weeks in to the project and everyone is immersed in what they are doing.  Yesterday's session began with some voice exercises, after which participants moved on to their own visual art and poetry projects, trying to be quiet so we didn't disturb Barney who was recording participants reading their poems in the downstairs office (these recordings will form part of the installation piece at Lippfest)!  The session culminated in a reading of some of the wonderful poetry that has been produced so far and when Clare read her poem to the group, the hush over the room was palpable - somewhat like listening to a female Dylan Thomas for the 21st Century!  Jill (Studio 3's resident artist and the other lead facilitator on the project) and I are delighted to see people dipping their toes into areas they haven't tried since school and finding new talents and passions.  

The spectrum of creativity we are witnessing each week is vast and it is fantastic to see the individual style of each artist/writer emerging through the work they do and the artistic choices they make.  For me, in addition to the quality of the work being produced, what is so important is that the people involved are finding their own artistic directions, their own 'view through the window'.  Whatever medium they are choosing, be it painting, pastels, felt making, writing and re-writing or simply voice exercises, there is no doubt in my mind that they are taking the right ones and they are approaching both the art and the poetry with a professionalism that is commendable.  

And what a lovely group!  

Becky Cherriman (Writer, Facilitator, Spoken Word Artist)

Moving Forward

This Open Door project is our first partnership with The Together Women Project - who work with women in the criminal justice system in Leeds. I did a taster workshop with them way back in spring, when we did some writing exercises and thought about what inspired us. It was clear that writing was of interest for the women there at that time - they had stories they needed to tell, but also a desire to move on. 

So here we are now, a windy, rainy autumn day with the Moving Forward project well underway. The focus is creative writing and animation, but our artist/writers Milena Dragic and Kath Jones have discovered the group is willing to experiment with all kinds of artforms and approaches to writing. Sketches, water colours, found texts and photographs are just some of the things I have seen on my visits to the group. What I have also seen is a growing confidence among the women, who on that first day in August, assured me they were "no artists", or "not much of a writer", and yet here we are just over the half way point and I see notebooks brimming with text and sheaves of drawings, and I hear bursts of laughter as we manoeuver plasticine spiders in front of the camera for the animations.  

I'm struck also by the email I received from one of the artists, Milena who, when I ask her to send me some thoughts about the project tells me "I'm no great writer..." Nevertheless she writes 

I've got eight two hours sessions to work with all these wonderful, talented, funny, women, brimming with ideas and creativity, to make together something new to us all and to transform our doubts, scars, loss and pain into strength and joy of creation, so that we can be proud of who we are and what we can do, not despite, but because of the lives we've lived.

I'm amazed how much work women do every week at home.

And the willingness to try new things,

and their openness with me, in more ways than one, a stranger, with a strange accent...

Need I say any more....?


Dianne

Artlink at LIPPfest Fringe Festival

We are proud to announce that Artlink will be hosting a workshop at the LIPPfest Fringe Festival at the Carriageworks Theatre on 24th September.  This will mark the culmination of a 10-week project, working with adult mental health service users, exploring creative writing, visual arts and set design all within the theme of 'new beginnings', tieing in well with our move back to our building and our re-launch.  I've included some info below about the festival, if you're free please do come along and say hello!  Hayley

LIPPfest

Tickets are now on sale for the first ever Leeds Independent Presses Poetry Festival (LIPPfest) due to take place in The Carriageworks, Leeds on the 24th September 2011.

 

It's a stellar line-up, featuring readings and workshops from 25 top-class poets from allover the UK and from a broad range of presses, including readers such as Fiona Sampson, Peter Sansom, Amanda Dalton, Kei Miller, Ian Parks, Helen Mort, Clare Shaw, Allison McVety, Pat Borthwick and Mike Barlow. There will also be a special reading by young poets as part of The Cadaverine Presents series and a not-to-be-missed showase to celebrate 25 whole years of Leeds' very own Peepal Tree Press presented by Peepal Tree Editor Jeremy Poynting. Lancaster Litfest will also be making an appearance with their wonderful Poetry Bookcase for an opportunity to browse and buy some of the finest poetry titles known to humankind.

 

For full details (and tickets) for all the readings and workshops on offer please click on this link or email us with any queries at voices@live.co.uk

 

We can't wait to see you there!

 

www.lippfest.co.uk

 

David Tait and David Thom (LIPPfest organisers)

Getting started

I've just been to visit Hayley in the attic. It has made me think about Artlink and all the changes through the past thirty odd years... All that blood sweat and tears that has gone into supporting and sustaining the work that we do for disadvantaged groups. It is quite awe inspiring when you look at it over time. 


I am so proud that we have finally achieved what no man(woman) has done before us, and finally got a fit for purpose building with a lift to all four floors! There were plans and discussions; many of them, from the looks of it, over the years. There are views of the garden as it was in 1990 when they revamped the front and back. We redid it in 2005 when it had become a jungle of bindweed in the back garden. 


When I first came to Artlink there was only Hayley and I. I remember walking into the building for my interview and thinking; 'something needs to be done about this building.' Then followed many years of hard work and sheer determination. Without the support of the many staff here over that time and particularly Hayley, this vision would not have come to fruition.


Firstly, there was the 'Options Appraisal'. For this we applied to Grants for the Arts (good old G4A who we will sadly have to say good-bye to after this year), and the appointment of a consultant. This was all brave new territory for me. We interviewed five and appointed Yvonne Deane who has been our stalwart ever since! This was 2004. After the SWOT  (not a fly killer) we ascertained with the board that although rather mad, the idea of keeping the building and trying to do something was a good one. A bit crazy and with some risks attached. Of course I had the bit between the teeth by then; 'community legacy', 'something for the future' and the dye was cast. Little did I know. The then Chair of the board did say something along the lines of it being a 'huge undertaking', but what you don't know.....


The next stage was applying for yet more funding to commission a feasibility study with a little more help from Grants for the Arts. Yet again we interviewed. This time it was five firms of architects. Groundworks LLP won it hands down with the charm and clarity of one of their lead architects Alison Davis. And so the story began.

Looking Back

I've just spent the last week holed up in Artlink's attic foraging through the vast amount of archive material thats accumulated over the last 30 odd years.  You would not believe how much there is even after our brilliant army of volunteers managed to slim it down prior to our temporary relocation in November last year - but still there's a lot to go through.  I've spent hours sifting through mountains of photographs and flicking through annual and project reports.  I think I'm probably about half way there now.  The purpose for my foraging is not merely for a trip down memory lane, but to produce an archive book covering Artlink's life from its initial set up as Shape Up North in 1979 through to where we are today.  This comes at a time when we're back in our sparkling new building and we're getting used to having a space which feels light, bright and airy.

Often at times like this as we're looking to the future, it also gives us a good opportunity to look back at the past to acknowledge where we've come from.  I'm currently working out that Artlink's origins are from Shape (which was initially established in London), Shape Up North was then established as part of a national network of organisations across the country and then finally Artlink West Yorkshire was created in 1981 (I think, but I'm still trying to work out the timeline!)  Throughout this time there have been many milestones with Artlink which must be remembered and celebrated; such as the original refurbishment, the ticket scheme and the creation of No Limits - then to become Full Body and The Voice.  For the rest you'll have to wait for the book to be finished.

This is a busy time for Artlink as we prepare for the Re-Launch Party in November.  This will celebrate our new building, new website and publicity material, exhibition of artworks throughout the whole building and of course the archive book.

I just want to leave you now with a photo I took this week on a glorious sunny day - knowing it all felt worth it, even though I am holed up in the attic!! Hayley

And now for blogging!

First we conquered Facebook and then we conquered Tweeting and now we're really going for it and have entered the world of blogging.  Through this we'll be keeping you right up to date with news at Artlink and our projects (aiming to make it an integral part of projects as they go along).  So shout it loud and proud that Artlink now has its own official blog, help us spread the word so we can keep connected with you all.  As always, we welcome your feedback and comments so please feel free to leave them - we look forward to blogging away!  Until next time, Hayley