Monday 30 August 2010

write down at Green living fair

Write! Down are delighted to be invited by Castle Espie Wetland Centre to join the Green Living Fair.

On the 11th and 12th of September we will be hosting creative writing workshops inspired by migrating wildfowl and the environment of Castle Espie.

Join Paul Maddern 12-2pm each day in The Curator's House to produce your own piece of creative writing and help us kick-start a welcome to the wild geese - for our fifth anniversary year.

Paul Maddern was born in Bermuda and now lives in Co. Down. He was a winner in the 2009 Templar Poetry Pamphlet Competition, with Kelpdings. His first collection, The Beachcomber's Report, is also with Templar (November 2010). He's completing a PhD at the Seamus Heaney Centre (QUB), establishing an online archive of public poetry readings.

Contact Castle Espie at 028 9187 4146 or info.castleespie@wwt.org.uk

Sara Greavu at GT on Thursday looking brilliant.

Carnival Mashups

Sara Greavu

Project Space

2nd - 21st September 2010

6pm - 8pm

About the Exhibition

This new set of video and photographic works by Sara Greavu considers

the Halloween carnival in Derry as a crack in the foundation of everyday

society. Through this fissure erupt alternative histories, temporalities and

narratives. The costumed chaos of the masquerade reveals as much as

it conceals, providing a distorted lens through which to view the complex

fears, desires, loyalties and longings of a 'post-conflict' society.

About the Artist



Sara Greavu is an artist and curator who lives and works in Derry.



She received her MFA from the University of Ulster in 2006 and is currently

completing a practice-based PhD at U.U. entitled Unmasking the Halloween

Carnival in Derry: Identity, Temporality, Politics and Polyvocality. She uses video, photography, sound and sculpture in her practice.



She is a founding member of Void gallery (Derry) and former chair of the board

of directors. She is also a member of Void's curating committee. Recent curatorial

credits include Jeremy Deller's Local Artist.



Sara Greavu will be at the London Art Fair in January 2011.







Admission is Free. We are fully accessible for wheelchair users and have an audio

T-Loop available.



84 – 94 Great Patrick Street,

Belfast,

BT12LU

02890330920

Friday 27 August 2010

OBG performance

Date – Saturday 28th August 2pm – 5pm

Performance by Anne Quail ‘Volve’

The show will commence at 2pm throughout the day, but you can turn up at any time during the performance.



Anne is a multi – disciplinary artist utilizing performance, lens-based media and drawing. Her work focuses on the gap/crossover space between art and life, taking everyday actions and objects and transforms their associations from familiar norms to strange out of context behavior. Her interventions on the usual create a space for intimate investigation of the overlooked trivial things that infuses our lives. Anne is a MA graduate of Fine art at the University of Ulster and a current member of Platform Arts Studio. Anne is also a member of Bbeyond and previously performed at events such as East West via Belfast and Fix 09



Date – Wednesday 1st September 2pm

Artist Talk - Niamh McDonnell



Niamh is a researcher of digital media investigating the aesthetics and epistemology of practices around computer based technologies. McDonnell’s talk will be focusing on the interdisciplinary background of undergraduate education in fine art and her experience with multi-media arts practice, combined with her academic knowledge of cultural studies and philosophy. Niamh is currently the associate researcher with the Centre for Applied Virtuality at the University of Technology in Zurich for details of her work see www.on-off-states.co.uk

Hannas house tonight

Opening at the art college tonight 7pm by Roisin McDonagh of the Art college of
of Hannas House Summer school Art and poetry exhibition...................i've got 4 pieces in the exhibition.All with a feminist perspective.................oh it's the F word.FEMINISM. really looking forward to the weekend.
still room available www.hannashouse.net.

Invisable objects exhibition and great art hunt

The Invisible Objects Exhibition

Saturday the 28th of August 2010

12 noon – 3pm



Sophie Davis, Dónall Hegarty, Daisey Burke, Adam Fisher, Johnny Synnott, Eva Kilpatrick, Alexander Burns,

Harry O'Gorman, Conn Thornton, Orlaith Hughes and Leander Mutschler



The Invisible Objects Exhibition is an exciting new show of sculptures, drawings, stories and animations made during this year’s super cool summer school at the Golden Thread Gallery. All the art in this exhibition has been made by young people, who love art and ideas!



Summer Schoolers have explored art with artists Sara Greavu and Linda Monks with the help of artists Rhiannon Magowan and Claire Lundy. During the week long project each young person had the opportunity to try their hand at many different art forms, and worked towards their very own exhibition launch in the Golden Thread Gallery’s Project Space opening this Saturday the 28th of August 2010.



Summer Schoolers participated in group projects alongside the realisation of their own art work, coming up with all the smashing ideas and exciting new ways of making art. The young artists had a gallery tour and got to talk about their ideas with internationally acclaimed artist Locky Morris and had a visit from Niamh MacNamara, Broadcast Archivist with BBCNI Community Archive and the National Museums Northern Ireland.



We pride ourselves on offering a friendly, open space where everyone is welcome. For those who have never visited the Golden Thread before this is the perfect opportunity to get a flavour of what we do.



On Saturday there will be a small awards ceremony at 1pm, and the audience will have a chance to meet the young artist and ask them about their ideas.



Admission is Free. We are fully accessible for wheelchair users and have an audio T-Loop available.



Golden Thread Gallery



84 – 94 Great Patrick Street,

Belfast,

BT12LU

02890330920

For a map to our Gallery please visit our website www.goldenthreadgallery.co.uk

We are located next door to Beggs & Partners Plumbing Supply Shop just off Dunbar Link



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ALSO ON SATURDAY

On Saturday 28th August Belfast city centre is turning into the arts centre of the world!



By using a special gallery map and solving the clues, contestants must navigate their way across 10 Belfast galleries, and collect a password from each one.



The reward: having the chance to visit up to 10 of Belfast’s spectacular gallery spaces should be reward enough, but there are also tonnes of great prizes and a great secret gallery party that starts at 4pm.



The fun begins at 12.30 outside Belfast City Hall on August the 28th.

Comfortable footwear recommended.



Tickets:

There should be tickets still available on the day, these are priced at £6 for general admission, or £5 for a concessionary ticket.

*Early bird ticket offer: tickets purchased in advance are cheaper! £5 for general admission, and £4 for a concessionary ticket. These are available to purchase at the Belfast Welcome Centre, 47 Donegall Place, or online at https://kiosk.iristickets.co.uk/k?BWC&gbah&promo=gbah

Thursday 26 August 2010

Spending cuts on their way

Good afternoon

The Consumer Council is holding two open meetings in September to capture consumer views on the forthcoming spending cuts to public services here. This is an open meeting for consumers (so if you decide to come along, you would be participating as a consumer and not to represent a particular group or issue).

Please feel free to invite family, friends or groups that you work with. Please forward this email onto anyone you think would be interested in attending.

The Consumer Council will bring your views to the NI Executive Ministers as part of the budget development process.

Please find attached an invitation to:

Cookstown Burnavon Arts Centre on Thursday 9 September, 2010 from 10:00am to 1:00pm; and/or

Belfast Holiday Inn, Ormeau Avenue on Thursday 16 September, 2010 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

Thanks in advance for your support.

Tuesday 24 August 2010

are you part of the yeast or part of the crust?

What is going on in Northern Ireland? over and over life changes things happen and as changes unfold I cant help noticing that people fall into two catagories, yeast or crust? What exactly do I mean by that? well there are people in Northern Ireland that in my opinion act as a crust they keep people down, stop good people getting ahead use positions of power for their own ends and act like a crust over the creativity and talented people who are trying to make a difference. So they are the yeast these are the people who are trying to do things differently trying to move good people on into positions of influence ,trying to shift conciousness help other people do the same shifting along thinking. These are the people who have international level ideas and insights into how NI can change for the better bring people positively on with them giving good people opportubnities. BUt often the crust gets in the way.................trying to keep the ideas in the good people down the creative thoughts from turning into something...............all the while feathering their own nests.

If a little bit of yeast was helped to work better maybe we could all shift the crust?? ......every little helps.

Belfast Art Hunt

On Saturday 28th August Belfast city centre is turning into the arts centre of the world!


By using a special gallery map and solving the clues, contestants must navigate their way across 10 Belfast galleries, and collect a password from each one.


The reward: having the chance to visit up to 10 of Belfast’s spectacular gallery spaces should be reward enough, but there are also tonnes of great prizes and a great secret gallery party that starts at 4pm.


The fun begins at 12.30 outside Belfast City Hall on August the 28th.

Comfortable footwear recommended.


Tickets:

There should be tickets still available on the day, these are priced at £6 for general admission, or £5 for a concessionary ticket.

*Early bird ticket offer: tickets purchased in advance are cheaper! £5 for general admission, and £4 for a concessionary ticket. These are available to purchase at the Belfast Welcome Centre, 47 Donegall Place, or online at https://kiosk.iristickets.co.uk/k?BWC&gbah&promo=gbah


See you soon!


Join us on facebook here: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=135178409836305


Official website: www.belfastarthunt.co.uk


Contact: Stephen at stephen.doyle@belfastarthunt.co.uk

Monday 23 August 2010

Network for enterprising women

Network for Enterprising Women (NEW) present
“Inspiration & Motivation in Challenging Times”
Venue: Westville Hotel, Enniskillen
Date: Thursday, 30th September, 2010
Time: 10 - 2.30pm
How To Book: To register please contact Ciara Callan on 07736 518137 or email ciara@halo-marketing.com or register online at http://www.networkforenterprisingwomen.net/event_detail.php?uniqueID=88
Cost: £15 pp including 2 course lunch
Details: Harnessing the Power of Networking for Today’s Women in Business
Full Description:
What: We at NEW are very excited to be hosting this inspiring and motivating event for all business owners North and South of the Border. We have a fantastic line up of inspirational speakers, representation from Stormont and breakout workshops packed full of relevant and useful information to apply in your business. Then of course there is also the vital opportunity to Network and make new business contacts across both sides of the border.
Guests Include: Veronica Canning - Veronica is an international author, motivational speaker consultant, mentor, working with corporate and entrepreneurial women, helping women leaders to build careers and businesses and beat the recession. Veronica is the author of the book Shoeisms: Working Womans Guide to Take Control and Be the Sassy, Successful Woman You Know You Can Be
Aideen McGinley OBE, - Aideen is the current Permanent Secretary of the Department for Employment and Learning. In 2000 Aideen was awarded an OBE and in 2004 became an Honorary member of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects and a Women of Inspiration Award in 2007.

Breakouts: You will have an opportunity to attend 2 mini workshops. Choose from the following:

* Securing New Business & Growing Your Business in Challenging Times
* The Busy Woman’s Guide to Work / Life Balance
* Social Networking for Small Businesses
* Motivating Yourself Out of The Recession
Sponsors include: FPM Chartered Accountants and Derry Bros Shipping Ltd
Spaces are limited, please book early to avoid disappointment!

Friday 20 August 2010

Emerging V established

Emerging V's established artists at St Anne square tonight


Guess which is which.7pm
4-5 Saint Annes Square Belfast

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Thursday 19 August 2010

Alternative Belfast summer school

Anyone interested in seeing an alternative Belfast ? DEclan Hill and Mark Hackett are leading the week long event at the art college at the end of the week friday at 4 they will show an alternative scheme for a very badly designed urban nightmare that is planned in North Belfast as well as a lobbying plan to get it implemented. These guys are on the ball.If you have any input go along at 4 on Friday.

RUA change of location for drop in

The venue for delivering artwork to the RUA Annual Exhibition in Belfast on Sunday 22 August has changed from the Northern Bank to River House. This will also be the location of the RUA office from Tuesday 17 August.



While the main entrance to River House is on 48 High St, on Sun 22 August we will be using the back entrance on Waring Street only (10am – 4pm). To gain access you will need to go through the building carpark, the entrance to which is directly across the road from the Premier Inn Hotel and on the left of the RUA’s former office (or old War Memorial Building). We will have signage in place so you will know you are at the right location. There will be limited car parking available for the purpose of delivery only (see attached map).



When you enter the building you will see a service lift to your left which you will need to take to the 12th Floor to deliver your work. The door to the lift measures 203cm(h) x 90 cm(w). Internally the lift measures 210cm(h) x 138cm(w) x 216cm(d) and has a weight capacity of 1600kg. If your work is larger than the lift dimensions please call the RUA mobile on 07725316583 to make alternative arrangements.



To prevent long delays we would ask submitting artists to deliver their work during the following time slots (based on your surname) where at all possible:

A-D 10am – 11am

E-K 11am – 12.30pm

L-Q 12.30pm – 2.30pm

R-Z 2.30pm – 4pm



If you are in touch with other artists submitting to the RUA Annual exhibition (Belfast delivery venue) in the coming days I would appreciate if you could make sure they know the new arrangements.



Please note that during our relocation our landline will be out of order until after the 24 August. If you need to phone the office in the interim please call our mobile number which is 07725316583.



Finally – don’t forget to remove all hanging attachments form your work before delivery on hand-in day.

Wednesday 18 August 2010

free MTV tickets book online

Don`t miss your chance to be at the exclusive MTV Presents Mark Ronson and The Business Intl free gig at Belfast Waterfront on 19 September.

Grammy and Brit winner, Mark Ronson is one of the most sought after producers in the industry. Having sold in excess of over one million albums in the UK alone with Version, Ronson has worked with some of the world’s biggest artists including Amy Winehouse, Robbie Williams, Lily Allen and Christina Aguilera.

Mark Ronson and his new band, The Business Intl will be playing tunes from their new album Record Collection.
Free tickets
You can register for free tickets online at www.mtv.co.uk/belfast on Wednesday 18 August at 4p

salsa

Attention all salsa dancers!! La Rueda de Casino "... quite possibly the most fun you can have on a dance floor" (if you don't take it too seriously that is) Well, we at SalsaBelfast are trying hard not to take it too serious but at the same time we want to further the reach of 'La Rueda' among the dancing fraternity in our wee part of the world. For those of you who don't know ... its Salsa, cuban style, danced in a circle or wheel where you execute 'moves' or 'calls' synchronous with everyone else, changing partners often and its non-stop! Would you like to join us? ... we'd love to see you! Whether you are a complete Rueda virgin or have got the bug elsewhere and wanna learn more, be it beginner, improver or intermediate we would love to see you. All we ask is that you are a salsa dancer first, and are comfortable with rhythm and basic salsa steps/moves We meet every Wednesday evening in All Souls Church Hall (on Elmwood Rd (at the Lisburn Rd end), opposite Starbucks and just behind the church itself), there's plenty of parking round the back too so its convenient. Beginners and Improvers are at 6.30-7.30 (approx) Intermediate is at 7.30 till about 9 (when Richards' west coast swing class takes over) Cost £5 per class

Monday 16 August 2010

Guy Langevin Artist talk

Guy Langevin Artist in Residence at BPW until this weekend has been working on a new edition of mezzotint prints. Guy based in Canada has taught, exhibited and been published all around the word with his expertise in Mezzotint and lithography. Previous Co-directeur artistique de la Biennale internationale d’estampe contemporaine de Trois-Rivières In the talk he will show some of his work talk of his experiences most recently in China.

This Thursday 19th 7-9pm

If you want to drop in and see him work this week you can up until Friday.

Free MTV tickets in Belfast going live on WEd

http://www.mtv.co.uk/events/mtv-presents-belfast/news/233834-mtv-presents-mark-ronson-and-the-business-intl

At Ormeau Baths gallery-Talks

28th August/ 2pm/ Performance by Anne Quail: “ volve ”

*Please note. This performance will last from 2pm until close at 5pm. You are invited to attend at any stage in the performance



10th September/8pm/ Film Premiere of ‘Endless Life’

OBG is delighted to show the premiere of feature length film ‘Endless Life’ which was scripted, shot and edited over Spring and Summer 2010 by Michael MacBroom



11th September/ 2pm/ Performance by Sinéad Bhreathnach-Cashell: ‘Who Moved my Cheese?’



11th September/ 8pm/ Arrivals Closing Event

Belfast based collective C-13 are an ensemble of sound artists, musicians, programmers, animators, architects, visual artists, photographers and film makers. Their collaborative practice challenges traditional media archetypes and explores the tensions between site, medium, artist and audience. Within the OBG, C-13 will deliver a site specific installation event responding to ‘Arrivals’.





Artist Talks at OBG

These talks in collaboration with Visual Artists Ireland offer an opportunity to hear from artists who have experience of exhibiting and pursuing opportunities internationally. The invited artists have been selected for; their innovative approaches to making work within a variety of media; their professional track records to date and their ability to articulate their interests and ideas as artists. This series promises to be inspiring and informative for recent graduates and public alike. www.visualartists.ie


18/8/2010: 2pm Aideen Barry

Aideen Barry is a Visual Artist, working in the mediums of performance, installation, film, sculpture, lens based media, musical composition, drawing and animation. Barry has shown work in Ireland and internationally and has recently showed in Futures at the Royal Hibernian Academy( IRL), a solo at The Butler Gallery in Kilkenny(IRL), and recently showed work at Delawab in Belfast. www.aideenbarry.com



1/9/2010/ 2pm: Niamh McDonnell

Niamh McDonnell is a researcher of digital media, investigating the aesthetics and epistemology of practices around computer based technologies. Her approach draws upon an interdisciplinary background, combining an undergraduate degree in fine art with experience in multi-media arts practice and more recently, an academic education in cultural studies and philosophy. A recent resident at the Digital Arts Studios, Belfast, she is associate researcher with the Centre for Applied Virtuality, at the University of Technology in Zurich. www.on-off-states.co.uk

Thursday 12 August 2010

Wars on women exhibition participation

The Wars on Women – Peace works
A feminist art exhibition
Hanna’s House Summer School at York Street art college


Opened by Rosin McDonough – CEO Arts Council Northern Ireland
7.00 pm Friday 27 August
College of Art, York Street, Belfast
Open on Saturday 28 August 10.00 am – 6.00pm
Open on Sunday 29 August 10.00 am – 2.00pm

Artists
Louise walsh
Ruth McCarthy
Bronagh Lawson
Rita Duffy
Mary Lodala
Jenny matthews
Nessa Finigan
Paula Allen
Barbara Camarada
Niamh Davis

Talk at Belfast Exposed

Talk at Belfast Exposed: Friday 13 August 2010, 2pm
Change Gaze to Change the World
Part of Daniel Jewesbury and Aisling O’ Beirn exhibition Belfast Exposed

Stalker talk about their model of practice and relate to themes of the exhibition.

Venue: Belfast Exposed, The Exchange Place, 23 Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2FF
Admission: Free
More info: Click here
Project blog: http://onedgebelfast.blogspot.com/

Aisling O' Beirn www.aislingobeirn.com

No soul for sale launches forum

Dear friends of No Soul For Sale,

We are happy to announce the launch of a new discussion forum hosted on the No Soul For Sale website, www.nosoulforsale.com. Our hope is that it serves as an ongoing platform for constructive dialogue on an array of topics concerning independent art initiatives.

To kick off this forum we have created a series of starter conversations such as "Defining independent", "Local and international platforms for independents", "Institutions and Markets", and "New independent models". As discussions evolve, new ones will be added to accommodate more specific interests and threads. The forum will be moderated by Howie Chen, co-founder of Dispatch and Juicing the Equilibrium (JEQU).

To access the forum, visit http://nosoulforsale.com/ and then select the "Join the discussion" tag located adjacent to the No Soul For Sale logo at the top of the page.

We are looking forward to continuing this conversation with you.

Best,

Wild strawberry gallery - Maria Graham

Maria Graham

Pastels still life and portraits

Maria originally from the Us is Based in co Down
a printmaker by profession she focuses on pastels for this exhbition.

exhibition until 31 August 2010 open
11-5 Mon to sat

Strawberry fair
Strangford
Co Down
Bt30 7LJ
Ph 02844881854

Belfast city blues at the end of the month

http://www.belfastcityblues.com/

Tuesday 10 August 2010

write down info

Programme of upcoming events:

9th September 2010

The Kitchen, the Bedroom and the Grave written by Write! Down’s Donal O’Hagan, will be presented by Accidental Theatre at Blick Shared Studios, Belfast. (contact : info@accidentaltheatre.co.uk for more details)

11th, 12th September 2010

To welcome the wild geese this year Write! Down are joining Castle Espie’s Green Living Fair to offer writing workshops facilitated by Paul Maddern. More details to follow. Contact 028 91874146 for Castle Espie.

26th September 2010

Poems on a Sunday Afternoon – an opportunity for those who attended the workshops at Castle Espie to read their work and an invite to everyone to join us to share a favourite poem, song or piece of prose or read something you have written yourself – venue and featured group to be confirmed.

Last weekend in September 2010

Castle Espie have invited Write! Down to their annual event ‘Burning the Goose’ – readings from Matt Kirkham, Olive Broderick, Vi Whitehead and Donal O’Hagan. More details to follow.

9th October 2010

To celebrate the fifth year of Write! Down we are organising Welcoming the Wild Geese – join us for music by The Lowly Knights and poetry by local writers at Old Court, Strangford.

5th December 2010

Poems on a Sunday Afternoon at Rathdune House, Downpatrick with an open fire and mulled wine - share your favourite poetry, prose and song.

5th February 2011

Write! Down’s fifth Wild Geese Festival extravaganza. Workshops and Gala Concert.







Contact Write! Down at writedown2005@yahoo.co.uk

Creating alternative spaces looks interesting

OBG would like to invite you to:



Creating Alternative Spaces

Thursday 12th August, 5pm

Free



An opportunity to hear about alternative approaches to exhibiting and curating in Belfast and beyond. This informal session will include short presentations by representatives from Brown & Bri (Belfast), Daniel Hancox (London), Shaun McDowell (Peckham, London) Delawab (Belfast), Good Hatchery (Offaly), Guest House (Cork), Joinery (Dublin), Shac Residence (Belfast) followed by a Q&A session and discussion.



To reserve a place at this event please reply to this email or contact the gallery on 02890 321 402

Golden thread on Friday

The Golden Thread Gallery invites you to attend the launch of this then between 6pm and 8pm on Friday 13th August 2010.



this then is an exhibition of works by Derry-based artist Locky Morris. The exhibition is a collaborative venture between the Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast and the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny that sets out to examine aspects of the underlying themes and formal motifs in Morris’s practice during a period spanning three decades.



The launch will also mark the publication of this then: a book comprising of two distinct sections. The first section has been developed in parallel to the curation of the exhibitions through a discursive process with the artist in an attempt to explore a set of dialogues within the works. The second section of the book features an insightful introduction by John M. Cunningham, curator at the Regional Cultural Centre, and a specially commissioned essay by Chris Clarke.



We hope that you will be able to join with us to celebrate the launch of a unique exhibition and book project at Northern Ireland’s leading international contemporary art gallery.



this then runs from the 13th of August until the 18th of September 2010



For more information: go to www.goldenthreadgallery.co.uk , email info@gtgallery.co.uk or telephone 028 90330920.

Open: Tuesday - Friday 10.30am - 5.30pm & Saturday 10.30am - 4pm.

Admission is free, and gallery tours are available for free.

The Golden Thread Gallery is accessible for wheelchair users and a T-loop is available.

challenge to budget

Fawcett launches legal challenge to government budget
The Fawcett Society has filed papers with the High Court seeking a Judicial Review of the government's recent emergency budget. (1)

Under equality laws, we believe the government should have assessed whether its budget proposals would increase or reduce inequality between women and men. Despite repeated requests, the Treasury have not provided any evidence that any such an assessment took place. (2)

Even a top line assessment of the budget measures show 72 per cent of cuts will be met from women's income as opposed to 28 per cent from men's. This is because many of the cuts are to the benefits that more women than men rely on, and the changes to the the tax system will benefit far more men than women.

Ceri Goddard, Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society, said:

"Successive governments have failed to give enough consideration to how their policies will impact on equality between men and women, but this budget shows a whole new level of disregard for the importance of equality law and everyday women's lives.

"The blatant unfairness and the sheer scale of the impact this budget could have on women have left us little choice but to resort to the courts for action.

"In times of economic crisis it becomes more not less important to consider women's basic rights, and observe the laws put there to safeguard them. We know action is needed to cut the deficit but such critical decisions - especially such eye-watering cuts to public spending - should not have been made without considering the impact on women.

"It's ironic that a budget that in many other ways was the most transparent for decades seems to have failed to consider and publish its impact on half the population. We are sure that many MPs would think twice about these measures had they realised the basic questions hadn't been looked at.

"Women already earn less, own less, and have less control over their finances than men. Yet some £5.8 billion of the £8 billion of cuts contained in the budget will be taken from women, who will also be worst affected by the coming cuts to public services - 65 per cent of public sector workers are women.

"We are calling on the government to look again at the budget, and to ensure that all government departments undertake a robust and transparent gender equality impact assessment of proposals being discussed in the current spending review before final decisions are made.

"If they believe women should bear a greater burden of cutting the deficit they should come out and say so."

The Fawcett Society's solicitor, Samantha Mangwana, of Russell Jones & Walker solicitors, said:

"Although public authorities have been subject to the gender equality duty for several years now, there is widespread ignorance not only about how strong these laws actually are, but also what specific steps are required to be undertaken. However, the case law is crystal clear in spelling this out. Firstly, an equality impact assessment must be conducted before policy decisions are taken.

"Secondly, where an assessment reveals a risk of discrimination, urgent action must be taken to address those risks. Clearly, if the equality impact is not even assessed as a starting point, a public authority cannot start to consider what steps to take to mitigate any inequality."


(1) A permission hearing will be held to determine whether the judicial review is granted. No date has yet been set.

(2) In not assessing the way in which the budget will impact differently on women and men, we believe the Treasury has not met the requirements of the Gender Equality Duty, under sections 76A and 76B of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

Support our campaign? Want to help? Join! check faucett website

Monday 9 August 2010

why free labour is costing too much

Why free labour is costing too much
Sonya Dyer sets out why the culture of working for free means many talented people miss out.

"Within the visual arts sector – as with many other sectors of the economy – free labour is rife. Those at the beginning of their careers are particularly vulnerable.

"Of course, many in the sector (dominated by middle class people whose parents can help them support themselves) do not experience this as a barrier. However, what it does create is an artificial filter, with the people who cannot rely on family or other support left to fall by the wayside."

Financial barriers to opportunity

The Arts Council's mission is great art for everyone."How can a sector open itself up to people from 'non-traditional backgrounds' (the euphemism used to describe non-white and/or non-middle class people) when they are expected to work for free in order to get their foot in the door?

"I would argue that it is no longer acceptable for organisations and funding bodies that claim to value 'equality of opportunity' and 'diversity' to not back – in principle and in practice – paid internships as a right and as an expectation.

"In order to support the principle of equality, we need to remove the financial barriers to opportunity and the perpetuation of privilege for the few. It is encouraging that a number of practitioners and organisations are actively involved in challenging this injustice.

"I recently took part in a roundtable discussion on internships at the Mayor of London's office, with people from leading galleries, museums and educational institutions. I left encouraged by the quality of the conversation, the way in which the principle of paid internships was generally accepted as a good and necessary thing and the desire to get to grips with the practicalities of such a proposal."

Ways into the creative sector
"
Young people need pathways into the creative sector.I find it useful to consider what information I would have access to if I were starting out again now. I grew up in a notorious housing estate in Hackney and went to a comprehensive school. At art school, I knew nothing about and no one in this sector. I was also one of a handful of teenagers – everyone else was older and more experienced.

"I recently worked with a group of arts organisations in the borough who were keen to develop a paid internship scheme. I called the Jobcentre and asked who I should speak to about internships. The person on the end of the line did not know what an internship was, even when I explained it to him.

"I've also spoken to numerous people working with innercity youth and I often hear the same complaint. These young people are not being told a positive 'story' about the sector. They don't know it could be for them, as teachers aren't telling them. They aren't aware of pathways into the sector and the possibilities for the future.

"I sincerely hope that through Creative Partnerships and other projects in schools (and outside schools), the Creative Apprenticeship scheme and University Widening Participation programmes, an increasing number of young people from 'non-traditional' backgrounds are being made more aware of the possibilities open to them.

"But imagine if I were someone else, vaguely aware that there may be possibilities for myself, or my teenaged child. I call the Jobcentre and the person in the position to interface with me doesn't even know what an internship is."

Ideas to open up the creative industries
"
Mystery Train education project engages with young people.It strikes me that any effort to open up the sector must also extend outside the sector. It's why I'm encouraged by projects like the British Museum's Young Graduates in Museums and Galleries programme going out there and engaging with young people.

"I would like to see more of this, more interaction with parents, schools, and colleges. We know that young people from minority backgrounds are more likely to go into further education than those from the white majority – they are just less likely to go into the arts.[1]

"Of course the arts are a hard sell – the pay is lousy. But if a person loves it, if it excites them, then surely the sector should actively remove barriers to participation? How could it work? I'd like to propose a few broad-brush ideas (this is not definitive by any means, just a place to start):

I would like to see Arts Council England encouraging all their Regularly Funded Organisations (RFOs) to pay at least some of their interns for their labour. Of course, organisations worry about funding – who will pay for this?
I would propose a fund – financially supported by Arts Council England, as part of their diversity/equality agenda – that RFO's and non-RFO's could apply to in order to support the costs of the paid internships. Other funders – from the public or private sector – could get involved as well. If we think about how much money has been pumped into diversity schemes over the years, surely there should be a way to fund this? What's to stop it from becoming a grant condition for RFO's?
Places on paid internships should be open to application, and awarded through a competitive process. There is a legal requirement to obtain information on ethnicity, so this could be used to assess any such scheme and to see if there needs to be a particular focus at any given time.
As a matter of principle, the interns should be paid at least the minimum wage.
We need to protect interns. Organisations should be obliged to create a plan for their internships, demonstrating what interns will learn through the programme.
Private organisations would need to be considered as well – should they be eligible to apply for any such grant?
"How would the Arts Council ensure accountability? These are issues that could be resolved. Paid internships could single-handedly positively affect more people than any other equality/diversity measure employed thus far.

"At the very least, it would mark a move away from privileging the well-off and penalising the disadvantaged. It would be a sign that this sector is truly serious about providing equality of opportunity for all."

[1] 'Participation of Black and minority ethnic students in Higher Education Art and Design (Literature Review ),' Rohini Malik Okon, Arts Council England, http://www.artscouncil.org.uk

Sonya Dyer is a London based artist, writer and arts consultant. She is the author of 'Boxed In: How Cultural Diversity Policies Constrict Black Artists.'

Sonya also curated 'Temporary Agency' at Chelsea Space Temporary Agency used artists projects as a means of exploring issues of value, free labour and social networks in the arts.


from creative choices wensite

Thursday 5 August 2010

going green...........Fucking chickens

Free range fucking chickens, recycled paper,record prints,safe etching it's all there in the exhibition tonight at The Print Workshop. Opens 7 o'clock oh how different that space can look over and over.

...................

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Ps2 tomorrow

Opening: Thursday, 05 August 2010, 6-9pm
Inter alia- Michael Hanna, Ryan Moffett; video installation

This project by two of the residency artists currently at work in the digital arts studios, Belfast, is a work in progress: a slow destruction and rebuilding of an initial video installation with 24 monitors.
The opening of the project contains a selection of video works by Michael Hanna produced between 2008 and the present.
Over the course of inter alia, this work will be dismantled and reworked as the room becomes a combination of exhibition space and workshop as Ryan Moffett’s new project ‘The Tree House’ is realised. For the period of the project, the space will exist in a transitory state presenting elements from both artists’ work in various states of completion>
By the end, all that will remain will be Ryan Moffett's finished installation.

The Digital Arts Studios Residency scheme supports artists working with new media technology.

‘Inter alia’ continues till 21 August 2010; closing event: Friday 20 August 2010, 7- 9pm
24 hour window viewing


For more information see: http://digitalartsstudios.com/ to download the digital arts studios summer events see http://digitalartsstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/DAS_summer_events.pdf
To contact PS²: pssquared@btconnect.com or 07733457772

This project is funded by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
PS² is supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Please forward to interested parties

Everything we say and do can make a difference.

While many people are sceptical about environmental issues and think greed is more important than the wider impact their greed is having. Everything we say and do can make a difference. Current human activity on earth is unsustainable. Yet many people
live their lives oblivious to the wider impact their current human activity is having. Being an avid recycler down to having my own wormery to recycle kitchen waste I have recently been introduced to safe etching by BPW new technical manager Jessica Holywood using a less toxic etching solution rather than traditional acid based etching.

Even though I knew that it was more environmentally friendly I was reticent about using it as I knew it would take a while to understand the different results I was getting and how to use it in my creative pratice. Using Chine Colle I’ve recycled other prints that have used acid based etching. While there are other factors are involved you can see the different quality of line it produces.

The work itself follows on from a body of work I am working on while being artists in residence in City East on the peace line at the bottom of the Newtownards Road Short Strand interface. Having worked in this kind of environment for 14 years you become very aware of the lack of connection that many people have with their green spaces and the effect it has on their wellbeing. Being brought up in an area of outstanding natural beauty like Strangford Lough I was always amazed how peaceful and calm it could be during the sailing season in July while in many areas of Belfast rioting and violence was the norm. The challenge has been how to use visual triggers to comment on this phenomenon.

The etchings shown are from a varied edition called “ take me away from all this” produced in July 2010

showing at the BPW gallery green exhibition opening Thursday 5th 7pm until 31 Aug

late night art tomorrow

Dont forget its late night art Thursday................see you at the Belfast print Workshop gallery exhibition...............going green.

The C word

If you think that craft is a C word then go to the Naughton Gallery exhibition and have your thoughts dismissed. The Jerwood contemporary makers show is excellent. So good to see such high quality craft in one space. But is it Craft or is it art or , or ,or.

The show really fits the space and is beautifully placed to the bext view of all of the artworks on show. Initially its hard to pick out a piece over the rest as they are all at such a high standard and work so well together. But I suppose its a first time exhibition for me. First time , I've seen a one night stand depicted in glass.
The piece I never really knew her should be viewed by a number of people I see running around the catheral quarter of a weekend. It fairly made my eyes water.

There is a cartoon felt hat that I just wanted to wear, love in Berlin a beautiful small gold heart. Basket as a sculptural piece and really all the makers you can see are at the top of their game. How do they make a living ? who knows the arts council yesterday published a report that most artist earn £7500 a year and have no pension provision..........................so why do they/we all do it??

because there is no other feeling like it the feeling of creating of having free reigh over your creative self of geting into slow time and as the brilliant quote from Mae West says on the back of the craft Ni craft month newsletter. If somethings worth doing its worth doing slowly..............................

Look out for Claire Colcannon and her knitted piano coming soon to cornmarket. Just love those yarn bombers

Tuesday 3 August 2010

poor living conditions for artists.

Arts Council Study reveals poor living and working conditions of artists

03/08/2010



The average professional artist living in Northern Ireland earns just £7,500 a year from their work as an artist, despite having a higher level of formal education than the wider labour force.

New research published today by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, reveals how many artists are now working on the island, the level of state support provided to artists in other countries, and the challenges they face as they pursue their chosen professions.

In the most comprehensive study for a generation, the two arts councils have shed critical new light on what it means to be an artist, writer, painter, musician or performer in modern day Ireland, north and south.

‘The Living and Working Conditions of Artists in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland’ shows that artists are a highly educated group, with over two-thirds having attained a university degree. They are also hard working, putting in more than 55 hours per week on average and frequently holding down extra jobs to support their creative endeavours.

In stark contrast to their academic achievements and evident commitment, however, the overwhelming majority of artists still earn two-thirds of the average income for all Northern Ireland Workers*. Lack of provision for pensions also spells financial hardship ahead for the current generation of artists.

Commenting on the report into the conditions in which artists live and work, Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Roisin McDonough, said: “I think it’s important for people to begin to appreciate the extraordinary value for money that we get from our artists. Artists touch just about every facet of our lives, entertaining and informing us, as well as contributing to our nation’s education, health and social and economic regeneration.

“This new study highlights the remarkable dedication shown by the arts community. Financial reward is clearly not what motivates artists. Although most artists say they would, given the chance, do it all over again, theirs is a particularly committed career choice and mustn’t be devalued as a ‘labour of love’. Surely it’s not reasonable for people to continue to expect to receive so much from artists in return for so little?”

The findings of the report will influence how the arts councils continue to provide support and how they can improve conditions for artists on the island.

Nick Livingston, Director of Strategic Development at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, explained: “The report offers a valuable insight into the current conditions our artists face in their daily lives and unfortunately the overall picture is much bleaker and more alarming than we had feared.

“With fewer resources available, there can be no overnight solution, however we are committed to addressing the issues raised by local artists. These include, the need for more training and development opportunities, more useful information on how artists can make provision for a pension, and dealing with difficulties in achieving a good work/life balance.

“We have already taken first steps this week in translating the research findings into a direct policy response with the introduction of a new professional development programme. Over the course of the coming months will continue to look at how we can refocus and improve our programmes to meet the needs of Northern Ireland artists.”

The full report, as well as a summary of findings relating specifically to artists in Northern Ireland, are available to view by clicking on the links below.

interested in becoming a childminder?

Are you interested in becoming a self-employed childcare provider working from home, with flexible working hours whilst even caring for your own child/ren?

If the answer is YES, TWN have an event for you! In association with NICMA (Northern Ireland Child Minding Association) we are holding an information evening on 23 August 2010 @ 6.30pm in TWN. Sue Anderson from NICMA will discuss the process of becoming a home based childcare provider,from start to finish. This will be a fantastic opportunity for anyone interested in child minding from their own home to gain information from the organisation that works to ‘support and develop registered home-based childcare’.

If this is something that interests you and you would like to gain more information about it, please contact Julie on 90319888, or email Julie to register

Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.


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Event venue: Training for Women Network
This event is FREE and light refreshments will be provided


As places are limited, please contact Julie McCandless to confirm a place

Email: Julie McCandless Direct line: 028 9031 9888

Jerwood contemporary Makers more info

The 2010 Jerwood Contemporary Makers are:



Laura Ellen Bacon David Rhys Jones Laura Potter

Chien-Wei Chang Kirsty MacDougall Tomoaki Suzuki

David Clarke Nicola Malkin Ingrid Tait

Carl Clerkin Taslim Martin Marloes ten Bhomer

Julie Cooke Flora McLean Maud Traon

Robert Dawson Rowan Mersh Richard Wheater

Nora Fok Gareth Neal Conor Wilson

David Gates Karen Nicol Emma Woffenden

Joseph Harrington Heather Park Dawn Youll

Tony Hayward Lina Peterson



The exhibition, designed by Michael Marriot, will take visitors on a visual journey through the different approaches to the art of making, highlighting its importance as a visual arts discipline. Jerwood Contemporary Makers is the UK’s only award for the applied arts and is a major strand of the Jerwood Visual Arts programme.



Jerwood Contemporary Makers, was launched by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation in 2008 as a three-year exhibition series supporting and showcasing emerging creative talent. Each year, a different panel of selectors has curated the exhibition, inviting a group of makers to respond to a different guiding concept.



Also...

In conversation with Dawn Youll & David Gates

Tuesday 3rd August 6 – 7 pm

Canada Room, QUB

Reflecting on craft practice and the themes of the Slow Movement, writer Eleanor Flegg talks to craft practitioners - Dawn Youll and David Gates. Works by both David and Dawn are part of the Jerwood Contemporary Makers exhibition.



Jerwood Contemporary Makers is the UK’s only award for the applied arts and is a major strand of the Jerwood Visual Arts programme. Jerwood Contemporary Makers, was launched by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation in 2008 as a three-year exhibition series supporting and showcasing emerging creative talent. Each year, a different panel of selectors has curated the exhibition, inviting a group of makers to respond to a different guiding concept.

4 foreshore

Opening saturday 7th August 7-9.30pm

Bishops Mill abbacy Road Portaferry

weaving

painting
ceramics
carving

Cecilia Stephens
Sara Brown
Bronagh Wright
Owen Crawford

ph 02842728364 exhibition continues until 15th August. Well worth a trip down the ards way.

Late night art Belfast Thursday 7-9pm

check us out www.belfastgalleries.com I've been working on a new edition of safe etchings..........................for the green exhibition and i've mixed
safe etching/politics and Portaferry.....................what a combination. See them all on Thursday at the BPW gallery opening 7pm. Maybe see you there.

Jerwoord contemporary makers

@ Naughton gallery tonight 7-9pm
talk at 6

Dawn Youll and David Gates reflecting on Craft pratice and the thenes of the slow movement, writer Eleanor Flegg talks to two craft praticioners whos work features in the exhibition book on info @craftni.org

some really interesting names in National Craft at the exhibition including Gareth neal and Maud Traon.......its all part of August craft month.