Looking back at the week in Manchester
We would like thank all who made Showcase 2011 and the Creative Case Symposium such an inspiring and constructive event – the best yet! The thrilling performances and challenging discussions will soon be uploaded for Showcase Online. We will also share news of the collaborations, tours and new ventures that have been developed.
In the meantime here’s a media round-up of the week in Manchester:
Creative Case Symposium video - follow this link to watch interviews and keynote speeches
The Creative Case for Diversity - read articles, case studies and keynote speeches on this purpose built mini-site
Disability Arts Online – the team from DAO were in Manchester all week to cover the Creative Case and decibel Performing Arts Showcase. Follow this link to read extensive reviews, interviews and discussion summaries
The Stage – decibel Performing Arts Showcase review – reviews of performances by Pen-ultimate, Brian Lobel, Crying in the Wilderness Productions, Sunday Driver, Shock and Awe Tours and Performance Anxiety
Telegraph.co.uk - Culture - Hassan Mahamdallie states the Creative Case for Diversity
Arts Professional - Observations - Tony Panayiotou, Head of Diversity, sets out Arts Council England's vision for a diverse future of the arts
The Stage - Up the Volume - Jo Caird interviews Nike Jonah, decibel Performing Arts Showcase Project Manager, Sara Cocker of The Eggs Collective, Gareth Lloyd Roberts of Wales Millenium Centre, Hetain Patel and Bill Bragin of Lincoln Centre, NYC
Arts Hub - Nike Jonah, decibel Performing Arts Showcase Project Manager, and Magdalena Moreno CEO of Kultour, Australia, discuss embracing diversity in arts policy
The Stage - ACE launches revamped diversity strategy - read the news story
International Arts Manager - Diversity at heart of ACE planning - read the news story (subscribers only)
Speak to Strangers - read all of Gemma Seltzer’s wonderful 100-word Speak to Strangers stories written in Manchester during the week at Showcase
What people are saying about decibel…
Registration for the 5th decibel Performing Arts Showcase closes this Sunday, 4 September.
decibel is a chance to witness a snapshot of the vibrant and innovative hotbed of diverse talent that make the UK’s performing arts scene famous worldwide. But don’t just take our word for it, here’s why other people see Showcase as an unmissable event in their calendar:
“decibel delivered something unexpected: a genuinely intriguing and eclectic performing arts showcase with work attracting healthy international interest.”
Jon Pratty, Guardian.co.uk
“Showcase should be on the schedules of every festival producer wanting to engage with a broader range of artistic voices from the UK. It is a market place not only for talent but also for ideas, networks and potential future collaborations.”
Ismail Mahomed, Festival Director, National Arts Festival, South Africa
“I can't recommend this showcase more highly. It's been one of the pivotal points in my professional development. Brilliant for networking, witnessing some fabulous talent and checking out new work.”
Julie McNamara, artist
“decibel gave me a great opportunity to discover a broad variety of diverse British art, especially work coming from artists with disabilities. Being there expanded my thinking about how to include the work of artists with disabilities in our programming more generally.”
Bill Bragin, Director of Public Programming, Lincoln Centre, USA
“decibel is a rare chance to experience the creative diversity that the UK offers in one city. As the Artistic director of a producing and presenting venue it is a key festival to find exciting new shows and artistic collaborations.”
Baba Israel, Artistic Director, Contact Theatre
“I attended the last showcase to write reviews and realised it was the only place I would want to pitch new work at. It's a gem of an opportunity for artists and programmers.”
Sarah Pickthall, artist
decibel at British Council Edinburgh Showcase
Published 17 August 2011
Image: TEN by Hetain Patel
Photo: Ralph Barklam
As decibel’s Nike Jonah prepares to make a presentation to 230 international delegates at the British Council’s Edinburgh Showcase (22-27 August), we take a look at the close links that have developed between decibel and the British Council.
British Council at decibel Performing Arts Showcase 2009
The British Council actively promotes diverse work throughout its practice. Carole McFadden is a Drama and Dance Project Manager and Arts Group lead for the Unlimited International strand of the Cultural Olympiad Unlimited programme. She attended Showcase for the first time in 2009.
'It was well run and delegates were very well looked after. Seeing all the same shows at the same time was a bonus as it aided networking and allowed people to have meaningful and immediate conversations about the work in between shows. It made for a very friendly atmosphere – like one big festival family', she said.
'Showcase allowed me to update my knowledge on artists working in the diverse sector as well as meeting support organisations at the Market place - some not previously known to me', McFadden continued. 'It opens up all sorts of interesting discussions and possibilities which you can build into your programme and long term planning.'
decibel artists tour internationally with British Council
At Showcase McFadden was introduced to the work of Lisa Hammond and Rachael Spence, Sonia Sabri Company, Hetain Patel, Stacy Makishi and Company Chameleon.
She has since contracted Lisa Hammond and Rachael Spence’s No Idea for a tour to Syrian and Egypt in December 2009. According to McFadden, 'No Idea worked very well in Syria, where it has created an interest in the disability arts sector'. British Council Syria is now sending an international delegation to this year’s decibel as a result, to continue these discussions and connections.
Sonia Sabri Company’s Kathakbox toured to Jordan in May 2011. McFadden saw the work in progress in decibel and was happy to support it when Sabria solicited an invitation from a dance festival in Amman. Kathakbox was warmly received. The audience was curious about Sonia’s cultural background as a British artist and the work itself was different for such a conservative audience.
British Council Edinburgh Showcase 2011
Having met production partners Dance4 at Showcase 2009, Hetain Patel is now one of the featured artists in the 2011 Edinburgh Showcase. 'We feel that the theme of his work is very interesting and will have resonance in different cultural contexts,' said McFadden. Patel performs the fully realised production of TEN, his decibel 2009 work-in-progress, at Loft, Edinburgh, from 21–29 August.
decibel Project Manager Nike Jonah will be presenting a focus session on diversity and equality in Edinburgh, on Saturday 27 August.
Inspired by decibel Showcase online, this year British Council’s Showcase will also embrace the best of digital innovation in the UK, reaching a wider audience through a new website and an app for the iPhone app and iPad. Thanks to a new partnership with Arts Council England, a video trailer will be made for each of the 27 participating acts, providing them with a valuable tool with which to promote their work.
British Council at decibel Performing Arts Showcase 2011
For artists and companies interested in touring their work internationally with the British Council, McFadden’s colleague in Drama and Dance, Andrew Jones, will offer an overview of their working methods at the decibel Performing Arts Showcase in Manchester on Wednesday 14 September.
LINKS
Website for British Council Edinburgh Showcase, 22-27 August
More information about the British Council at decibel 2011
Watch videos of Sonia Sabri Company, Hetain Patel, Stacy Makishi and Company Chameleon at decibel Showcase online
Ten people you have to meet at Showcase
Published 17 August 2011
Photo: Nick Gurney
decibel isn’t just week of amazing performances – it’s a place to share ideas and best practice, to build partnerships and to foster collaboration. It’s a time to make new connections and to renew old ones.
Here, in no particular order, are ten people you need to meet at Showcase 2011. We could have chosen many more…
- Wang Chong, Beijing International Fringe Festival, China
Where: International Connections delegate
Wang Chong is Program Director of Beijing International Fringe Festival, theatre producer and award-winning director. His works, including China mainland premieres of Crave, The Vagina Monologues, and Hamletmachine, have toured extensively in China, Hong Kong, the U.S., Canada, the UK and France. - Rawand Arqawi, Freedom Theatre, Jenin, Palestine
Where: Creative Case discussion - Art in a time of conflict
The Freedom Theatre - a theatre and cultural centre in Jenin Refugee Camp - is developing the only professional venue for theatre and multimedia in the north of the West Bank in Occupied Palestine. - Monique Martin, City Parks Foundation, NYC, USA
Where: International Connections delegate
Monique is Director of Family Programming at New York’s City Parks Foundation, producing over 1,200 music, dance, theatre and kids programs in 700 parks city-wide every summer.
- Magdalena Moreno, Kultour, Australia
Where: Market place
Since 2009, Chilean born Melbourne creative producer Magdalena Moreno has been the CEO for Kultour– a national network of arts organisations that aims to increase awareness of Australian multicultural arts through touring.
- Percy Yiptong, Cyper Produktion, Mauritius
Where: International Connections delegate
Cyper Produktion’s objective is to strengthen the links between the islands of the Indian Ocean region and to promote their music and culture on the international scene. It is active in producing concerts, audio and video recordings, artist management and international tours. - Jeetesh Kathawaroo, South Africa
Where: decibel Talk – Opposites Attract
Management consultant and comedian Jeetesh Kathawaroo will share key ideas that seemingly disparate domains can share and embrace. From branding and customer satisfaction to using creativity to foster innovation, the diverse areas of corporate and creativity can contribute greatly to each other. - Andrew Jones, British Council, UK
Where: International Touring and Networking session
Andrew Jones from the British Council’s Arts team will be on hand to outline ways that UK’s performing arts constituency can engage with their programmes and providing general information for UK artists with aspirations to tour internationally and/or broaden their international networks. - Ramesh Meyyappan, Scotland
Where: Market place
A Glasgow-based Singaporean, Ramesh Meyyappan is a multi-faceted theatre practitioner who creates performances using an eclectic mix of visual and physical theatre styles. Working in association with Iron-Oxide, Ramesh has been awarded two Unlimited commissions from the Cultural Olympiad, the first for Snails & Ketchup and the second for Skewered Snails. - Ralph Lister or Sian Kerry, National Rural Touring Forum, UK
Where: Netoworking sessions
The National Rural Touring Forum is the organisation that represents a number of mainly rural touring schemes and rural arts development agencies across England and Wales. Our touring scheme members work with local communities to promote high quality arts events and experiences in local venues. - Idrissa Camara, Ballet Nimba
Where: Market place
The young founder of Ballet Nimba, an Arts Council of Wales funded dance-theatre company, working to introduce African Ballet to UK audiences. This tradition was born in The Republic of Guinea to tell the mythologies and history of the region using artistic choreography and made famous by Les Ballets Africains du Guinee.
LINKS
Read more about complementary activity and networking at Showcase
Read more about International Connections
Read more about Market place
Arts Council England to launch The Creative Case – a new approach to diversity
Published 25 July 2011
Arts Council England will launch the Creative Case - a new approach to diversity, during a day-long public symposium in Manchester on Monday 12 September.
The Creative Case is the Arts Council’s new approach to diversity and equality, setting out how diversity and equality can enrich the arts for artists, audiences and our wider society.
Development of The Creative Case approach has been informed by a Third Text report entitled Beyond Cultural Diversity – the Creative Case, commissioned in 2010 by the Arts Council. Alongside the 2010 Equality Act, The Creative Case will form an integral part of Achieving great art for everyone – the ten year vision for the arts.
Keynote speakers at the Creative Case Symposium include Alan Davey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, Sue Caro, Head of Diversity at the BBC, Alistair Spalding, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Sadler’s Wells, and Deborah Shaw, Associate Director, Royal Shakespeare Company. Discussion sessions will examine historical examples of how diversity has led to cultural innovation and look at contemporary models of best practice in equality. All those with an interest in the subject are invited to attend and to take part in the discussion.
The free event includes seminars that will outline an inclusive definition of diversity and provide practical advice on how to encourage excellence and resilience through equality practice. The information will be tailored for a wide range of arts organisations from international touring companies and national venues to creative businesses and community projects.
The day will end with the world premiere of FIREBIRD, a new commission from leading UK jazz organisation Tomorrow’s Warriors. Performed by The Nu Civilisation Orchestra, FIREBIRD explores the musical dialogue between the Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky and African American jazz musicians such as Charlie Parker, who influenced each other’s work in Harlem, New York.
Alan Davey, Chief Executive of Arts Council England said:
“The Creative Case Symposium is an unmissable opportunity for all arts organisations to reflect on the contribution diversity and equality make to their own development. It will give artists and arts organisations an invaluable insight into our vision for the next ten years.”
Tony Panayiotou, Head of Diversity at Arts Council England said:
“Arts Council England believes that the contribution of diverse artists to British cultural life is, and has always been, vital to a flourishing, vibrant and resilient arts ecology. Diversity has the unique ability to refresh, to replenish and to stimulate the arts by encouraging new work that challenges, innovates and takes risks. It is not possible to talk about a modern and relevant arts sector without talking about diversity and equality.”
The Symposium will be followed by the Arts Council’s flagship diversity focused event, the biennial decibel Performing Arts Showcase, also in Manchester, from 13-16 September. Showcase embodies and illustrates the Creative Case in practice and over the years has proved that diverse artists are at the forefront of artist innovation, risk taking and the harnessing of new technologies.
The Creative Case Symposium
Monday 12 September 2011
Symposium: 10.30am – 4.30pm
Tomorrow’s Warriors performance: 5.30pm – 7.00pm
Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
Click here to register your FREE place for The Creative Case Symposium
Click here to order a copy of Beyond Cultural Diversity – the Creative Case
