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
Jo Bannon completes residency at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Published 11 May 2010
After presenting a pitch for 'Claim to Fame' at the decibel Performing Arts Showcase 2009, Jo Bannon was invited to become artist-in-residence at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff in April 2010. She has since been invited to perform Claim to Fame at The Junction in Cambridge as part of the Live Art Weekender.
Here Jo explains how these opportunities arose:
“'Claim to Fame' was already quite developed as an idea and had been shown and tested at other venues by the time I reached decibel. For this reason I was very clear on the kind of support or partnerships I was looking for from interested producers and programmers. As the piece is durational and for one audience member at a time it was useful to present and talk about the work in a pitch session as it ensured a large number of people could hear about the work, if not directly participate in it.
“Although each work is clearly labeled according to form (ie. theatre, dance, live art), the exciting thing about showing your work in this context is that it is viewed by a real mix of programmers from various art forms and venues. I think this is useful as then these arbitrary categories start to dissolve and an idea or work is judged on its own merits. This allows for more cross disciplinarily work from artists, which can only be a good thing!
“Alongside meeting a broad range of new artists, producers and programmers there have been some really positive direct outcomes from taking part in decibel. Perhaps the most significant was a month long period of support, development and exhibition of the project at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. Throughout April 2010 Claim to Fame was installed at WMC alongside a month-long exhibition of images. Each weekend visitors had the opportunity to take part in the live encounter, where I was able to collect more people’s Claims to Fame.
“I also recieved several enquiries about booking the work and I last showed Claim to Fame at The Junction in Cambridge as part of its Live Art Weekender - Sampled on the 1 and 2 May 2010”
Watch Jo’s pitch for 'Claim to Fame' here
Read the Disability Arts Now review here
The Fish Police invited to play Lincoln Centre, NYC
Published 11 May 2010
The Fish Police captured the hearts of the decibel audience at Contact Theatre with their infectious pop songs and playful lyrics. Now their performance has led to invites to play on the Paradise stage at the Paradise Gardens festival in Victoria Park, Hackney on Saturday 19 June, and at the Lincoln Center in New York, USA in November.
Mark Williams, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Heart n Soul, explains how this came about:
“decibel Performing Arts Showcase was a fantastic opportunity for The Fish Police to get wider exposure and to be seen by people outside of the learning disability arts arena. Our aim was to be seen by a wider range of programmers and gain international exposure, which we achieved. It really raised The Fish Police’s profile and the profile of Heart n Soul who produce and support their work.
Charles Stuart, keyboard player, bassist, singer, and lyricist from The Fish Police, describes their decibel experience:
“The feedback was fantastic. We get the feeling that people really enjoyed and connected with the show and with us. It’s great to know that could happen.
“Our experience was very positive all round. From the very first meeting, to getting onstage and doing the show, we found everything to be as smooth as it could be and everyone to be very helpful and very efficient. It is something we would love to do again. Also the huge variety of performers doing different kinds of things was quite overwhelming! It was just a very special occasion.”
