What people are saying about decibel...
Published 25 August 2011
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 18 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 18 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
