Liverpool or Rome! tenantspin travelled to Rotterdam last week to plan for an event we are taking part in March 2008. We were met by Eugene and Arno from Rotterdams Wijktheater, a international community-based theatre festival which takes place in the Zuidplein Theatre in Rotterdam’s southside biannually. It has been a feature of the cultural landscape since Rotterdam itself was awarded capital of culture 2001.Arno and Eugene took us to meet their colleagues at the theatre and also at the local retirement home as well as taking us for some lovely meals and to an interesting perfomance by local young people.tenantspin are hoping to run a filmmaking stall in the cafe area of the theatre for the duration of the festival capturing staff, visitor and performers experiences of the event as well as involving participants in the process and doing a bit of editing on the spot.We are also running a discussion event in the retirement home based on our webcast model from home, engaging the residents with tenants and a panel of local people to discuss the Rotterdam of the past, present and future as well as having a game of question bingo and watching a few musical interludes from local talent.We had a great time meeting all of our colleagues from Rotterdam, visiting the Maritime Museum and enjoying the atmosphere in a city that is not dissimilar to Liverpool in its Mercantile history and Capital of Culture title – we can’t wait for March!Please check here for more information on the Rotterdams Wijktheater (although this is in Dutch!)

tenantspin were recently visited by journalist Torcuil Crichton from the Sunday Herald, who has written a lengthly piece about Liverpool.

Torcuil met with tenantspin’s Margo, John, Dolly, Kath, Mark, Steve and Jay… and you can read the finished article here.

Wednesday – 20th February, 2pm, The Box @ FACTtenantspin will be hosting an open debate in order to respond to some of the themes raised through the Sk-Interfaces exhibition.We will be exploring the variety of different ways advances in medical technology have allowed modern humans to intervene with the functions of their natural bodies and repair or replace everything from limbs to lips!What Science Fiction is about to become Science FACT?Have you any stories to share. Please come on down….

talking about Regeneration….

We will be in the audience for  a public seminar:

‘Regenerating Anfield’ featuring Udi Engelsman, Project Manager for Arena Housing and LFC veteran Phil Thompson.

The seminar takes place on Thursday February 21st at 4pm in the Budden Lecture Theatre, School of Architecture, University ofLiverpool.

The focus for this seminar will be the debate around the new stadium for Liverpool FC and the significance of such buildings for local communities as well as professional interest groups associated with football.

tenantspin have teamed up with local auctioneers Cato Crane to do a live webcast auction from The Box in FACT this Wednesday February 6th between 2-3pm.

John Crane will be controlling the bidding on a wide variety of donated items from local businesses including art supplies from Rennies, a clothing voucher from Microzine, clothing from Resurrection, a hair cut and finish from Voodoo, figures from Lonely Planet and a LCD screen from WH Smiths- to name just a few.

There is also a very special signed exhibition publication from FACT’s current exhibition SK-interfaces. The bright orange book, which is printed in thermocromatic ink that reacts to your skin temperature and changes colour, is limited edition and signed by the artists involved.

All of the money made in the auction will be donated to Macmillan Nurses and The Donkey Sanctuary.

Items up for auction are:

1. A Cut and finish from Voodou hairdressers on Bold Street

2. A mystery voucher from the award winning Microzine, Bold Street.

3. Pick yourself a T-shirt from Resurrection, Bold Street.

4. A 15″ LCD Goodmans Monitor from WH Smiths

5. a Complete Easel Painting Set from Rennie’s Art shop on Bold Street

6. a limited billabong hat

7. a motorola MOTOFONE F3

8. a bodum pepper grinder

9. an Areo Rex remote control plane

from forbidden planet:

10. a Lost: Jin Action Figure

11. a Doctor Who collectors cookie jar

12. a thunderball james bond 12″ figure13. a ‘Smorkin’ Labbit’ figure

14. a pair of tickets for the cinema in FACT

15. a matching pair of cut glass vase’s

16. 6 small cut glass vase’s

17. 2 cut glass vase’s

18. assortment of jewelry: 3pairs earrings, a broach and a necklace

19. a watch

20. a watch

21. butter dish and glass tray

22. 3 large white ceramic planters

23. 2 small planters and a ceramic swan

24. an oval decorated ceramic planter

25. a white ceramic swan

26. ceramic decorative fruit figurine

27. basket of toiletries

28. wooden draft set

29. 3 travel game sets: hungry hippos, monopoly and operation

30. tea set, teapot, sugar basin and milk jug

31. set of brown earthenware jugs

32. a Queen Ann silver plated jam dish with spoon, boxed as new.

33. a Royal Silver Jubilee Queen Elizabeth II mug

34. a heart keepsake gem set

35. assorted crystal figurines

36. crystal music box, plays swan lake

37. 13 pill pots sold separately

38. collectors doll

39. handkerchief and scarf

40. 1 cup bodum coffee maker

41. miniature wok and burner set

42. Glasses case.

43. Asda George voucher

44. gift from Lost art on bold street

45. Sk-interfaces book, signed

We are hoping to sell all the items listed above at the auction – all welcome!!

tenantspin join forces with Huey Jones and Billy Yates for an afternoon of songs, stories, tea, coffee and chat all centred around Liverpool and her vast musical heritage. Compared by Margo Hogg (tenantspin participant and professional performer) there were renditions of the Spinners hits ‘The Leaving of Liverpool’ as well as some well known songs often performed in and around Liverpool during the 1950′s courtesy of Billy Yates.

The event kicked off what we hope will be a year long spectacle of song and dance broadcast from our Sefton Park studio….watch this space for information on up and coming events!