tenantspin have just returned from The International Community Arts Festival (ICAF) in lovely Rotterdam. tenantspin interviewed participants and delegates attending the festival and asked the question “What does quality in Community Arts mean”. We also hosted a live discussion in a local retirement village, where we discussed the similarities and differences between Liverpool and Rotterdam.
We had a great time. Please watch this 20 minute compilation of our time at the Festival.
Patrick and I spent 27th March in Space gallery in Hackney, East London for their symposium On the Margins of Technology a day of ‘presentations and debate about realising the impacts of technology expanding and diversifying participation in art and society.’
We responded to a number of projects including Geezer Power a project which is run by Lorraine Leeson and the ‘Geezers’ some of whom included Dennis Banks, John Bevan, John Day, Ray Gipson and Ted Lewis. The project is based around accessing the Geezers collective experience and expertise of ways in which you can generate energy from already available resources. What they came up with was a turbine fixed to the Thames barrier which they hoped could either generate enough electricty for street lighting for their community.
Although the project was different to ours in the sense that it focusses on scientific subject matters rather than those of a creative or technological ilk we felt that their ethos really matched ours and we were inspired to start thinking about accessing the wonders of people over 55’s knowledge and expericence of life and how this should be tapped into when looking at the future of the planet for all of us.
We also responded to Mukul Patel and Fiona Fieber talking about User Manuals and ‘explaining technology’ which focusses on the relationship between the explaination of a product/entity and the usage of that in everyday life.
We really enjoyed our stay in London and met some inspirational and complex people and projects and are grateful to Space for inviting us down. For more information about Space gallery, Hackney please click here.
on the 26th of March, in the Box at FACT between 2pm - 3pm, tenantspin will host the first in a series of Cultural Commentaries. We will be looking back over the first few months of this momentous year for Liverpool. The live discussion is open to the public and all are welcome. But first, we want your opinions….
What cultural events have you attended this year?
What do you think the highlights have been?
What about Ringo?
Do you think this year will have a positive effect on how Liverpool is perceived?
What are you looking for from a year of Culture?
Please add your comments. This is your year, so speak up!
On the 5th of March, tenantspin and E-Space Lab connected with Shanghai and Hong Kong for a conversation about Christmas. A conversation about Christmas in March may seen a little strange but tenantspin had been working on a series of films about how the festive period is celebrated here in the UK, while groups in China collated footage of their New Year celebrations. Both groups discussed the differences and more importantly, the amount of shared customs. The discussion will be available very soon, and thanks to Phil Courtenay and Peter Hagerty from E-Space Lab and our friends in China.
tenantspin welcomed onto the couch Dr. John Hunt from UK BioTech Liverpool University, Anthony Mark Cutter, Senior Lecturer and Director of LLM, Medical Law and Bio Ethics, and Sharon Waldron from Transform Medical Group to discuss advances in medical technology, the effects on the body and the ethical implications of such works. This discussion was filmed as part of FACT’s Human Future’s Programme.
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!!
