Convener:
Rebecca Manson Jones
Participants: Kate
Hall, Sarah Sansome, Tamsin, Scarlett Flouviez Comnas, Christine Elliot
The
title for this session came from a satellite D&D at the end of last year
convened by Fuel on touring.
In a
session, Sarah Sansome came up with expression Funky with Space as the name of
a potential group of artists suggested I think by Simon from Brighton, who
might be able to share knowledge of Spaces where the management are prepared
and excited about changing the space for touring work or knowledge about
non-traditional spaces might be shared to enable more work of this type to tour
and to make it easier for venues to sell….
The
Pop up network of shops was suggested as one route
Slack
Space - there is a conference about this
@ The Firstsite gallery in Colchester in a couple of weeks time.
Sheltered
housing schemes, schools, hospitals and churches were suggested as places where
space may be available, barriers are money and isolation – even within their
own networks they don’t always talk to each other.
Suggestion
that in order for visiting companies to persuade a venue to look into
non-traditional spaces they’d have to be even more convinced about the quality
of the work to take the extra risk and do the extra work involved.
Arts
Centres are likely to be the best bet
Concrete
examples of agencies and companies with experience were:
Eastern
Angles, Peterborough and Eastern Region
Rural
Touring Networks
Greenwich
and Docklands Festivals
Pulse
– Ipswich
Plymouth
– Hidden City
Bristol
Ferment and May Fest
Stockton
National
Trust Properties
Could
there be a mapping exercise to get this information available to companies and
artists and what would it serve?
Importance
of this mapping exercise being in the context of the wider sector:
Dance,
Music, Arts, Exhibitions, Museums and Galleries
A
combined arts project…
Could
be venues and spaces which have experience and generally understand that you
aren’t going to burn their building down, break the exhibits of desecrate their
sacred space.
The
intention would be to create a resource based on experience. Everyone’s success
will be based on their response to the space, the audience it can serve and the
relationship with the promoter (as it does with other work but is more marked
when going outside the comfort zone of producing/presenting in own space)
What
does your project offer, theme, expansion of reach, building on audience development strategy…
Why
does your show need to be site-specific, responsive, generic?
Lots
of people say yes to site-specific, recording what the experience was like for
“you” so that a resource offers an outline of what might be possible in a
certain place when thinking about touring.
Turn
to promoters for help when you can, bringing in an established venue may build
their kudos and can save a lot of leg work re marketing, box office etc.
In
terms of touring, the show may change and adapt to the space, so essentially
the same idea responds dynamically and changes to fit each space to which it
might tour.
We explored an understanding that site
specific shows often take a long time to make and have a limited audience which
may be what some theatre makers intend. Others would like to be able to take it
more than one location so that more people can experience it. For audiences
outside main centres to be offered work of this type (massive assumption that
this isn’t happening already – apologies to everyone who is incensed by that
last thought).
Parabola
Arts in Cheltenham suggested as space that might be prepared to play – flexible
space
And
Lakeside Colchester.
Summary of
discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
Set up the mapping exercise – RMJ happy to start with
new “basecamp” technology that she just learned about from Phelim
Rebeccca Manson Jones
Christina Elliot
Are starting a network of artists, companies and
promoters who are interested in sharing knowledge and experience of being Funky
with Space. If you’d like to join, please email Rebecca via Improbable
No comments:
Post a Comment