I want to make a magical little place, does anybody want to help (ps it will probably involve circus and boats)

Convener: Francesca Hyde

Participants: David, rachel, sophie, amelia and Fran

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

3 ideas for session –

1. practical session on how to make this particular magical place.
2. Discuss What makes a magical place magical?
3. Go and make a magical little place

Gave background of 'collectif and thens' circus boat, why it was a magical experience – how can you make this experience a place.

Talk about responding to different environments.

David introduced us to his school. He has the keys to a school, and its used as a community centre outside of school hours.

What experiences have we have had of magical places and what did we like about them?

Being comfortable

Being looked after

cushions and blankets

Amelia gave example of an outdoor show she did where she gave people a cup of tea – people said it was the best cup of tea they'd ever had.

Putting he audience at ease.

A doormat makes people feel at home

Lots of these things are about making people feel welcome and at home.

A really likes when people really overdo the effort and there's craft involved

Made to feel special, like this is for you

We spent a lot of time about making non-trad theatre spaces magical, someone raised the point, why arent we talking about creating a magical space within a theatre.

In the theatre, you have absolute control to make an all encompassing magical space.

Outdoor, you have the abillity to re-imagine public spaces and feel ownership over them.

Trying to make a wood in a theatre can be much more interesting and creative than just placing people in the wood.

You need to respect the place you are entering in site specific; wht the space is, who uses it, why you are there – too often 'exploited' for gimmicks

Most people there were concerned with using non-trad spaces, and involving the community

Communities are part of the magic

Gifts are magical, like the tea, like Coneys show 'a small town anywhere' where they gave wine at the end.

If you give people a space, you need to be clear with the signposting about what you want people to do in it, otherwise they can feel lost (not in a good way)

Helping people re-imagine spaces. Kid in a cardboard box analogy – at first its just a box when you look at it. Showing its potential.

No Fit State circus – some people really liked the atmosphere created, it felt all encompassing and dangerous. Others thought it didn't feel dangerous (as maybe more used to circus) and a bit stressful to be moved around so much, shouted at by stewards.

What do you take for granted.

At the ballet, at first its amazing, at the end, you don't care about the guy thats jumping so high and turning so many times because your used to it, youve seen everyone on the stage do it.

Something about the set up of a big show, and costumes that make you less surprised by the action on stage – the fact that people are doing amazing things with their bodies.

Example of 2 men doing wheel of death in suits.

RE No fit state, they advertised by driving a big bus around edinburgh, you thought, who are these poeople  who've arrived and live in this bus and do circus, I really want to know them, to hang out with them.

Same with the boat, people really intrigued about who these people are and what are they doing in our place. Really curious and interested to get to know them.

Good to be open, and provide opportunities to meet the people in the community, be there so people can talk to you, ask questions.

People want to make connections and do nice things, often aren't in a place where they can do that.

Its nice when thats not forced, people are given space and are able to think of their own ideas about nice things they can do.

Example of someone making a show, and one of the mums cooked a big pot of food and brought it down to them for their rehearsal.

Count the favours that people have done for them.

On the boat, we couldnt believe how generouse people were, people brought us food and drink when they saw us rehearsing, gave us materials we might need, lights for the show so we could do it at night, a homeless man donated his whole days takings, helped paint the rig/make the stage etc.

More typical 'fairy magic' can distance you from a performance

Talked a lot about children (perhaps because the subject was 'magical place')

Children think of everything as magic because they haven't yet learned whats possible and whats not.

Kids (and adults) love to be able to 'have a go', if theyve seen people on stage do something exciting, or theyve seen an inviting object thats crying to be played with

Example of 'the forest' kids show where it rains conkers at the end, and the kids can go on stage at the end and help put the conkers back in a bowl.

Gives people a shared job/skill that means they have an important role in your show which is empowering.

Someone made a kids show – this felt like it gave license to play more. As R&D they made adventures for each other. Looked at what could be really exciting.

Museum of Stratford has an exhibition of magical places at the moment (unfortunately it was closed at that point, so couldnt go as part of the session)

D talked about dissillusionment with artists unimagination when it came to creating something in the school environment.

The administrative barrier of buildings seems to have infiltrated into the people who are making the art.

School is such a non-magical seeming place – connotations of hating school.

What would you want to do in a school? All of the things you werent allowed to do when you were at school?

Talked about R's pop-up dining room, peoples expectations of what a disused office building will look like, and going against that, making it really special. Small ideas are really well received – like tea-lights.

Talked about theatre workshops, rehaearsals in disused spaces, the story behind these places adds to the magic...has the world moved beyond this, is this dbeing forgotten about?

Example of 'Spinny Hollow' theatre in the woods, and 'walk the plank' show on a sail boat.

Frustration with all of the people who stand in the way of you and your audience when you work at a venue.

If you're offereing space in 'free spaces', importance of making sure that people dont think you are just a 'space provider', but you are entering into a creative contract. (Firehouse)

Talked about how are creativity is valued = can we make a shift

Coworking and collaboration in theatre and the arts

Convener: Sarah Cook

Participants: Alex, Nicky, Kelly, Jay, Adam, David, Lian

 Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Sarah kicked off. She runs a coworking space for social entrepreneurs, it’s membership based – people pay money and get hours in the space. Is this model suitable for theatre – can we share spaces, work together to get better spaces (for performance, for rehearsals, for working) than we could afford by ourselves, can we create communities of like-minded people so we stop getting the freelance blues and benefit from shared brain syndrome.

Some people don’t like or want to collaborate. Sometimes there’s an education job to be done in helping people understand that sharing and collaboration isn’t stealing ideas

Different types of work need different space – start from the space and go from there. Location is important – can people get to it, can people USE it (think access). Who might use the space at different times – can you share a space with someone who wants evenings and you use it in the daytime. Artistic input – the kind of space you use has an impact on the sort of work you produce.

Desire for a “home of one’s own” that having a permanent base = stability.

Idea that you can start small and work up. SOUP in Brighton – co-working in each other’s living rooms.

Temporary vs permanent – pop-up spaces like DandD, Theatre Delicatessan, Secret Cinema, Summer Outdoor Festivals. Finding permanent shared spaces – organisations like BAC which house other companies. Ref New Finsbury Theatre (@parktheatrelive)

Income streams from selling space – rehearsal rooms, private hire for parties, rental on office space. Membership scheme for using space. Problem that a lot of artists don’t make a lot of money (any money!) so how do they afford the rent on spaces like this? Are there grants / bursuries that can be created, if so how are they funded – ACE etc.

Concern about spaces that are funded by corporate entities and project an “underground” image – is there an ethical problem here? Gentrification of areas formerly used by artists as cheap studio space makes them unaffordable.

Practicalities – unused spaces can have physical challenges – infrastructure may need development – cost. Timescales are important – if you only have the space for a short time then the refit can’t take too long!

How to find spaces: there are venue finding organisations who will scout for you, local councils, libraries, church trusts, empty shops on the high street – ref Brixton Village, other unused buildings ref Secret Cinema.

Different lengths of occupancy are available to different sorts of organisations – there are legal loopholes for charities to do work in developing buildings (buildings that have been partly finished). There is often a requirement on new developments to provide space for public art – can you get contacts with building developers and get in at the planning stage to get a space to do work.

Funky with Space – companies, artists promoters coming together to share knowledge of non-traditional and flexible spaces

 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

How Do We Fill an Empty Building in Central London?

Conveners: Roland Smith, Dan Simon– Theatre Delicatessen

Participants: Josh Neicho, Alan Sharpington, Susanna Davies-Cook, Martin Duffy, Verity Standen, Tom Mouth, Simon Pittman, Adam Patesson, Mark Manghan, Kas Daley, Adam Montford, Jules Munns, George Mann

 

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Conversation focused on ways to bring artists and makers to a large former office building in Marylebone, for which Theatre Delicatessen are finalizing a lease agreement for their third ‘pop-up’ theatre space, over a year after their most recent venue on Picton Place off Oxford Street.

The property is suitable for a wide variety of performance and visual art based work, and is able to accommodate a good number of arts and creative practitioners looking for office, rehearsal and workshop space.

The lease is for 9 months which may be extendable.

Main questions, conclusions and recommendations as follows:

• There is much demand for a space where artists and creatives can work away from home, in an environment in which they can interact socially and professionally. Being centrally located and close to major transport providers makes this an even more attractive offer, and for many it does not matter whether the space is fully kitted out so long as there are the basic resources necessary to work/rehearse/teach etc.

• TD are particularly interested in creating a thriving artistic hub with a strong sense of community, where residents have the space they require to run around and do their thing, and then relax in a social setting where there is wifi, coffee etc. Some ideas put forward to encourage this kind of environment are:
• Dinners and events that encourage conversation and ideas;
• Create a ‘society’ of people much in the same way Coney operates;
• Encourage ownership of space – participation of space users in decorating, nesting, maintenance and volunteering to give them a sense that the space belongs to them and, in turn, a feeling of responsibility for it.
• Paint’n’Beer volunteer – having a building/floor make-over day or days for casual volunteers and residents to help decorate with a few crates of beer
• Open place office areas or ‘hot desking’ where desks are leased allowing a greater body of creative people to work together

• Ideas for programming and inspiration include:
• Contacting The Yard and exploring the way they encouraged personal investment in the space by their members
• Contact the Royal Court and find out how they run ‘unplugged’ – a bare-bones pop-up theatre project in empty shops around London
• Look to Hospital Club as an example of networking events, scratch, film, music and performance events and recreation
• Learn from experienced programmers of year round multi-arts venues
• Attracting new talent and residents via publicity generated through press
• Research Amazing Space group for ideas on work space management

• Generally;
• That good venues are very much about first experience and feel, and that front of house plays a very important role in terms of audience experience
• That it is important to distinguish the TD brand with works performed/produced by residents outside of the artistic remit of the group, and that it might be a good idea to have a separate brand to cover extramural shows/exhibitions
• May be useful speaking to empty shops projects like Empty Shops Network to explore ideas for use of the space
• Local community outreach – talk to school, police, local community centres, churches etc and explore ideas as to how to increase community participation
• Is 9 months long enough to run substantial community projects? Question of managing impact

all by myself (don’t want to be) independent producers and artists, how can we work together?

Convener: me ~jo hammett

Participants: lots but the ones I recognize were clara Giraud, ruth dudman, emily coleman, jo Crowley, alex somebody, lots of others, sue emmas, please add…

Summary:

So I started off saying that there is a new wave coming through of independent producers who work around the out skirts of the formal producing companies such as fuel, artsadmin, Crying Out Loud etc, with and independently of.  They often work with a bunch of artists, alone. 

There also artists working alooone.  How can we come together to collaborate as indie producers and artists?

Indie producers: clara said it’s a lonely business this, really useful lonely busting techniques are joining the ITC monthly forums (though you have to be a member) meeting up for tea and coffee to share best practice and advice and skills.  Also independent dance manager’s network also really useful.

SOUP: Emily and Ruth talked about soup, they are an informal network, who meet and work together and are now recently collaborating on producing a project together. They are based in brighton.  Sometimes they work from each other’s kitchens, they share knowledge, problems, resources, tea, biscuits.  It sounds really good.

Jo Crowley: talked about her work as an indie producer, is currently working with ridiculusmus on a busray scheme to work with (six producers) to create an informal network there (sounds really good), she’s done lots to support new theatre happen.  Jo said the importance of working independently is to find independent solutions.  Informally in clusters and learning from each other across the country.  Jo and the chaps from soup, often meet up and go on self-made residencies (this sounds great!) supporting each other.  Jo C said make independent connections, but let’s remember the networks that haven’t worked for example the online producers forum, which went quiet.

Producer’s networks are their strength perhaps we can share them a bit more.

We all agreed, we want something informal, administrative-lite please.

We talked about the possibility or artists collaborating and sharing producers eg time won’t wait (? I may have made this up) and artists trying to find producers (this is hard) and artists and producer match making sessions (informal pitching sessions by both Ps and As).

Online community: we talked about an online community, for example a twit-a hash tag ‘all by myself, don’t want to be’ or a facebook group, or a google group or a meetup.com or a …. Lots socially across media to look at…

Physical community:

A chap called alex talked A LOT about the southbank centre RFH member’s bar and foyer work space, apparently he’s not on commission to increase membership but advocated buying membership there to use their meeting and work space on the top floor.  A lot. 

To be fair Alex talked about other really useful pointers, particularly, one point, that we could do with a co-workers space, as the institutions don’t have anything to incorporate us indies (space is a premium) but perhaps there are easy ways they can support us Indie lot?  For example unbooked meeting rooms, or a spare cupboard.

Clara suggested Chisenhale Dance Space, somebody suggested Birkbeck Uni,

Then roland from theatre delicatessan came over and suggested perhaps there was room within his new space?  I got very excited at the prospect of this.  Maybe there is a way we can make this work,

Conclusion: I am not alone. 

Possible spaces to work in, short term, medium term and long term, online and offline and in between, yes maybe, sue emmas from Young Vic wants to help us take this up, ay, Sue?  Sue? Where are you Sue?

Possible collaborators: yes, lots of people wanting to not be alone.

Potential work already done: well done team.