Personal Development, Ambitious Planning and Werewolves
More please from ACE, the British Council and fellow foundations/independent funders for artists. For creative process and practise to truly flourish, artists from multiple disciplines need opportunities to be together – time and space to talk. My resilience and belief as a South-West based live performance artist has shot through the roof because of the fellowship and lab one has demonstrated how creative people build thriving, supporting communities! I’m very excited for my mentoring sessions to begin with Quarantine and look forward to Lab 2 in Egypt…
[Image description: 12 rectangular images are the boarder to a group photo of smiley, colourfully dressed people standing in front of a grand house. Another Route 2022 - 2023 is written in the top left-hand corner. 1, A figure in a desert holding a large object above their head. 2, An acrobat being filmed balancing. 3, A blonde woman surrounded by empty picture frames. 4, Five women in green tartan with red tights. 5, A man sat on a wooden beam speaking into a megaphone. 6, A headshot of a woman wearing a green party hat against a pink background. 7, A woman leaping on a stage with an audience in the background. 8, A woman holding out a microphone with bubbles in the air in front of a black background. 9, A figure walking in a city scape dragging a hand along a wall. 10, A wheelchair user shouting with a man playing guitar in the background. 11, A man in loose white clothes dances on a busy stage. 12, Two women in white trouser suits with gold accessories pose against a red background].
Can I use the excuse of not writing this blog sooner for the benefit of distance from the thing I’m reflecting on again – probably not… Although the buzz, energy, enthusiasm, general happiness and warm glow the week or two after Hawkwood residency would have screwed any critical reflection I could have given. Not like there is much of that now – it was just a brilliant time for me professionally and personally… and I have the benefits of Jen’s detailed notes to remind me of just how much was achieved during Another Route Lab 1.
Let’s set the scene: our host Hawkwood is approaching 75th their anniversary. An informal education and learning organisation and artist retreat, they run 100+ courses a year in creativity and the arts, live, visual and now digital too. A wellbeing arts environment with focus on climate change… extremely green and with am ambience of inspiration. 42 acres, organic and sustainable ecology and has community a farm on site. An ever-flowing spring is accessible to local residents under one of the oldest sycamores in the country.
Check out their website – bursaries and residences available for artists who need escape and R&D space.
Arrival
It was a joy meeting fellowshippers, mentors/guides, artists and passionate, friendly people on the first day. There are some mightily impressive creators who produce and engage audiences on a meaningful level. But the overarching atmosphere was a warm smile and a keenness to listen to each other. Networks had already been made and some of our group were embracing like old friends and saying just how much they enjoyed experiencing their counterpart’s latest work. Yet this didn’t feel elitist or cliquey, it just felt like people… where being human and generous was the main vibe.
After check-in and settling down – lunch happened… delicious!!! and what a way to start – all home-grown and organic. More conversation and introductions over pudding and then into the main workshop space. A welcome from the Hawkwood Chief Executive Officer (Alicia Carey) – covering some of the history of Hawkwood as detailed above, but with a super warm and welcoming smiley feel… and then a rounded introduction, putting actual faces to names (rather than virtual headshots). We heard more about the fellowship ahead. I think there was also a break with freshly baked cookies here – there was a lot of those… yum! Energy for the stomach and time for the mind to digest.
GAfterwards, a chat with Sarah from Quarantine surrounded by trees and flowers (reminding me of Cockington, a few minutes walk in that direction for me… apparently a portal out of a concrete jungle for fellow artists from the big cities). It was super inspiring meeting Sarah and learning how Quarantine makes work. There was a real canny synergy between Quarantine established practises and my own collaboration: workshop techniques within platforming performance; interesting use of space, and now digital space; the desire to use creative process to start conversation.
I did the usual artist thing of stumbling over what I do and repeating buzzwords like ‘voice’ and ‘care’ and ‘creative spirit’ and ‘unapologetic’ but hopefully Sarah got an idea of what I’m about.
She also totally empathised and got the additional challenges I have as a disabled artist. Both the physical and attitude barriers were appreciated, not dismissed, but at the same time a determination to overcome because and despite.
Then it was just time for an awesome tea and an early bed – until I got bitten by a werewolf and ensuing banter and games commenced. You really get to know people when something between a parlour game and a drama scenario ensues. It was real bonding time and genuinely appreciated amongst the pressures and real-life fights both internationally and locally.
The Bulk
It was wonderful starting the morning together in this beautiful environment. Early and peaceful, and then back to work!
The first session was dedicated to getting to know each other’s practises a bit more now – we split into smaller groups with stimulating questions. Definitely less awkward sitting in a comfy library surrounding rather than trying to present what we do to the group at large.
Now our group is the indie artist. Fascinating conversations of company led organisations compared with solo creators started here, then continued through the whole lab. Is there more weight on the solo artist’s shoulders – if the show goes wrong (or in a weirder way goes too ‘right’) it is our name at the top of the credits. Or do we get much more of an organic choice in what we do and when? Can we engage our audiences more out of process than having to have a produced performance at the end? Do the company have more resilience or people to fall back on when it comes to everything around the making and performing process: producing, marketing, logistics, workshop, etc?
The conversation then jumped from… international practice needing to be a true cultural exchange – not a drop-in drop-out helicopter meaningless thing, to… An intriguing way of working is to lean into a capitalist system of ‘selling’ work to festivals, venues and commissioners so they are buying something that hits the right demographics and attracts a good number… and then walk into the space and the performance changes – maybe a little to begin with and then the entire framing of the work. ‘You said you wanted to invest in me as an artist’, and then… working with trauma and confronting narratives but in a totally safe space… likewise when working with ‘non-performers’, taking the unknown out of the creative process.
Back as a big group and de-briefing. Themes around play: how to keep play at the heart at all times throughout the creative process. How R&D and experimental process works internationally and whether the word international can still mean intimate. Is there a time where R&D has to stop, and the production process has to start? – Maybe another reflection on companies compare with solo artists??? And humour works across borders and culture – apparently it is inherent to us humans to laugh!
Okay, I probably can’t detail everything we discussed in every session, otherwise you definitely won’t reach the end. Summarising hat on for now onwards:
Next session was all about fun. Creativity and imagination must surely stem from fun and being human together. Professional artistry come with high stake and risk (a. I mean not the good type of risk. b. although there are good people attempting to take high stakes out of the creative process, it is still there, especially for diverse artists). International working raises the stake bar that little bit further. Does funding = fun ending?… and how do we ensure this is not the case – the true culture exchange might be the answer to this?
Fun is rooted in trust – the people we are working with and the spaces we are going to.
If you're losing the fun it may be that the stakes are challenging as they are contrasting one of your key values…. in which case maybe it isn't for you or your practice.
Fun is definitely what I do – My practise is… will essential fun!
A lovely memory shared here to help you through the long, stressful and dark place budget writing can get to: when writing budget lines for stuff like transport, remember the time when you used to take the mega bus or a sleeping bag…we artists are made of tough material and this ‘Mega bus moment’ can either/both remind us off how far we’ve come/what we are not prepared to drop our standards to and/or what can we achieve when putting priceless immaterial moments first!
Next session focussed around the mentoring opportunities. Each mentor introduced themselves to the group at large and I’m really looking forward to learning and exchanging with all of them, as well as a more deep-dive and personal reflection I get with Quarantine! Our mentors will also act as advocates for us throughout this fellowship. It’s really empowering to have an internationally renowned mentor fighting your corner, combined with the ongoing support and guidance from my local network! The mentoring funding will also provide space to start dialogue with artists, venues, producers and thinkers etc which is again greatly empowering!
A guest speaker on art and climate change – facilitated by Mel Evans (Thank you for all you do, I may not always be there on the front line but there in spirit) with their one-year-old son… an hour speech on the science and then the art – no words here, just tears, amongst a growing call to arms for climate justice.
Image source: https://theconversation.com/cop26-a-letter-to-school-strikers-from-the-physicist-behind-net-zero-171251
Conversation after more tears with Mel and the group about international working and the climate emergency/climate breakdown. Important to note here that the pressure to track/reduce our own carbon footprint as individuals is a tool which creates positive culture for sustainable change but is a narrative put on individuals from big oil/industries/carbon-hungry organisations to deliberately distract us from what they are doing to our planet. The concept of going by train rather than plane devalues the individual voice in the wider (and vitally needed) conversations, whilst putting money into the businesses that influence climate change. You still with me?
Anyway, yes, absolutely flying less… but costs to the independent artist/artist-led companies is ready a massive hurdle. Could we present different budgets to partners/venues/festivals and go: this is the “cheapest option” but were we given this amount, we could take more sustainable transport and/or offset our carbon usage for travel… As always, with Another Route conversations, so much food for thought.
Next to come up, a realisation that there is a balance between making income/charging to make being an artist viable; versus the reality that festivals and small venues just don’t have the infrastructure they should. Do we charge the ‘bigger fish’ more so we can offset charges to the community groups we really want to engage with or the small-time festival that would truly value our work and us as creative people? I do not know whether this independent wealth distribution is ultimately the right thing to do… but I suspect we will do it in the independent creative sector???
Oh yeah, and you can have more than one passport…Visas might not be needed, especially if under 90 days…Champion each other – ‘I can’t do this opportunity this time around but have you tried xxx’… And be super mindful of exchange rates and what local communities live off/how much does a meal cost in the country you’re going to? – don’t be a ****!
Third session was a blitz through the possibilities and potential pitfalls of international touring. The Another Route artist were listing off fantastic festivals from stage to experimental live art, family platforms to fringe-like political gathering, large audience to intimate one person shows, and everything in between! They were honest about the resources each may have but there was a general consensus that England is lagging behind with willingness to put art and culture, and artist first. Still finding it difficult to believe that I will find out first hand – I probably must stop pinching myself now!
Yet another brilliant meal and evening of stimulating conversation, dipping into the karaoke room and then dreams full of possibility and hopefulness.
Afterwards
The last couple of sessions were chilled. Catching the last of the wildlife around us and lamenting not having this amazing food again. The Another Route guides concluded with more words of wisdom and general advice. They then explained the reason behind the lab structure and the process as a whole. There is a strong balance between being open and flexible and allowing individual/collective responsibility for the fellowship narrative and holding the space, taking the stress and states out of what could be a daunting process. I think this demonstrates exactly what good producing look like!
Lab 1, Hawkwood; quiet country retreating but still connected with art and culture – a safe space to build relationships with each other and to breathe.
Lab 2, D-CAF Festival: a busy festival, an international hub of platform and live performance – I imagine it to be a high pace and exciting place to be. We will really get a sense of ‘This is where I belong and how do I make sure I’m here more often’… or … ‘Wow, but I think my practise belongs on a more quiet space’
Lab 3, Belgium, Ireland, or?: The preference would be somewhere reachable by rail or boat… They are hoping to partner with a mid-large scale venue so that we all get a sense of what it’s like to be artist in residence in another country. Similar sense to Lab 3 but in reverse.
And I think that second to last sentence sums up my over-arching reflections the fellowship so far. I am still gob smacked that I get to go on this extraordinary adventure. I have always dreamed of being an artist in residence and the idea of working internationally has been beyond a dream. The opportunity and support locally is being braced by individuals/organisations (mainly grass-roots) who are struggling to fight against the vacuum of resource that is the South West. It almost feels like there needs to be Another Route before Another Route. Funding and investment to allow young people to be artist residence and not bogged down by funding applications and audience numbers and real-life anxiety about where the next meal is coming from.
I met amazing people who I desperately want to go see their work and can’t wait to learn from again. I had space and time to be an artist and to be a human being. For large chunks of Lab 1, I felt equal amongst giants – and their creativity and groundedness is a tribute to the creative sector…. We absolutely need more of this!!
See you after Lab 2
Football’s coming home – #Lionesses