Well, things are better now that we have dates! They (official types) are meeting on the 13th August to sort money out and transfers will be made the next day.. so we should have money by the 18th at the latest.. They are sorting out money for the next residents then too, so they will actually get paid before they come, but I will have been here for 5 weeks by then.
So, anyway, I feel like there has been much negativity from me of late. Apologies, and today – a good and happy post, about Capital of Culture spending would you believe!
This place, Bellevue, Das Gelbe Haus (The Yellow House), is fantastic! It is about 7-8kms out of Linz, next to all the tower block flats, overlooking the motorway. It opened on the 25th June and closes on 13th September and everything here is free.
Monday = Artist in residency (there are about ten!) presentation or talk – sadly I miss these because my German is hopeless.
Tuesday = film screenings with an introductory talk
Wednesday = Music evening
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday = workshops, sports, walks, writing, dancing, live music and artists in residence again
Sunday there is also free breakfast from 11.
I have been a few times now and it is always full, people use it, hang out with friends there and most definately take part. I went to a sewing workshop last week and made an apron as well as meeting two seventeen year old Somalian refugees who live opposite and go most days to volunteer or just drinks ridiculous amounts of coffee. They also play for the football team, which they are ectastic about – knock out tournaments with other ad-hoc teams every weekend, but they get to wear a special yellow shirt. How nice is that?
So, a truly useful and inspiring project. I’m not sure this would work quite as well in England, would it?.. certainly can’t imagine the same set-up working in Liverpool. What I mean by that is that I can see it being used to drink in and graffiti on. Perhaps I’m wrong? I hope so. It might be good in a smaller city perhaps..
But yes, it seems like money well spent.
