This started off as an invite by Sarah Smizz to present a short piece at their upcoming Phuckuppery event in Sheffield discussing failure and, with a little nudge, I honed in on mental health as an arts practitioner. I feel this is a really important and under-discussed issue and that it was important to hear other people’s experiences of working in the arts. With the work I’m doing with Dwell Time, this seems an ideal platform to discuss and share experiences. It’s now turning into a mini research project under the Dwell Time project umbrella and will most likely extend beyond the short piece I’m presenting in a few weeks. Although I/we really value face to face conversations, we also really want to hear from people who we might not get to talk to in person so we made a short survey and would love to hear from you https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/8R3TVRF
Yesterday met with Huddersfield Railway Station manager and have confirmed our YVAN microgrant exhibition will open Thursday 18th July, 6:30-9pm as a permanent display in the main waiting room until they need it for something else (for perspective their outgoing show has been up since 2015!). We’re planning to mount each page of Issue 1 and frame some of Bob Clayden’s pinhole camera photos (positives and negatives hung together). We can also use an upstairs private space at the station for a performance/screening/drinks event to launch the show and double up as an Issue 2 open call launch and are currently working on a schedule for that. Invites/press release to be issued in due course but please put that date in your diaries :)
These are some of Bob’s photos made in a suitcase on Platform 2 of Huddersfield Station during our Issue 1 launch event https://www.a-n.co.uk/blogs/dwell-time/post/52554611/ They have about a 10 minute exposure time so the sitter has to take this ‘dwell time’ to show in the photo. The more blurred figures have had less ‘dwell time’ such as the one of the railway staff member stood by the train who was called away on duty only minutes into the exposure dwell time.
Piece Hall Wellbeing & Community Festival, Halifax, 20 & 21 July 2019
Saturday 10am – 6pm, Sunday 10am – 4pm
We excited to be interviewing participants and visitors at the ucpoming Wellbeing & Community Festival at the Piece Hall in Halifax.
“Our first ever Wellbeing & Community Festival is a free two-day event to help the local community get active and creative, as well as showcasing the support services available in Calderdale.
Our courtyard will host four different ‘zones’ for visitors to explore, themed around active, creative, support and wellbeing. From fitness fanatics to first timers, anyone looking to get moving can try their hand at a whole host of sport including all-adapted cycling, kurling, dance, tai chi, wheelchair basketball and yoga. Visitors with a creative flair can try their hand at mindful colouring and stone carving, amongst other calming artistic activities.
An array of support services will be on offer from charities such as Basement Recovery Project, Healthy Minds and Samaritans.
All set against the backdrop of the beautiful Piece Hall building with food and drink available throughout the weekend from our resident bars and restaurants, and music from local musicians, community choirs and buskers.”
https://www.thepiecehall.co.uk/events/wellbeing-and-community-festival
We were at Sheffield Railway Station with our partner Penistone Line Partnership on Wednesday 15th May for Community Rail in the City 2019
The event was promoting the work of the local community rail partnerships and we had some copies of Dwell Time to give out and talk to people about. We trialled the new microphones and did some video interviews with Lenny and Rowena. Vanessa is editing those and we’ll upload them soon to a new Vimeo and/or Youtube channel.
On Friday we received the amazing news that our application for a YVAN Microgrant was a success! This grant will be used to put on an exhibition in Huddersfield over the summer of the work produced during our Issue 1 launch and will also double up as our laucnh of Issue 2 open call. Details to follow.
Yesterday we went to South Square’s first Wellbeing Weekend with some Dwell Time copies and spent the day audio interviewing practitioners and visitors about mental wellbeing. The event was great with a steady flow of people and a really relaxed and happy vibe. We met loads of lovely people, and had some great conversations. We also enjoyed an excellent Indian head massage from Judy Foody, learned how to make lip blam and had coffee and cake in between the interviews. We’ll upload these interviews to our new channel asap too and we plan to transcribe some for Issue 2 as well.
Dwell Time at South Square Wellbeing Weekend
Excited to announce that Dwell Time will be at South Square Wellbeing Weekend with some copies of Issue 1 and inviting people to participate in interviews about mental wellbeing for Issue 2!
South Square Wellbeing Weekend
Saturday 18th May 2019
Begins at 10am
South Square Centre presents it’s very first wellbeing dedicated event. Bringing together local practitioners and friends of South Square to support a more centered approach to being well. Try out activities which already happen at the centre such as; Yoga and Tai Chi, plus meet tenants who provide complimentary therapies and friends with a passion for creative healing. We’ll end the day with a live music from Japanese band KUUNATIC. Daytime activities are free of charge.
1st PROGRAMME ANNOUNCEMENT
Register to attend here.
= Workshops for the mind and soul =
Self Esteem // What Makes You Well? // Death Cafe // Sound Session
= Complimentary Therapies =
Reflexology // Indian Head Massage // EFT Therapy
= Try a new practice =
Yoga // Thai Chi
PLUS:
Meditative Soundscapes
Lipbalm Making
Aromatherapy
Mood-boosting refreshments by Plenty
Live gig from 7pm:
KUUNATIC – Psych sounds from Tokyo
