It should be relatively simple to set up some workshops, but there’s been unnecessary and frustrating delays. Mainly Out Of Office replies to emails – like revenge because I set my emails to OOO during half term, and the art world seems to love trying to make me work for free during the school holidays. Sometimes, I swear it deliberately conspires to arrange really important exhibitions during he holidays just to make it especially hard.
Regardless, we have a list of available space at The Collection, and have outlined some dates for the workshops for March. We have several artists interested, including a graduate from 2013 that said he hadn’t done any work since graduating, and seemed glad of the opportunity.
In other news, before half term, I received a letter from Ed Miliband. mainly focussed on the NHS, as I’m now also an unpaid carer for a son that suffers from depression, I was concerned that the lack of support for mental health services and the ignorance of politicians to recognise the real impact of cuts, which are all creating an Apparatjik bottleneck of inertia all round, are having, and that there needs to be a holistic approach to the arts, culture, health and society if any politician dares to court my vote. Out of all of political leaders, I was glad that Ed Miliband took the time to write directly, (even if it was from his PR team). I cited BobandRobertaSmith and the Paying Artists campaign, and I’m glad to see his address, covered on Radio 4, to see that he’s planning to improve and include the arts as part of broader political policies, reversing tuition fees and proposals that I’m sure are positive to artists.
However, the latest dark cloud of doom to appear over my largely failed career is the news that single parents are now at risk of having tax credits totally withdrawn on spurious accusations. Please support this petition to stop this HMRC abuse!
It’s been a while since I’ve been in here. Something feels less inviting these days; my a-n subscription is up for renewal, and I’m seriously considering why I pay for it.
I’ve somehow got involved with a KTP project at the technology hub at the UoL. It provides mentoring that I’ve been receiving for the past month or two, along with funding application support and business development for Lincoln Artists’ Network.
After many disappointments trying to find a couple of Lincoln based graduates to work together to reform the LAN committee, I now have a 3rd year undergraduate working with me, and we’re in the process of reforming the constitution.
It was discovered that when we were working with Lincolnshire Co-operative and Revival, there was a clause in the constitution that meant that we couldn’t pay artists or ourselves as directors of the LAN – it should never have been there, and we’re working with another organisation to sort that out. These things are taking time, but once sorted out, should mean that I’ll gain funding to run the LAN as it should always have been, to support my own practice as part of it.
We currently have the opportunity to organise fully funded workshops and are seeking 4 to 5 Lincoln-based artists to work with us for this for March. Along with a funding application (which I’m supported with) as part of the KTP, and support for my Ayscoughfee Hall proposal. Once these get underway, I intend to set up a new blog to document the progress.
Interest from current undergraduates at an alumni event asking for summer residencies in Lincoln is something we’re not yet in a position to organise, but hope to do later on.
Meanwhile, I attended an Arts Networking Event for SO Festival on Monday. I submitted a proposal for SO when it first appeared, and have never been successful. One of the comments made by a local music promoter was that “artists” (he means bands, but it applies to the visual arts and performers involved) should be sourced locally. It’s another festival that invites participants from all over the place EXCEPT the talent sitting right on its own doorstep. I cited the Paying Artists campaign, and they assured me that they do pay artists, but they do need to be more inclusive. Their criteria even sets out some aims to engage more locally with the arts – what better way can they do that than by commissioning students and graduates from this area? I won’t be able to get involved this year, as I’ll be in Wales at the time for my brothers’ wedding (seeking bursaries for exhibs / events in Swansea / Cardiff at the end of June / early July!)
