A Quick Catch Up

My catch-up with Trevelyan today was successful. I would have liked it to last a little longer, but it has given me a base to work with until we are able to meet after Easter for a more lengthy discussion.

I haven't had much communication over the past couple of weeks, as I mentioned in a previous Blog. My aim of this meeting was to get a clear role defined for myself and to find out what had been going on lately. 

The main focus of Fringe recently has been to get the word out to all faculties that the festival is taking place and to try and get a response from them about how they could get involved.

An online communications centre called 'Podio' is where all the important information regarding the festival is going, and I need to keep checking this on a regular basis. This site allows me to find out what is going on and to contribute documents of my own without the need to meet up with Mark or Trevelyan every 5 minutes for an update. It helps me keep my independence and just get on with the tasks I have been assigned. I also find it a great working space to instantly exchange messages and arrange meetings, conduct discussions and so on. Everybody is able to stay in the loop and keep an eye on the ever-changing festival/show schedule and programme ideas list.

With the list of potential events/activities for the festival, the practicalities need to be assessed. Not all of the ideas will successfully make it in to the final programme, but having half of the propositions become a reality will be a 'decent first stab'.

The main point of our quick catch-up was to get me more involved with the Family Day being arranged. This is something I will be taking a more active role in and organising as much of it as I possibly can. This means keeping a strong communication with candidates looking to add their input to the day.

So far, the most likely events that will be taking place are:

     -   Hayley Green: Drama Workshops

     -   Laura Evans: Lindy Hop Dancing

     -   Penny Vincent: Hanley Park

     -   Journalism: Public reading the News

     -   Unique Media: Workshops (I NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND)

     -   Forensic Staff: Crime Scene House

Questions that I have arisen so far, which I need to discuss with Trevelyan is whether these events will overlap each other, or run at separate times to allow families to attend as much as possible. Or are they staggered, so no two performances/events/workshops are on at the same time more than once throughout the day.

My next step is to email Hayley and Laura (who are on my MA course, so communication shouldn't be an issue), and get as much detail from them as possible about what they propose to do. Location? Materials? Length of time each session takes? Breaks in-between? How many repeats are they willing to do? And anything else they feel I need to know. 

With all the information I gather from each possible candidate, I can then start to put a programme together and time the events so they run smoothly with each other and give families a chance to visit as much as they can, whilst keeping my 'artists' needs in mind.

Trevelyan has told me that he will email the other potentials and inform them that I will be contacting them in the near future to discuss their plans and ideas.

An idea that has been generated recently for the Fringe festival involves a visual art trail. I personally think this is a brilliant idea and one I will be taking on board and developing in my own way for future events I put on. It could possibly consist of a set of short activities, that families can do as they are walking around the show/festival. Maybe related to the art work being shown or an creative imagination activity. A group of students who have work in the show could generate an activity or question around their piece of work and then collaborate it all together to create a package for families to enjoy whilst they are learning about the Arts. Trevelyan suggested that each section could be something different and not just a question. For example, get the children to draw their interpretation of what a certain piece of work means, count how many flowers appear in the surface pattern exhibition etc. 

One question I have raised is whether or not we need to know what the work is in advance, or can we generate this activity sheet and produce is successfully the same day the show goes up?

Helen Chapman each year produces a question sheet to hand out to school children when they are been given tours. This helps them to stay alert and get the most out of their trip because they have to actually pay attention. From experience, I have seen the children really enjoy answering the questions and they show enthusiasm. If I can get hold of Helen, I will ask about getting a copy of the previous years questions to get a feel of the types of things asked in the past. The activities need to be easy, creative and quick to complete; and above all, interesting!

Another task of mine is to make a list of areas the activities could take place in if they require more than just drawing on a sheet of paper.

The IKON Gallery is a great place to start my research because they have a young visitor's gallery guide, which the younger generation can take around the exhibitions with them and complete the tasks written down. They even provide a set of colouring pencils as even more of a incentive for the children. Every child is a sucker for colouring pencils! For our children's pack, we could possibly provide a Staffs Uni pencil? Just a thought.

Danielle Mackintosh Boothe is a student that I must get in touch with about what she can bring to the festival. I met her at the initial generating ideas forum and she stood out as being really passionate and enthusiastic. She came up with some great ideas and I would love to hear about them in more details. What has she come up with? Are they suitable? For the family day? Local events? Can they be tied in with the uni and the degree show? Do they need funding? And so on.

Tomorrow, I will be visiting the Children's Lives exhibition at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, followed by a browse around the IKON gallery to take in the art works and to pick up some children's activity leaflets.

IKON Gallery: Beautiful Building

The 17th April is my next scheduled meeting with Trevelyan to discuss where I am up to with organising the family day and to have a chat about finance within charities. There are many avenues and tips he can give me when it comes to charitable organisations and money, so I am looking forward to our next get-together.