As many of you will no doubt have heard by now (we've been talking of nothing else), we had rather a busy week last week and have a couple of bits of VERY exciting news to share with you!

1) NEW WEBSITE

Our brand new website was officially launched at our AGM last week. Go to http://www.fullcirclearts.co.uk/ and take a peek! We've still got our comprehensive Venues Guide, a What's On page, and a regularly updated Jobs & Opps page, but we've also added some extras, such as Features, where you can read lots of exciting new written material by arts professionals.

There's also an opportunity for artists and organisations to sign up and become members. For £12 a year, artists can create and edit their own artist profiles, complete with the option to add pictures and links to their own web/social media sites, boosting their online presence. Artists will also benefit from our professional development toolkits in the Resources section, which will only be available to paying members.

Organisations can sign up for £36 a year and for this, will be able to add and edit their own organisation page to our Venues Guide. Paying organisations will also gain access to our invaluable resources on access and inclusion, and will also be entitled to a 10% discount when employing us for training and consultancy work.

Of course, you are also welcome to create a log-in for free, which will enable you to comment on and rate our material.

Read more about our membership on our JOIN page. We look forward to seeing you on our website soon! 

2) NEW BABY

Jade's had a baby! Our Supreme Digital Social Media Overlord gave birth last week to little Florence. A web launch AND a baby launch in one week! This is going down in FCA history. We can't wait to meet her! In fact, Chris has already started getting ready to welcome Florence into our office by setting up her very own computer (Florence's machine)* and by getting hold of this:

*we haven't really done this. yet.

 

It’s my (Jade) last day before I go on maternity leave today. Mari will be covering for me while I’m away so, email mari@fullcirclearts.co.uk with your news items to include in the newsletter and website from today.

I’ll be back! (In Feb 2013)

In the meantime we've been frantically trying to get our new website up and running - this has been delayed somewhat and means there'll be a cross over period where the current site isn't updated - please bear with us until the end of next of week when the new site will be launched.

 

May 20011 to May 2012

 

‘A twelve month arts development opportunity for 18 to 30 year olds who want to progress in further arts participation, training, education or a career in the arts”

 

 

LAST MINUTE SHOUT OUT: THIS SATURDAY’s YAD SESSION AT ZION ARTS CENTRE!

 

COME ALONG?

 

This Saturday 10th March between 11am and 3:30pm the Young Artist Development Programme will be taking place again. Hosted by John Leyland from Blank Media

 

The session will be held in the Theatre Space at Zion Arts Centre and will see 9 presenters from the creative industry present their career journey to the group on the Young Artist Development Programme. 

 

If you are 18 to 30 and have an interest in the arts why not drop by? 

 

You are very welcome to attend, please sign up by emailing vicki@fullcirclearts.co.uk today! 

 

Speakers 

 

11am -  Miz DeShannon - Arts Manager and project management – 8 years, experience in the creative sector, set up @MAPSFestival. Miz will present her Career overview with a specific focus on self- management

 

11:15am - Rebekka Platt  - Dance Artist – Career overview with a specific focus on key things to consider when exploring dance practice, dance opportunities available in Manchester and how this has helped Rebekka’s own career

 

11:30am  - Andrew Smith - Music Practitioner – Career journey to date – specific focus on music facilitation/education and the setting up of a new company. Andrew will be joined in the second part of the day by Tom Northey who will provide further information on business set up, marketing, self promotion and funding

 

11:45am  - John Franklin  - Arts Producer and Manager – John has a decades work experience in the creative sector and recently set up as a freelancer, he will provide a detailed overview of his career, work and connections with orgs such as PANDA, hAb, pigeon theatre etc..  and share advice about the world of freelancing

 

12:00pm - Rachel Gibson  - Writer and Director of short animated films. Rachel will provide a look into her career journey and a specific focus on script development through to production as well as her role at Bury Scriptwriters.

 

12:15pm  - Debbie Sharp  - Visual Artist working with photography, sound and text. Co-founder at Kraak Gallery, currently studying an MA in photography. Debbie will provide a career overview and a specific focus around promotion and presentation of work. Networks available

 

12:30pm  - David Slack  - Producer at 24/7 theatre festival and trained actor, David will present his career journey, specifically focusing on a change in career, the lack of opportunity available to emerging performing artists, ways of developing skill technique as an actor, knowledge and networks required and the how and why 24/7 came about. (Kathryn Worthington will be speaking in place of David )

 

12:45pm  - Selina Campbell - Jewellery designer/maker: Selina to present her career overview, how she started and where she is now. Sharing networks, advice and guidance to emerging designers. Building an image, and pricing.

 

1pm  - Rosanne Robertson - Visual Artist - Brief background and history of education both foundation Art and Design and Fine Art BA (hons). Leading into her story and experiences as a graduating artist. Main: Summary of practice including visual examples and video. How to document and communicate visual art practice- particularly the building of a portfolio. Pitfalls and barriers whilst developing into a practicing visual artist. networks and resources that I have experienced as beneficial to new artists.

 

 

 

 

We will continue to post info about our sessions here and on twitter. 

 

You are welcome to join us. Professional artists and organisations may have some links, info, opportunities and advice to pass on to the group; other young emerging practitioners are welcome to join the conversation here. Follow @full_circle_art    #fcaYAD

 

Watch this space

 

a full circle arts project

Hackshack 

Do you get frustrated with using, doing or making something because nobody thought of your needs when designing a product?

Do you want to create something but get annoyed that doing so is un-necessarily difficult for you?

Tell us…

It could be anything, for example; if I want to film something, as a wheelchair user, it’s impossible to move and hold the camera/my phone at the same time. 

It would be nice, if the problem you tell us about is with doing or taking part in a creative activity, but it doesn’t have to be, it could be something everyday like opening a Tetra pack. 

Full Circle Arts have got three highly creative, makers, inventors, hackers, tinkerers together to work with us to solve some problems and address your design needs in our Hackshack…

Dave Murray-Rust is a scientist and creative technologist with an interest in the interactions between people and technology. As well as cutting edge interfaces and kinetic sculpture, he has created technological interventions for and with disabled people.

Matthew Venn is a full time professional inventor and maker. As well as making cool stuff like the polargraph energy monitor, maze puzzle box and snowflake simulators, he is a great science communicator; designing and delivering science workshops to thousands of children worldwide.

Stuart Childs is a creative technologist with a passion for fun and arty projects. Past projects include FriiSpray, an open source virtual graffiti project and LED scratchies - small customisable lights that anybody can make. He enjoys taking new challenges and designing solutions for problems, making sure there's tea to hand and fun to be had along the way.

As a team, they are looking to solve your problems with their creative and technological experience. They are looking for things that may be difficult for you on a day-to-day basis, something that annoys you about how objects are designed for the 'average person' (if such a thing exists), or similar issues.

So, we want you to submit your problems, no matter how big or small and we will review the submissions to see which, and how many problems we can solve in a weekend of full on hacking, designing, prototyping and experimenting. The more information you can give us, the better - so submit photos, drawings / diagrams, words to describe your 'problem' so we can understand what you want.

Although we have got three wonderfully creative people, they are not miracle workers, and we do not have access to unlimited resources, but as well as being creative, they do have plenty of experience in designing stuff and working together on technological projects.

Your problem/ideas should be submitted in any format, pictures, text, film, audio to us at Full Circle Arts email info 'at' fullcirclearts.co.uk or via snail mail to Hackshack, Full Circle Arts, 7 Schoolhouse, Second Avenue, Trafford Park Village, Manchester. M17 1DZ

By 12 noon on Thursday the 22 March, 2012.

We will then get our heads together to see which problems we can work on.

All ideas and submissions will be published on our website (you never know if we can’t solve it someone may be interested in doing so).

The Process

Out of all the submissions we will select 2 to 3 problems/design needs that we think we can work on. Then, if your submission is selected, on the 18th April we will bring you together with the team for half a day for a chat, a brew or two, and working together to make sure we’ve got a good idea of what you want. The team will then beaver away for 2/3 days in the ‘hackshack’ working on designs.

We will then bring you and the team back together for half a day on Saturday 22nd April, to test things out, get feedback, review, etc. The team will then spend another day finalising and testing the final product / prototype. You will then have a prototype product, which we would love you to keep. We hope you will test it and report back to us on any snags, good points and usability.

Full Circle Arts • 7 Schoolhouse • Second Avenue • Trafford Park Village • Manchester • M17 !DZ

http://www.fullcirclearts.co.uk • Email info 'at' fullcirclearts.co.uk • Twitter @full_circle_art

Telephone 0161 872 0326

 

May 2011 to May 2012

‘A twelve month arts development opportunity for 18 to 30 year olds who want to progress in further arts participation, training, education or a career in the arts”

YAD update – February 2012

 

February 11th saw the group return to Blank Media for another development session. This time ‘Networking; prepare to network”

 

The session aimed to: 

 

• Explore the concept of networking in the arts, how it can be used, why it is useful and the potential benefits.
• Look at different approaches to networking and encourage group discussion around these.
• Provide top ten tips of networking. 
• Encourage learning throughout the session through practical exercise and group discussion.
• Offer a platform where participants revisit how they profile themselves and consider the guidance and networks they require. 
• Prepare participants to network with professional artists at the March YAD session.
• Encourage peer support and feedback to encourage development and confidence.

 

 

The day began with a quick call to Monique who would be joining the rest of the group via Skype. We had no previous experience of digital participation for an entire days workshop so at this stage we could only hope that it would prove a success and that Monique would be able to access all material, contribute to discussion and activity as well as feel completely included throughout the day.

 

We were fortunate on all accounts.

 

The group continued to explore the Idea of Networking, some more familiar with networking than others and for some networking was of higher priority. All agreed regardless of their position in the arts Networking played an important part in developing knowledge, sharing ideas and presenting oneself as well as receiving support, information and guidance to increase opportunity and develop connections. 

 

“ Networking is making and maintaining connections with those around you ”

 

The group revisited their goals and how networking could help them to move towards them. 

 

It helped participants to remember their reasons for being part of the Young Artist Development Programme and what they wanted to achieve in the future. 

 

For some that was to increase their knowledge and understanding of arts opportunities, to build on specific skills, improve confidence and to access further arts activities as participants. 

 

For others; to gain an insight into the arts outside their education, to begin exploring the arts industries in a professional context, learning from emerging and established practitioners. Assessing their work, the work of others, their skills, needs and the opportunities available to support their learning. 

 

And for those who are beginning or already establishing themselves as freelance arts practitioners and creative organisations: requiring more specific skill, knowledge and training development to encourage continued development in their careers. 

 

The group continued to think about different types of networking from informal, networking events through to social media, identifying difficulties and strengths, how these platforms could be used to network and highlighting the commonalities. At the core we sensed it was about sharing, communicating image, work and ideas, and engaging in real conversations, listening and questioning to assist moving forward. 

 

The workshop progressed into set tasks. Here consideration of the artist profile, individual statements, goals and needs. All areas had been considered in previous workshops were now proving beneficial when planning and preparing to network.

 

 

Time was spent working in pairs, presenting work, profiles, needs and ideas. The group found this practical exercise really useful and soon realised that through informal conversation further information about work, ideas and needs appeared. Natural rapports were built during this time and the exercise highlighted some practical and important things to consider for the future. 

 

 

Blank Media Presented 

 

Some Do’s and Don’ts for Networking

 

DO show your originality 

DON’T be negative about peers or industry professionals

 

DO have a clear idea of what to say 

DON’T stick to it too rigidly 

 

DO have an “exit strategy”

DON’T make excuses 

 

DO set goals

DON’T expect too much of people

 

DO connect people to each other

DON’T be cagey 

 

DO find a networking buddy

DON’T hide behind them

 

DO connect with people online

DON’T be a stalker

 

DO read the room

DON’T compare yourself to others

 

DO target specific people

DON’T dismiss anyone as irrelevant 

 

DO follow your instincts 

DON’T be a sheep

 

The day resulted in all participants having an increased understanding of networking, it’s uses and having developed ways of approaching it that was comfortable, honest and natural to them. Individuals had carefully thought out their reasons, needs and ways of approaching networking through practical exercises and peer support and left the session with further information about themselves and their practice. Online resources were provided for further research and a list of potential networks/organisations that might be of interest to them. 

 

This workshop leads directly to the next session on the Young Artist Development Programme, where a number of arts professional have been invited to present their career journeys and share their current practice and to spend time networking with the group on the Young Artist Development Programme. 

 

If you are an arts practitioner who would like to share your experience and practice with our group, and who missed out on expressing your interest in presenting, we are still welcoming people to attend the second part of the day to network with the those on YAD. 

 

Full Circle Arts would like to say a huge thank you to John Leyland  and a special thanks to Blank Media Collective for hosting this month’s Young Artist Development Session.

 

We will continue to post info about our sessions here and on twitter. 

 

You are welcome to join us. Professional artists and organisations may have some links, info, opportunities and advice to pass on to the group; other young emerging practitioners are welcome to join the conversation here. Follow @full_circle_art    #fcaYAD

 

If you have any questions regarding our Young Artist Development Programme please contact

 

vicki@fullcirclearts.co.uk 

@vickimccorkell

 

Note: Vicki McCorkell is no longer a permanent member of staff at Full Circle Arts. Vicki will be working freelance to manage the Young Artist Development Programme until August 2012.  If your enquiry is regarding the Young Artist Development Programme Vicki will reply to you during her working days of Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If your enquiry is regarding anything else, please get in touch with Full Circle Arts. info@fullcirclearts.co.uk 

 

 

Image above is an edited version of this image, originally by SNIJlabs.

Stuart Childs, in collaboration with Full Circle Arts have put a wiki ( http://sniject.wikispaces.com/ ) together as a central collaboration point for people to experiment with the SNIJ labs' laser cut plywood notebook project.

The design is shared under a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license - for more details on the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

WE ARE RUNNING A DESIGN COMPETITION!

WHEN

This project is running from 01 Feb 2012 - 01 May 2012 for designs to be entered into a competition to win prizes and be included in a final report / presentation about the project. The wiki will be left up after that to keep the designs shared and available to others.

We ultimately want to present this work at Future Everything 2012 festival in Manchester - highlighting how current technology and sharing practices are changing the way things are done.

To find out more visit the wiki and start collaborating! 

Most of the FCA team attended TEDxManchester on Monday 13th Feb. It was held at Cornerhouse and the co-hosts were Isabelle Croissant of Cornerhouse and Herb Kim of Codeworks & The Thinking Digital conference. 

We had a great time listening to inspirational speakers talking about their passions in life from Mary Anne Hobbs talking about how John Peel inspired her career on the radio and her passion for music to Tara Shears from Liverpool University talking about her research around the Large Hadron Colider and the mysteries of physics. 

Our highlights included:

This TEDx talk:

"Use dancers instead of powerpoint. That's science writer John Bohannon's "modest proposal." In this spellbinding choreographed talk from TEDxBrussels he makes his case by example, aided by dancers from Black Label Movement."

 

http://www.ted.com/talks/john_bohannon_dance_vs_powerpoint_a_modest_proposal.html 

And listening to Brendan Dawes talk about his curiosity for making and doing things which led him to exhibiting his Cinema Redux work at MOMA. We loved his enthusiasm for design and it was great to find out he owns a 3d printer and prints egg cups among many other objects.  

To find out more about the speakers and TEDxManchester visit their website. We had a great afternoon and would thoroughly recommend you to attend the next one. 

We would like to say a big thanks to Herb and Isabelle for hosting such an exciting inspiring day. 

 

 

 

May 20011 to May 2012

 

‘A twelve month arts development opportunity for 18 to 30 year olds who want to progress in further arts participation, training, education and a career in the arts”

 

YAD Update February 2012

 

Opportunity at our Networking event March 10th

 

Blank Media Collective have been working with Full Circle Arts on our Young Artist Development Programme. 

 

Blank Media have hosted four development sessions for the group and will host two further sessions on Saturday 11th February and Saturday 10th March.

 

We shall be meeting again for a Networking event on Saturday 10th March, 11am to 3:30pm in Manchester and believe you may be interested in playing a supportive role in the development of young artists.

 

We are welcoming arts professionals to attend our event, to share their career journeys, experience, opportunities, organisations and networks with the group.

 

We would be particularly interested in hearing from experienced creative practitioners working in the following specialities who could deliver a twelve minute presentation as well as provide information, advice and guidance when networking with the group throughout the remainder of the day.

 

 

 

Music professional, with experience of performance, song writing and music facilitation

Crafts/jewellery designer/maker, in business

Photographer and Visual Artist producing work for exhibition.

Drama and Dance practitioner, ideally with experience of facilitating

Person or people who have gone through the process of setting up their own creative company, ideally running projects/events. Who could provide funding advice and information on building the foundations of a business.

Writer or a producing organisation familiar with receiving scripts, providing critique and supporting the production of new work in comedy, radio or theatre.

 

We shall select presenters based on experience, ideas for presentation and the needs of the group on the Young Artist Development Programme. Full Circle Arts can offer a small gratitude fee of £60 to those who are selected to present and available for the day.

 

If you are an arts organisation or artist and not available or selected to present on the day but would still like to attend the second part of the day to share information during networking, we would be very pleased to hear from you. Also if you have any further attendees who you think our Young Artists group might benefit from speaking to informally on the day then please let us know.

 

In the first instance please respond to vicki@fullcirclearts.co.uk and john@blankmediacollective.org to express your interest. If you could get back in touch initially by Wednesday 22nd Feb.

 

You can read about the Young Artist Development Programme amongst the posts from FCA here:

 

http://fullcirclearts.posterous.com/

 

 

If you have any questions regarding our Young Artist Development Programme please contact

 

vicki@fullcirclearts.co.uk 

@vickimccorkell

 

 Note: Vicki McCorkell is no longer a permanent member of staff at Full Circle Arts. Vicki will be working freelance to manage  the Young Artist Development Programme until August 2012.  If your enquiry is regarding the Young Artist Development Programme Vicki will reply to you during her working days of Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If your enquiry is regarding anything else, please get in touch with Full Circle Arts. info@fullcirclearts.co.uk

 

May 20011 to May 2012

‘A twelve month arts development opportunity for 18 to 30 year olds who want to progress in further arts participation, training, education and a career in the arts”

YAD Update February 2012

Today we continue to bring you some of the learning activity that occurs in between our monthly sessions.

Arts Award
Training and Development
Professional Development
Artists and Participants involved

Our posts in January focused on the Arts Award and shared further reflections on some of the external training and development activity the group have accessed during their time on the Young Artist Development Programme.

Today we return to reflect on

Professional Development

But first a huge congratulations to Jared who recently gained a place on the Vodafone World of Difference Programme. You deserve it Jared and a massive well done from all of us at Full Circle Arts. We look forward to supporting your placement.

Jared says;

Thoreau once said 'This world is but a canvas to our imaginations', securing a place on the Full Circle Arts Artist Development Programme can be likened to that of being given the keys to a paint or candy shop even. Since which I have been feasting on a buffet of cultural delights, frantically throwing paint on my very own canvas. The result a sweet tooth and a place on the Vodafone World of Difference programme, enabling me to focus on developing The Art of Social Change Award & Breaking Barriers.

The idea of Breaking Barriers is to develop an independent grant giving body funded by volunteer led events and commercial activities, which disadvantaged and disabled creative practitioners can apply for small financial grants to ameliorate hardship through supporting their creative aspirations by helping access workshops and professional development opportunities. The purpose behind Breaking Barriers is to raise the profile of the North Wests emerging and established creative culture, to help financially disadvantaged & disabled creative practitioners realise their aspirations and fulfill their potential.

There is art to social change and there are a special few who are at the contemporary creative heart of it. The Art of Social Change Award will be developed to recognize creatives from around the North West who often get overlooked & play a vital role in the community, exposing individuals to different creative pathways, helping bridge the gap between skill development, culture, art and the community. The Art of Social Change Award will help raise the profile of the North West’s leading creative change makers, who use creativity to influence and help the world around them and utilise creative mediums such as dance, photography & spoken word as a catalyst to engage young people and their communities in positive and progressive opportunities.
To Find Out more about the World of Difference Programme

Visit - http://worldofdifference.vodafone.co.uk/

Professional Development

The Young Artist Development programme offers one to one Professional Development Planning sessions to participants who are pursuing a career in the creative sector.

Over the year participants can access up to eight hours of one to one PDP time.

Our sessions are traditional based around coaching practice and principles. We facilitate a space to assist thinking around self and development; Using The ‘GROW’ Model (Sir John Whitmore) exploring Goals, Reality and Options to arrive at a Way Forward all set by the individual, tapping into the knowledge, strengths, ideas and resources they have already.

Depending on individual requests, needs and goals, the sessions can either take on the formal structured and clean coaching process working in a more focussed learning environment, or offer a more informal sounding-board session where suggestions are asked for, guidance is welcome but again we see creative thinking, idea generation, and a way forward being highlighted before the end of the time.

Access to sessions at times can be difficult, and therefore we are flexible in offering PDP online, over Skype or telephone.

Genevieve shares some of her experience of the YAD programme and PDP.

Hello there, I’m Genevieve. I joined the YAD scheme because wanted a more focused career path as I have an interest in several areas of the arts but always felt to be starting out and not really moving on.

Through the group sessions, we have worked with various arts organisations and practitioners who have introduced us to useful ways of thinking about how we market ourselves, what we want from our work, how to use networking and problem solving around barriers.

Also, I have used the contacts made through Full Circle Arts to further my work experience and get to know possible employers. Each member of the group has also been a contact and provider of support. One of the things I have enjoyed most about the scheme is talking with others and giving advice based on my past experiences and current knowledge.

The scheme has given me support with decisions and advice on things to consider through the group meetings and the one to one PDP sessions. The PDP sessions are particularly helpful in that it’s a chance to air thoughts and organise them in a way that breaks long term or bigger project goals into steps that give you a clearer journey and the confidence to try. It gives you a chance to talk through your working practice to make improvements and assess your current situation to prioritise aims. Often I have gone into a session with an idea in my head but then talk through the planning and actually making the idea real and exist as a project, it might be that I need to change aspects or suspend the project until I have better skills, knowledge or contacts to make the idea a success. This is the best part for me, being allowed to try and fail. Making mistakes and learning from them with guidance and support means I get more done and gives me the confidence to move on and do more. Through this you realise what your development needs are and it’s a chance to discuss what learning opportunities or experiences would be useful and any difficulties there might be in accessing these.
 
I’m currently focusing on film production skills and am involved in two projects which will hopefully give me useful experience and contacts. I have also enrolled on an Open University digital film course, which I have been able to access as part of the YAD programme. This course will give me the skills I need to start out on my own and a platform to show my work and receive useful and helpful criticism.
Through this I will start to build a portfolio which I can use to seek employment.

Without the support of the Full Circle Arts YAD programme, both financial and personal, I wouldn’t have been able to do this.

If you are an arts organisations who run training and development events, courses or workshops that the participants on the YAD programme might be interested in, please do keep us posted of any up and coming opportunities or events you might be planning.
 
We will continue to post info about our sessions here and on twitter.

You are welcome to join us. Professional artists and organisations may have some links, info, opportunities and advice to pass on to the group; other young emerging practitioners are welcome to join the conversation here. Follow @full_circle_art    #fcaYAD

If you have any questions regarding our Young Artist Development Programme please contact

vicki ' at ' fullcirclearts.co.uk
@vickimccorkell

Note: Vicki McCorkell is no longer a permanent member of staff at Full Circle Arts. Vicki will be working freelance to manage the Young Artist Development Programme until August 2012.  If your enquiry is regarding the Young Artist Development Programme Vicki will reply to you during her working days of Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If your enquiry is regarding anything else, please get in touch with Full Circle Arts. info ' at' fullcirclearts.co.uk