]]> https://urben.wordpress.com/2017/12/16/mela-2017/feed/ 0 775 UrBen https://urben.wordpress.com/2017/04/05/easter-family-campaign/ https://urben.wordpress.com/2017/04/05/easter-family-campaign/#respond Wed, 05 Apr 2017 09:48:47 +0000 http://urben.wordpress.com/?p=764 Continue reading Easter Family campaign →]]> I was asked recently to produce some photography that would advertise the Easter Holiday Activities for The Nottingham Contemporary and my partner, Amanda Russell said that she knew a family that  would be an ideal choice!

Manndiip Singh is a local talented Designer and Tailor of Natural Silhouette and a all around super dad!

On the day of the shoot I was impressed by his professionalism, multiple outfit changes and how Manndiip and his children were a true delight to work with.

I really look forward to hopefully collaborating with this local fashion superstar in the future!

Close Distance
Caroline Broadhead, Nic Sandiland and Angela Woodhouse
8 March – 1 May 2017
Wollaton Hall, Prospect Room

Artists Caroline Broadhead, Nic Sandiland and Angela Woodhouse have taken inspiration from Wollaton Hall’s history and inhabitants, exploring such details as 17th century embroidered costume belonging to the Middleton family who once lived in the Hall, and the doors that separated the kitchens and servants’ quarters from the family rooms upstairs. Sandiland and Woodhouse have worked with image, sound, and movement to create a series of intimate film works that are integrated with Broadhead’s reinvented found objects.

Illuminate, Nottingham Museums’ Young Arts Collective, have documented the making of Close Distance. Illuminate members Amber Burbridge, Kate Leatham, Mary Strickson, Kirsty Law, Meegan Worcester, Monika Saganowska, Holly Jackson and Lucia Rizzo worked with lens based artist Ben Harriott to create  a series of short films. These can be seen at Wollaton Hall during the Close Distance exhibition along with embroidered costume from the museum’s Middleton loan collection, which has inspired the artists.

Close Distance is commissioned by Nottingham City Museums and funded by Arts Council England through Grants for the Arts. The exhibition has been made in collaboration with dancers Martina Conti, Kristian Tirsgaard, Vanio Papadelli, and Alice Labant. It is part of Dance4’s Nottdance festival, which took place between 8–12 March.

Jonzi D is the founder and Artistic Director of Jonzi D Projects and Breakin’ Convention and is an Associate Artist at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London. A dancer, spoken word artist and director, he is the foremost advocate for hip hop who has changed the profile and influenced the development of the UK British hip hop dance and theatre scene over the last two decades.

BCTV is a project tied into the Breakin’ Convention 2016 UK tour, and they will be touring to Nottingham Theatre Royal in May, along with eight others throughout the month.

We know there’s hip hop in every city – it’s that big a culture – but finding those that legitimately represent it is vital for strong storytelling.

For the Nottingham festival, UrBen Media have been asked to create two videos for BCTV: One event recap, and one original video that represents any element of hip hop culture.

Also, to celebrate Breakin’ Convention’s first visit to Nottingham Royal Concert Hall on 17-18 May, there will be a free outdoor street party suitable for all on Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May outside the South Sherwood Street entrance to the Royal Concert Hall.

The Bank Holiday Jam will feature live graffiti art, DJs, dance performances, Dance Battles & live MCs… from 10am to 5pm.

By the end of the day a vibrant graffiti and photography exhibit will have been created on the walls and ceiling of the passageway linking the Royal Concert Hall with the Theatre Royal.

The 2016 festival on the 17th-18 May will include live performances from top hip hop dance crews including Antoinette Gomis (France), Iron Skulls Co (Spain) and The Ruggeds (Netherlands) alongside local acts such as Tai and Trix and Juga-Naut to name a few.

premièred throughout the day for Loudspeaker Conference 27th November at Nottingham Contemporary

Loudspeaker is a three year collaborative project  with Nottingham Contemporary and community charity Changing Lives aimed at raising the voices and local women through contemporary art.

The aim of the film commission is to amplify the voice of the Loudspeaker women in the conference. Jo Dacombe, Gillian Brent and I are currently working with some of the women to create a film essay that will be shown at the conference on the 27th November.

The film commission was important as we wanted some of the women to be involved and have their voices and perceptions heard but we felt they may not be up for speaking at a conference.

I am quite proud to have been involved in such a fantastic project that works really well to help develop the women’s confidence and self-esteem through making art.

For more information about the conference visit the Nottingham Contemporary website.

“Working with young people is always a joy so having the chance to take part in the Easter Workshops held at the New Art Exchange supported by Children In Need with talented Contemporary Dancer and Choreographer Jay Pollit was a real pleasure.

This workshop participants were five young people who had an amazing talent in dance and with the help of Jay they choreographed a group dance piece performed to a beautiful piece of music . Then they each in turn storyboarded and choreographed their own performance which was a story developed around a chosen item from Jay’s interesting collection of random objects!

Myself and Ben Harriott helped each child prior to the filming, to think creatively and visualise how they would like their final piece. This was developed through group exploring how to storyboard and to consider all the elements required to provoke mood and thought visually and internally through the use of the chosen object. Coloured Gel lighting, Emotive Music, and Great Performances from all the girls were merged together for the final productions which were then showcased and enjoyed by the parents, friends and family.

What can I say another great workshop in collaboration with the New Art Exchange!”

– Amanda Russell Creative Director

YARD (Youth Arts Research and Development) is a creative hub for young people (up to 16 years old) to develop skills as performers and creative producers.

Photography and promotional video for IVJ documenting the youth exchange exploring issues of migration and raising awareness of the opportunities for EU funded travel for young people.