ArtsCulture

Award-winning theatre explores rehabilitation, re-offending and penal reform

artsculture — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:41:44 +0000

Release: physical performance at Dartington explores hat happens after an offender has served prison time

An award-winning theatre production entitled Release is premiering at Dartington Hall on Thursday, 24 to mark the launch of a new project to help ex-offenders, ahead of a national tour.

The show, from physical theatre specialists Icon Theatre, explores what happens after an offender has served prison time, at a time when two thirds of UK prisoners re-offend within two years and probation services are facing controversial reforms.

Release fuses high-energy physical theatre, an original score and mixed media to create an explosive and moving insight into just how hard it is to go straight.

After the performance there will be an opportunity to discuss the themes of Release in the wider context of reform of the prison system. The discussion will be led by Erwin James, who turned his life around after serving a life sentence for murder, becoming a writer and respected voice in the campaign for penal reform. With such a unique perspective on offer, the evening promises to be an opportunity to explore some big questions for our society.

The performance will also mark the public launch of a project currently in development by The Dartington Hall Trust. Dartington LandWorks is a landscaping enterprise designed to help offenders reintegrate with their communities by giving the skills, training and support they need to find stable employment. This is shown to reduce the risk of reoffending. The post-show discussion will be an opportunity to find out more about the project.

Release was developed and created by Icon Theatre through a two-year process of research and interviews with ex-offenders, prisoners, probation officers, criminologists and hostel managers, as well as site visits to hostels, prisons and probation offices.

It previewed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011 to great critical and audience acclaim, winning a coveted Scotsman Fringe First Award and was shortlisted for the Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award. The Times called the piece “sharp, impeccably performed and blazingly impassioned theatre… simply terrific.”

Tickets for Release are available at dartington.org/release or by calling 01803 847070.

After performing at Dartington, Icon Theatre will tour to London’s Arcola Theatre, the Newbury Corn Exchange, Oxford Playhouse, Colchester’s Mercury Theatre, the Hat Factory, Luton, and Chatham’s Brook Theatre.

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Secret city gallery opens to the public this weekend in Plymouth

artsculture — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:59:25 +0000

Plymouth College of Art Foundation Summer Show image

Foundation students at Plymouth College of Art are putting the final touches to their work before an end-of-year show opens to the public this weekend.

Helen Markes, course manager for the Foundation Diploma students who are exhibiting on May 19, 21 and 22, said: “Not everyone knows this, but Plymouth College of Art undergoes a massive transformation every summer when their studios are turned into exciting free public gallery spaces.

“The Foundation Show is just the beginning of an exciting couple of months where talent spotters in the creative industries, as well as hundreds of the public, step inside our studios and galleries to see what’s been going on behind closed doors.

“In the past it has been that just those ‘in the know’, who are aware of the college’s building at 45 Regent Street, but we are flinging our doors wide open and inviting members of the public to support the burgeoning talent of this year’s art students.

“Our Summer Show is a showcase of the very finest work on their creative journey so far. The course has always been a launch pad preparing students to take up well-earned places on specialist degree programmes at Plymouth College of Art and other top institutions around the UK.”

The show opens to the public on May 19, 21 & 22, from 10 am-2 pm on Saturday and 10am-4pm on weekdays. Friends and family are welcome. The address is 45 Regent Street, PL4 8BB.

View Larger Map

The college-wide Summer Show will be open from June 23-19 and the annual Fashion Show is at Plymouth Pavillions on May 24.

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Tate backs bid to open a school for creative innovation in Plymouth

artsculture — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:42:22 +0000

Plans to create school for creative arts winning support

The Tate added its weight to the growing body of support behind Plymouth College of Art’s bid to establish Plymouth School of Creative Arts, a mainstream city centre 4–16 through-school that places creativity and creative arts practice at the very heart of the curriculum and of the wider pupil experience.

Tate’s endorsement is both significant and timely, as Plymouth School of Creative Arts representatives travel to Westminster this week to discuss their proposals for the new Free School in an interview with the government on May 17.

In a letter to the Department of Education, Tate director Sir Nicholas Serota praised the project, saying: “We believe this project to be of potentially national significance for student progression throughout the full continuum of arts and cultural learning from age 4 through to Higher Education at BA and Masters level.

“Tate would like to add its support to Plymouth College of Art’s endeavour to create a through school in creative arts for children starting at age 4 and feel strongly that there is not just room within the education landscape for such a school, but a need and an appetite for a school that gives opportunity for children and young people who have a wider range of capabilities than may be demonstrated through their current educational experience.

“The creative industries continues to be one of the few growing industries in this country and such a school will help nurture skills and aptitudes that may be declining elsewhere, enabling a new young workforce to be able to thrive in the area.”

The campaign to open Plymouth School of Creative Arts has already attracted overwhelming support from Plymouth parents and partner organisations throughout the UK and beyond.

If successful in its bid, the new school promises innovative teaching and creative learning across all subjects, embracing science and technology, art, languages and performance, mathematics and design innovation, through an education that is both broader, and more balanced than the national curriculum now allows

For further information about Plymouth School of Creative Arts, visit http://plymouthschoolofcreativearts.co.uk

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Sinopticon: contemporary chinoiserie in contemporary art (review)

Lorenzo Bianchi — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:49:52 +0000

Laura White at Sinopticon in Plymouth

There was a giddy sense of occasion as our party of seven academics in search of culture and free drinks entered the atrium of the Plymouth City Museum. We arrived as the opening speeches were progressing and huddled under the Chinese flag dresses, trying not to giggle too overtly as we were jostled intermittently by a large robot triffid.

After locating the wine, we eventually found our way upstairs to the North Gallery. I spent a while admiring some striking cyanotype prints of Chinese urban scenes, which became increasingly eerie with extended viewing. The sense of alienation was bolstered by Isaac Julien’s Hotel (Ten Thousand Waves), in which a Deco-style skyscraper loomed over Shanghai smog. Even more disconcerting were Laura White‘s kitsch composite objects, particularly her challenging way with tartan and blu-tack. In contrast, the soap vases were unambiguously decorative and lustrous – I was hoping for vague hints of Imperial Leather, but despite lacking a discernible scent, they had an individual and ensemble beauty.

I was perhaps over-stimulated by the time I looked at the Grayson Perry pot, and found myself wondering about the importance of irony as an artistic defence mechanism, to forestall judgement on aesthetic criteria. Stuff like that, you know. (I do it myself all the time, naturally…)

We tumbled over to Plymouth College of Art where the film exhibit was too crowded for comfort, so we diverted ourselves with studying the chic art crowd and wondering where they normally hid themselves in Plymouth.

It transpired once in Plymouth Arts Centre that some of the chic art crowd were indeed just passing through, as I got into conversation with a few of the artists, lurking incognito amongst us punters, including Stephanie Douet, the creator of the triffid (which turned out to be architecturally inspired), and Wessieling, some more of whose qipao dresses I saw billowing under the arches of the classical folly at Saltram by the banks of the Plym, as I went past them on my running route the next afternoon.

So we were universally happy to have been pointed us in the direction of that splendid exhibition and wished that we had more occasions for local artistic adventures. We tried to end the evening with culinary chinoiserie, but had to settle for an Indian restaurant.

Sinopticon was curated by Eliza Gluckman and is at National Trust Saltram, Plymouth Arts Centre, Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery and Plymouth College of Art until July 7.

A programme of events across the city accompanies the exhibition, visit www.sinopticon.org for more information or www.plymouthartscentre.org  

Artists include: Suki Chan (UK), Gayle Chong Kwan (UK), Stephanie Douet (UK), Christian Jankowski (Germany), Isaac Julien (UK), WESSIELING (UK), Grayson Perry (UK), Ed Pien (Canada), Meekyoung Shin (Korea), Karen Tam (Canada), Erika Tan (UK), Tsang KinWah (HK/China) and Laura White (UK)

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Cornucopia of inspiraton and imagination – the Appledore Visual Arts Festival

artsculture — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:50:29 +0000

Pete Ward art at the Appeldore Visual Arts Festival

The annual Appledore Visual Arts Festival is a cornucopia of inspiration and imagination, a four-day celebration of the best of visual arts with an impressive range of exhibitions, workshops, art-creation events, talks and walks to stimulate and excite everyone.

Between June 7 to 10, Appledore will be alive with the activities of local artists, alongside those of national and international fame, who will be sharing their skills with visitors to this internationally acclaimed event.

The picturesque village of Appledore, at the confluence of the rivers Taw and Torridge, is the perfect setting for this collaboration of creative minds and the occasion is all set to be one to remember.

During the extensive programme are several exhibitions of painting, sculpture and ceramics, artists in residence, workshops on a variety of creative practises, talks by artists, discussions, forums, walks, installations, film, theatre, comedy, and an exhibition of contemporary crafts, all culminating in a vibrant parade along the Quay led by Energia samba band.

In this year of great occasions the Appledore Visual Arts Festival promises to be an event full of excitement for all and one that is not to be missed.

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Flourscent tree highlights plight of the countryside

artsculture — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:15:53 +0000

Henry Bruce's flourescent tree highlighting phytophthora as part of the Delamore Arts and Sculpture exhibition

Artist Henry Bruce – he of the controversial Giant’s Chair at Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Devon – is painting a skeletal 21-metre high oak tree fluorescent pink to celebrate the beauty of nature and the evolving life of trees as part of the Delamore Arts and Sculpture exhibition.

Delamore founder Gavin Dollard hopes the project will also highlight the issue of the destructive phytophthora, known as ‘plant destroyer’ and the lack of action to deal with the consequences of the disease.

Henry said: “I see my work as an artist as process of investigation. My studies in Social Anthropology have led me into an enquiry into landscape and the human condition using three-dimensional form. I am passionate about raising awareness of the Phytophthora problem, which will affect many landowners.”

The Delamore Art and Sculpture exhibition will be held every day in May from 10.30am-4.30pm on the Delamore estate, Cornwood, Devon.

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Exeter Ignite, a new theatre and arts festival for the South West

artsculture — Thu, 03 May 2012 08:08:26 +0000

Exeter Ignite: the new theatre and arts festival in the South West, taking over from the Exeter Fringe Festival

Ignite is Exeter’s new festival on the block, filling the shoes of the city’s former fringe festival.

Exeter’s very own theatre and arts festival takes place on June 25, to July 7 at nine venues throughout the city.

So far we’ve gleaned that performances include work by make-shift, Worklight theatre, O’Shea and Ogilvie, the Pregnant Fish Theatre Company.

To see the full list of venues, pop over to the Ignite Festival site, and to keep up with what’s happening follow the Exeter Ignite Festival on Facebook, and of course, there’s Exeter Ignite on Twitter.

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A summer of Shakespearean history with The Elysium Theatre Company

artsculture — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:07:24 +0000

Shakespeare's eight history plays performed by The Elysium Theatre Company

Get set for a whirlwind journey through history this summer courtesy of Shakespeare and The Elysium Theatre Company.

The troupe will begin the summer of Shakespearean history with a short collage performance of their contribution of the RSC Open Stages project Wars of the Roses, which stages all eight Shakespeare’s medieval history plays, at the opening event of the University of Exeter Forum.

The collage at the ~~college~~ university takes place (weather permitting) in The Piazza, University of Exeter Campus, on May 2 at 11.30am. It’s open to the public and free.

It will be followed by a string of summer performances, which culminate in a two-day extravaganza at Buckland Abbey.

Other performances coming up …
Saturday, June 16: Henry V, at Poltimore House, 7pm
Wednesday, June 20: RSC Showcase at Hall for Cornwall, Truro (TBC)
Friday, June 22: 1 Henry IV at Piazza, University Campus at 1.30pm
Saturday, June 23: Richard III (11am); 2 Henry IV (3pm) Piazza, University Campus
Tuesday, June 26: St Jamesʼ School (TBC)
Sunday, July 1: The Dell Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon (TBC)
Saturday and Sunday August 11-12: The National Trust’s Buckland Abbey. Day One: The Rise of the House of Lancaster Richard II – Henry V . Day Two: The Wars of the Roses 1 Henry VI – Richard III. Sections performed at intervals throughout the day, Living History activities throughout (by re-enactors) |10.30am -5.30pm

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Jerwood Drawing Prize exhibition at Burton Art Gallery, Bideford

artsculture — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:38:30 +0000

Winner of the Jerwood Drawing Prize, Gary Lawrence, Homage to Anonymous, 2011 (detail)

In 2010, the 2009 Jerwood Drawing Prize went to the Burton Art Gallery & Museum in Bideford for the first time. The exhibition was so popular they decided to bring it to the South West again in 2012.

Established in 1996, the Jerwood Drawing Prize is the country’s leading award in drawing, and is the largest and longest running annual open exhibition dedicated to drawing in the UK. Over 2500 entries were submitted this year for consideration by the panel of judges comprising Iwona Blazwick, director, Whitechapel Gallery; Tim Marlow, writer, broadcaster and director of exhibitions, White Cube; and Rachel Whiteread, artist. The 60 finalists include established artists as well as relative newcomers and students.

Gary Lawrence was awarded the First Prize of £6,000 for his drawing Homage to Anonymous. Second Prize of £3,000 was awarded to Jessie Brennan for her 5-metre long pencil drawing, The Cut, and Two Student Awards of £1,000 each went to Nicki Rolls for Sketch and Kristian Fletcher for Lake.

The Jerwood Drawing Prize at the Burton Art Gallery and Museum, Bideford, from April 28 to June 11

Talk and Tour June 8, 7pm Free
Join Paul Thomas, Co-founder of the Jerwood Drawing Prize, at the Burton as he discusses the exhibition and some of the thought processes behind the judges selections. This event is part of the Appledore Visual Arts Festival 2012.

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The Ultimate Travel Company launches Tate Travels art tours

artsculture — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:01:39 +0000

St Ives Tate in Bloom, one of the Tate Travel tours on offer

The Ultimate Travel Company has entered into a partnership with the Tate group to launch a new product – Tate Travels art tours.

With a selection of fourteen tours to choose from, you can admire pieces within your chosen field of art and learn about them at the same time. Whether you have chosen old masters or cutting-edge modern sculpture, our team of dedicated staff will guarantee you a privileged place within the exhibitions you visit, and Tate experts will provide you with pre-travel lectures to educate you about the region you have chosen to visit and whet your appetite for the artwork within that area.

With destinations all over the world including Berlin, Mexico, Chicago, Russia, Venice, the South of France, Australia, and even right here in the UK with our Cornwall venue, you can have a perfect luxury holiday and appreciate art wherever takes your fancy.

Once you’ve had your fill of art and history, let the local guides introduce you to the best shops and restaurants in the area. Buy some souvenirs and enjoy some dining delicacies, then the wine experts will help your find the perfect vintage to please your palate. From ‘secret’ vineyards in the South of France to the best wines California can offer, round each day off with a new taste before sleeping in one of the hotels specially chosen for their luxury and comfort.

Mixing art, culture, and fine dining with a luxury holiday has never been easier – The Ultimate Travel Company and Tate Travels will ensure you have the trip of a lifetime no matter where you choose to visit.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Tate Travels holidays visit: http://www.theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk/group-holidays/tate-travels

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One of the South West’s largest exhibitions supports Mindful art resources

artsculture — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 07:56:46 +0000

South West artist Mary Sumner will be one of these exhibiting at Art in Mind in Exeter

The Maynard School, Denmark Road, Exeter, is holding Art in Mind its third exhibition of work by contemporary, national and international professional artists. All the work exhibited will be for sale, including pottery and drawings from Gallery 36.

During the exhibition, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday April 21 and 22, there will be a shop and cafe, as well as children’s entertainment.

Part of the commission received by the school will be donated to a specific fund aimed at providing an art bursary for talented girls to join the Maynard at sixth-form level.

Plus 50% of the commission will be donated to Mindful, a creative therapies fund launched last year under the Mind umbrella. Mindful provides resources and encouragement to those people suffering with mental illness who would benefit from the therapeutic potential of creative expression.

Entrance is free and Art in Mind claims to be one of the largest exhibitions of art in the West Country. For further information on the event go to Art in Mind website.

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The latest arthouse cinema at home with Curzon on Demand

artsculture — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:01:01 +0000

Unless you live in metropolitan areas, catching the latest arthouse movies can be a bit of a bind. But now top arthouse and independent cinema chain Curzon has launched its Curzon on Demand service which brings top arthouse movies straight to your computer.

The much-praised Sam Shepard film Blackthorn has had a limited cinematic release, but it’s available on Curzon on Demand, as well as other current releases Le Havre and Michael Winterbottom’s third Thomas Hardy adaptation, Trishna.

The latest releases on Curzon on Demand are available as soon as they hit the cinema screens, so you can keep your finger on the cultural cinematic pulse.

There’s also an impressive back-catalogue of movies that includes more recent releases like Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk About Kevin, based on the Orange prize-winning book by Lionel Shriver, and Lars Von Trier’s Meloncholia, plus a whole host of classic films for art and movie lovers. You can even catch Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator.

And if you want the full cultural experience, there are free Q&A sessions: Pawel Pawlikowski talks about The Woman in the Fifth; and Michael Winterbottom is on hand to chat about Trishna, all of which make Curzon on Demand more than just a home cinema experience.

Along with the impressive movie offerings, Curzon on Demand benefits from being free to join and not having a monthly subscription. You only have to pay for the movies you want to watch, without needing to commit to paying ongoing monthly fees.

Where possible the films are in HD, and from our experience with watching Italian film Corpo Celeste, they are of great quality and quick to start.

All you have to do is sign in, add the film you want to watch to your basket, pay, and watch. The most recent releases cost just £6 – compare that with travelling to the nearest big city, where the film of your choice may not even be showing – and older films and classics drop in price to £4 or £2. You have a week to watch the films.

Browse around Curzon on Demand to see some of the movie gems that are on offer, and to keep up with the new releases and other news sign up to the Curzon on Demand newsletter.

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