100 SOUNDS - A call for musicians ....for the Stoke Olympic Torch Relay parade

100 SOUNDS for the OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY COMMUNITY PARADE (STOKE)

WE are looking for brass and woodwind and percussion musicians (any age) of a basic level and above (room for beginners) to take part in a street band of 100 and a carnival of 1000's :)

Here is an opportunity for musicians to get involved with a fun street band for the Stoke on Trent leg of the Olympic Torch relay.

We are looking for brass, woodwind and percussionists to take part in a series of workshops in Stoke on Trent leading up to the procession on 30th May.

Musical Director, Dan Fox is writing new music for the procession. He has over twenty years experience working with street-bands. His playing has taken him all over the world, from playing a heated trombone at the Winter Olympics in Albertville to playing in a wetsuit whilst flippering across a lake outside the Dutch Parliament. He currently plays tuba with the Boom Bike Band and bass drum for Macnas theatre company (Galway).

Dan co-founded and made the drums for Boom Dang, a new style of street drumming that combines Dhol/ Surdos and funky street rhythms.

There will be four Sunday workshops leading up to the parade.

No experience of parading is necessary but musicians must be willing to process with their instruments. Although the project can cater for a wide range of playing abilities, some playing experience is preferable.
Please ask around if you think you may know somebody interested :)


INTERESTED???
Join the 100 Sounds Facebook group  to find out more 
- once you have joined the facebook group you can write on the wall and ask Steve any questions you may have about how you can get involved the project. 
If you would rather talk than type ....you can contact Steve by phone on 07704788937

Olympics Torch Relay Opportunity - FLAG MAKING

100 Flags for Stoke Olympic Torch Relay Community Parade

Calling flag makers and people who can use a sewing machine based in North Staffordshire
An opportunity to learn a new technique and take part in major event in Stoke in May 2012.

On 17th March we will be running an open audition at B arts (Newcastle under Lyme) to recruit a team of flag makers, no previous experience in flag making needed but machine sewing an essential skill.

You will be working with Wendy Meadley (www.flickr.com/workingwiththewind) a freelance artist who has successfully applied the technique of reverse appliqué to flag making in the UK creating unique installations and site décor.

You will be instructed in this technique and then, if selected, you will use it as the method to create 100 large processional flags under the supervision of Wendy Meadley, for the Olympic Torch Relay in Stoke on Trent in May.

We need a team of flag makers who will be:

·     competent at using a sewing machine.
·     have their own machine which they can use for the project and audition
·     resident in North Staffordshire and are over 18yrs
·     available for the following dates:
Saturday17th March (the open audition)
Mon 23rd - Fri 27th April & Wed 30th May ( the actual flag making sessions)

We are able to offer a small amount of money to cover expenses

We would like you to write to us (max of 2 sides of A4) telling us:
·     why you would like to be involved
·     your relevant experience
·     how will you use this new skill in the future

Please send your information, by email info@b-arts.org.uk 
... by snail-mail: c/o Hilary Hughes, B Arts, 19 Barracks Square, Barracks road, Newcastle under Lyme. ST5 1LG


Your info needs to arrive with us before 5pm Friday 9th March
All phone enquiries to Hilary on 01782 717326

Oh.... the hokey cokey.....

Well, it is now Friday.. on Tuesday I would never have anticipated reaching Friday... but thats how it goes with weeks I suppose, espescially one's that involve B-Arts and the Barefoot Doctors Summer School! Day Three: Tying together of all our work from Wednesday and performing it live on t'internet... interesting visual effects due to live streaming, adding to the mystique of the performances :-) Each individual giving something different to each piece and each audience member taking something individual with them from it too. Just shows that when you throw a bunch of creative people together that they'll come up with 2+2 = infinity. Even the spaces between the pieces were filled with creativity of some sort.. the dance of moving tables and chairs, the dance of setting up equipment, each intermission choreographed with movement.. would be nice to see a time-lapse of the whole event to watch the rhythms of everyone. Each individual performance piece was outstanding considering the time contraints involved and proved that creative people don't just add creativity they multiply creativity by a million! A lunch of soup, bread and salad, everyone open and chatting, several conversations about life, the universe and all inbetween. Discovering similarities and differences and finding that each person utterly supportive of each other. Now to Flashmob hokey cokey!!! I had taken it upon myself to tag "Newcastle Town Centre" in my facebook status update that morning.. just to see if it would have an impact on what we were doing... the message went out: "Flashmob hokey cokey 4pm Newcastle Town Centre" The pixies of mischief were fully in control. The interesting part was trying to look inconspicuous and at the same time hang around ready for the "signal". The new sweet shop seeming to be a favourite haunt of potential hokey-cokey-ers. So carried away was I with the plethora of confectionary, I nearly missed it.. Luckily the Guildhall reminded me, with its chimes! On your marks.. get set... go!!! It was over far too quickly... the little boy who brought his toys to it, the dog tied to the man's belt (the dog loved it!!!! It would seem that Dog's really "get" what B-Arts is about... such is their sense of humour). Phew!! Its over.. HURRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Time to melt into the background! "What was that all about?" I was asked, "Is it going out on YouTube?" asked another.. such is the power of social media. It touches all our lives whether we realise it or not.. Social media, blogging, Online home made movies, and all the rest were once the domain of the "geek", the "nerd".. the socially isolated, who used it as a means to communicate with their friends.. Its now been adopted by the whole world... this world has now shrunk.. it is smaller... it is however, still full of possibilities, the infinity of conciousness that can come together for a few days and create together. A group of strangers who have become good friends. Individuals who through social media will continue to create, share projects and go out into the world!!! Thank you Barefoot Doctors Summer School, thank you B-Arts... for inspiring, giving space and time to allow for this to take place. ((((HUGS)))). rofl.

Summer Lovin'- had me a blast, Summer Lovin'- it happened so fast!

Three whirl-wind days where strangers became friends.
We would like to thank the amazing group of people we have had the pleasure of working with these last three days. 
You know who you are 
Thank you for displaying such a willingness to share your ideas, collaborate and create magical and beautiful moments with your candles and incense, the senses of sounds, seeing her memories in a ghost coat with the feasting pigeons and the journey of their dance.You know what we mean.
Thats what it's all about...!
Flashmobbing Newcastle  - Relive some of it with Ustream
Don't forget to tag us in your facebook photos
We'll carry on uploading stuff over the next week - so please do keep calling back to the blog and leave your thoughts over the next few days - once you've had chance to get your breath back !

OPPORTUNITY - Fancy doing something useful and fun ... ?

WE NEED SOME "100 STORIES" VOLUNTEERS
If you are available on Friday 25th and / or Saturday 26th February we would be interested in speaking to you.
100 Stories is a special performance for just for two evenings this February. It takes people on a journey that starts at 6.15pm in Hanley (City Centre) Stoke on Trent and involves a walk with digital audio, performance, visuals, live music, installations and all sorts of wonderment.
If you can only help a few hours please still get in touch, as we will be able to work a rota of volunteers. Some people might just be able to help during the performance hours, whilst some of you may want to help with the setting up of the event during the day too. 

Fun will be had by all, you will be with a team of performers, artists, volunteers, students and professionals - all ages, all abilities, all experience welcome.

Volunteers for the evening shows will need to be capable of walking for 90 minutes and available 1 hour before the show starts and be prepared to stay around until 9pm if possible. Once you've signed you up as a volunteer we can give you a full schedule of tasks and the places you need to be and at what times.

During the performances we have opportunities for people wanting experience as Assistant Stage Managers, outdoor event stewards, rigging operators , plus we have opportunities for people who may want to help out with really useful roles like providing tea and biscuits, van loading and litter pickers.
There will be a volunteer briefing session and training in specific technical areas will be given also. This experience may be useful for your CV and as usual we are willing to support our Barefoot Doctors with creative and personal development as an ongoing process throughout the year.
If you are interested please call 01782 717326 or email info@b-arts.org.uk 
You can call someone for a chat about how you could be involved - just call the B arts office and speak to Philippa or Deborah. 


To find out more about 100 Stories please go to the DATfest website where you can also book tickets if you have friends who would like to be in the audience. DATfest is a weekend digital arts festival for Stoke on Trent, within the Stoke Your Fires programme

Tonight's Big Experiment ...World Community Arts Day 17.02.2010

World Community Arts Day is here!

As I’m typing this, we are setting up the room ready for tonight’s experiment ... how exciting (Keep your fingers crossed with all the technical gadgets involved !!! )

Tonight's the Night!

B Arts will be welcoming a group of talented young music makers to create a soothing soundscape and some heart wrenching beats for our World Community Arts Day celebrations. This first part of the evening is just for the young people involved, who will be coming from across North Staffordshire and Shropshire as part of the SoundProof project with Make Some Noise

At 8.30pm tonight we open our doors to the World ! We are inviting regular attendees of the Barefoot Doctors project and any local folks ( maybe that's YOU!!!) people who want to share and be part of this audio visual installation, to just come along and enjoy the experience. The night will include some Vj-ing with the photographs from Barefoot Doctors on the theme of community, sharing and caring. People coming along tonight will have opportunity to interact online, responding to the images and the sounds, relax and have a chat.

Venue: B Arts, Unit 19 Barracks Square, Barracks Road, Newcastle under Lyme, ST5 1LG

If you can’t make it to the venue tonight at 8.30pm don’t worry - Get yourself nice and comfy in front of your computer and witness the gathering online. Link up with us just before 9pm (anytime between 8.30pm - 9pm) and get yourself ready, join us at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bitjam

We invite you to respond online between 9pm – 9.30pm - Join in , let us know you are out there sharing the experience with us.

For more news about World Community Arts Day see their main site http://www.communiversity.org.uk/worldcommunityartsday.htm

World Community Arts Day

World Community Arts Day.

We want you to be part of a special event involving collaboration, experimentation and creativity. With sound and vision we invite you to explore the concept of ‘community’ - globally and locally.

Stage 1 – Image Generation

On Friday 29^th January 6pm - 8pm

This month’s Friday Night Surgery session will be dedicated to creating images that represent the worlds community to us. Using various methods, what ever that rocks your world - drawing , photography, action and movement.

Stage 2 – Splicing and Dicing

These images will be spliced and diced during the week that follows to create a short film / digital backdrop / VJ experiment.

Stage 3 – Music Making

On the evening of World Community Arts Day, there will be music specially created by a group of young people from across North Staffordshire and Shropshire who are part of the SoundProof project with Make Some Noise and B Arts.

All participants at stages 1, 2, 3 will receive a copy of our audiovisual experiment to keep.

Stage 4 - Going Online

WCAD ( 17th Feb) at 8.30pm, the participants of stage 1 & 2 will comeback to the venue and witness their film projected into the space, with the music. It will all be streamed live online to the World!

Stage 5 - Responding

All participants and people from around the world will be invited to leave further creative responses to our work with text, comment and feedback.

If you want to be part of this collaborative experiment please contact us :

• · Call B Arts on 01782 638775
• · Email info@pandaemonium.biz
• · Come along the image collection session at 6pm on Friday 29^th January

Venue: B Arts,19 Barracks Square, Barracks Rd ,Newcastle under Lyme, ST5 1LG

World Community Arts Day is Wednesday 17^th February 2010.

If you can’t make it to the venue at 8.30pm on 17^th February, get yourself nice and comfy in front of your computer and witness the gathering online. Try to link up with us just before 9pm and get yourself ready ….Visit creating communities special page for our event now to see how you can link up on the night

http://creatingcommunities.ning.com/worldcommunityartsday

2010 A New Year of Creativity

We hope that you had a good break and managed to get your feet up for 5 minutes ! Lets hope that the next decade brings hope, fulfilment, health and happiness.

Standstill and Clay kept us all pretty busy, we did alot of work together in just a few months - Clay was in October then we got going with Standstill straight after. The show was on 21st December - if you want to see photos from Standstill see the weblink www.standstill.yolasite.com

... So good work folks!

If you are about to make some New Year Resolutions, why not add this one to the list:

"Do something creative - Get myself along to the Barefoot Doctors sessions!

The Barefoot Doctors project is managed by B Arts and we are intrisically performing arts based and would love some folks to come along who want to be expressive in speech, movement and action, but don't let that alarm you ...we include all artforms - everything!

So if the thought of 'performing' scares you rigid, and maybe you don't consider yourself as a great singer, musician, dancer or performer don't worry - we welcome all artforms.

We have experience of working with artists from all over the world, we can all work together creatively.

If you are a visual artist, a graphics person , a crafts maker, a photographer, sculptor, writer, film maker ... at any level - student, amateur, professional, whatever we welcome everyone, anyone who wants to volunteer their time to be part of something that makes positive creative things happen in North Staffordshire.

• We meet on the last Friday of each month
• We meet in unit 19 of the Barracks workshops, on Barracks road, Newcastle under Lyme.
• We usually meet at 6pm

Just pop in and say "Hiya" and we'll get the kettle on! Be lovely to see you.

We put information on other sites too:

You can keep up to date with us on facebook and see who our friends are... ( We are listed as a 'person' named Barefoot Doctors - not as a group. Thats because there is already a group on there from when the Barefoot Doctors project existed in the late 1990's and that group is a sort of reunion group ...so just search for us as a 'person'... if that makes sense)

Other sites you can find us on: http://blurbonline.ning.com http://twitter.com/barefootdoctors

B arts is supported by Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Lloyds TSB Foundation, The Baring Foundation and many others too numerous to mention.

Review- First Barefoot Doctors Open Surgery.

Thanks to everyone who came along on Saturday 11th July, taking part in the first Barefoot Doctors Open Surgery, held in Newcastle under Lyme. Thanks to Rachel at 'picl' too, for opening their venue and staying around all morning.

We had 27 fabulous folks at the Open Surgery session. It was a friendly atmosphere, lots of smiling, everyone chatting , drinking tea and eating biscuits.

Essentially everyone had the opportunity to get away from their daily pressures and to talk to some like minded people - catch up with some familiar faces and make some new friends.

(Nice networking)

Everyone took part in the fun "Creative Symptoms"task, using various vessels and containers to mix our collective creative potion.

During the task people wrote down their symptoms - how they currently felt - about their skills and abilities, artistic ideas, artistic direction,the path they are on now, the path they want to take, opinions on community arts practice and their long term aspirations.

Folks said how useful they had found it and how they were looking forward to the next opportunity to get together.

So if you are itching to meet up again or if you couldn't make it last Saturday but still want to get involved in Barefoot Doctors please keep checking the blog.

New faces are always welcome, any age , any art form, any ability.

Details of how you can involved in the next Barefoot Doctors opportunity will be outlined in the next post. (Coming soon ... well, as soon as a I can type and upload!)

Hello to Barefoot Doctors!

Barefoot Doctors is a creative skills-sharing initiative, running for the next three years in North Staffordshire. We will be enlisting the help and expertise of artists ( Barefoot Doctors) who want to work with either a collective of like minded individuals or to work with established community groups, to create vibrant and exciting arts projects across the area. The projects will also feed into the B arts schedule to create bi-annual performances - visually exciting events of engaging physical theatre, using all art forms in their creation. The Barefoot Doctors will also be looking out for talented emerging artists, people within the community who may want to develop their own skills - to become trainee Barefoot Doctors. All art forms . All ages. All abilities. Come along to our first Barefoot Doctors Open Surgery event. 11am - 1pm. Saturday 11th July 2009. The Old School Rooms,14a King St, Newcastle under Lyme. Just drop in, even for 10 minutes, and find out what its all about and get involved in something creative, maybe sign yourself up as a potential Barefoot Doctor.

Coming by car or need disable access?

There is better disabled access from the back entrance to the room we are using, via Hanover Street and there is a small car park there which might be useful too. Because space is limited can everyone else please use pay and display parking on King St, or one of the various car parks in the town centre, just a few minutes walk away. Thank you.