The attached recently came through our e-letter box:
Not a formal training day but if you can spare an hour or so to get down to XXX where YYY will be on hand to discuss the hugely successful community engagement programme undertaken at the gallery over the last five years. Guerilla training as well as guerilla writing!
WHO MIGHT YOU MEET?
Five Go Guerilla at the XXX … 5 writers will be in residence at the XXX for just one day of guerilla writing activity.
They’ll be writing about the art and the Romans, meeting the public, versifying in the amphitheatre and generally celebrating 5 years of community creative engagement that has taken place at XXX.
The event marks the end of two important youth projects, Colouring the Canvas and ReHang:Reachout, which have both provided opportunities for members of ReHang, XXX's young curators group, to build skills and provide peer group activity for other young people.
It also signals the promise of more to come…
Since 2008, XXX has seen an exciting programme of youth and community engagement that has gone from strength to strength. From a programme of youth film making and conferences, the gallery’s work with young people and community group has developed to include the launch of ReHang (gallery youth panel), Dr Who screening with writer Q&A, sport events and live gladiatorial combat.
There are music, theatre and poetry performances, family days, photography and youth artfilm installations, political debates, swing dance and glamour evenings, and, recently, the launch of the Who Might You Meet? blog and an ever-growing and successful late night events programme.
The XX Art Gallery is fast becoming one of the most innovative galleries in the city in terms of seeking to engage people of all ages and abilities through a wide range of creative interaction and public events.
So, if you want to come down to the gallery to partake of a bit of guerilla writing activity, and be part of all of this good stuff by getting your writing posted to the youth and community arts blog, drop by on ... find the 5 writers in the gallery, and join them.
And to cap it all, there will be an informal sharing of the work of the 5 writers, followed by a Q&A somewhere in the gallery…
The CVs of the five writers are also illuminating:
One is described as a spoken word artist, photography enthusiast, poet, performer, writer and educator and co-curator of the very popular spoken word showcase
Another is said to hail from a land between spoken word, hip-hop, and theatre. With an eye for the often overlooked in the everyday, his work is entertaining and accessible but remains rooted in a love of the craft of writing.
Another is a poet and artist who works in video and visible verse, spoken word, hip hop and live art. Her work is street, visual, emotive and rhythmical. She is a published poet, a SlamBASSADOR UK Champion and a member of various writing and performance collectives.
No one could accuse the writer of over-statement. Suddenly we feel very old. To think that a poet might not also be a performer.
