[matilda] Peace in the Park / Matilda: Joint Proposal

[R&A]

Dear Benjamin,

Before any serious criticism (always constructive of couorse) of your 
spirited proposals, please let me mark two bizarre statements:

"Matilda also has an obligation to be a space in which social /
 > cultural / poltical issues can be brought to the fore in particpatory
 > and imaginative ways."

Matilda HAS AN OBLIGATION?


> I envision a 
>> series of days held at Matilda, in the early part of next year, at which 
>> there will be lots of activities to take part in (there is lots of 
>> space, after all)- these shall be family targeted and orientated events. 
>> In various rooms there will be a chance to try a hand at DJing, with 
>> tribal dance, banner making, photography etc... I kn


FAMILY TARGETED AND ORIENTATED EVENTS?

Why don't you just let things happen more naturally?

Take care,

Amp


Benjamin Major wrote:

> 
> Peace in the Park / Matilda joint proposal for creative workshops.
> 
> 
> Peace in the Park is a community festival which takes places annually in 
> Sheffield- this years was a great success! This time aroud held in June, 
> it was an excellent way to kick off the summer; think long before 
> Shambalas and ShefStocks, before the G8 in Gleneagles, before Matilda 
> was even a glimmer in our eyes.
> 
> One thing that Peace in the Park has been missing, though, is what 
> called, rather painfully, 'outreach' work. Despite its good intentions, 
> and for all its good-spirited atmosphere on the day, Peace in the Park 
> fails, I believe, to involve some of the most overlooked but important 
> members of the Sheffield community.
> 
> Matilda is Sheffield's new social centre space at 111 Matilda Street, 
> and has already shown itself to be an active and positive place in which 
> things can really happen. We've already had a massive benefit party for 
> the No Borders campaign, at which people were encouraged to think about 
> the issues and political demands that the campaign calls for, as well as 
> having a great time. But although parties in themselves are no bad 
> thing, Matilda also has an obligation to be a space in which social / 
> cultural / poltical issues can be brought to the fore in particpatory 
> and imaginative ways.
> 
> We have a festival which needs to seek out a wider audience. We have a 
> social centre which is on the look out for engaging ways in which to 
> bring people into contact and dialouge with its core principles and 
> messages. It is in this situation that I propose the following initative.
> 
> With this years Peace in the Park I was involved, along with a collegue 
> from that collective, in negotiating a series of workshops which forerun 
> Peace in the Park and which would build up momentum, and community 
> involvement, with the festival. Nothing ever came of this, due mainly to 
> lack of experience on my part and perhaps lack of time to commit. But 
> the principle is still clear in my mind.
> 
> The idea was initially to have workshops running on a weekly basis 
> (Dj'ing workshops, photography, dancing, poetry, art workshops etc...) 
> which would introduce these skills to young people, skills which they 
> build on, and which they then could share with their friends, families 
> and wider communities at the finished Peace in the Park festival- i.e. 
> in a 45 minute performance combining Dj sets, dancing, spoken word, art 
> created in the art workshops as backdrops etc... Young people involved 
> in this would ideally feel as though they were taking an active and 
> purposeful role in organizing the festival, or a part of the festival, 
> for themselves.
> 
> I am now going to propose something similar at Matilda. I envision a 
> series of days held at Matilda, in the early part of next year, at which 
> there will be lots of activities to take part in (there is lots of 
> space, after all)- these shall be family targeted and orientated events. 
> In various rooms there will be a chance to try a hand at DJing, with 
> tribal dance, banner making, photography etc... I know that they're will 
> be more than enough people around to share such skills and talents, as I 
> have seen first hand in my engagements with both the Peace in the Park 
> and the Matilda collectives. If someone takes a liking to a particular 
> activity, the idea is then that this indiviudal may wish to join others 
> in taking a small course of workshops in this activty with the final aim 
> of being able to take part in a short performance / exhibition at the 
> Peace in the Park festival, thus contributing in a meaningful way to the 
> visual or aural identity of the festival. This DIY culture could even 
> extend to say, designing a logo for the next years festival...
> 
> The festival this year was procceded by a march for peace and justce 
> organized by the Stop the War Coalition. I would like to see this 
> element retained next year, but under the full responsibility and 
> direction of the Peace in the Park collective. I would like to see a 
> colourful, impressive and dynamic peace procession to match that of the 
> Lantern Carnival (which takes place earlier in the year) which could 
> begin at Matilda and bring out of Matilda the colourful creations 
> (paper-mache figuratives, banners, anything really) we have collectively 
> created and take them on a tour through the town towards the festival site.
> 
> How the give-it-a-try days and the workshops whould be publisized is 
> something that is still to consider. Though I would create publicity 
> materials myself and will be prepared to use existing community groups 
> and community learning-initatives. I would seek out some funding for the 
> project, and generally commit myself to faciliatating and co-ordinating 
> the project, while respecting the autonomy of the artists involved 
> themselves.
> 
> All workshops would try and promote creative reflections and responses 
> to the themes of Peace in the Park, those of peace, conflict resolution, 
> and social justice. Being involved in a festival and in a peace parade 
> would promote creative direct action and active participation towards a 
> passionately held belief.
> 
> The project could also play a part in the securing of the continuing 
> future of Peace in the Park and of Matilda.
> 
> Can I stop talking in fooking-proposal speak now?
> 
> Benjamin.
> 
> 
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> 


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