Rewriting - Everything yet still Big Thinking Prevails

A truly auspicous new year begins, (given heavenly and earthly events so far ) with arts organisations, toiling away at submitting funding bids, to the main national funder of arts & culture inthe UK. In order to continue their very existence. Months of uncertainy and little information, draw to an end come March 2011. Who will be left standing so to speak ? There would have been much writing and rewriting on the part of arts organisations, in order to meet the new goals set by the arts funder. It is also most papable - the 'competitive air' the swish and switch of real cuts to come - but also a new robustness in terms of those that will be left to continue. This project continues within this challenging climate. After seeing a number of good spoken word productions in theatres recently . I am both re-invigorated and confirmed , as to the unique space this innovative work will occupy. This is confirmed after a conversation with an artistic theatre director who has suggested putting forward the project to the producer of his large theatre- as 'new writing' The arts will need to do big thinking- that is fundamental about the arts it self . I have just received a book, not due for publication till later in the year. In the first section I have read, it ably articulates many ideas and facts - that will I am sure will set ablaze, long overdue simmering debate, regarding arts & cultural diversity in the UK . What exactly does it all really mean in relation to now ? There are many points that are finely put in the book that I agree with. It resembles a gust of fresh air, regarding this topic, for an artist like myself. There is plenty in the book , about eurocentrism, racism etc. but not nearly enough about all the other 'isms especially those faced by black women . Certainly 2011 will see the begining of this big thinking, as it is required by all of us in arts cultural sector , Further Education, Higher Education - in really moving forward...

Being a Writer On The Page & The Money Goddess

I gave Simon a poem of mine the The Bath, following a conversation we had on character development, staging and retrospective narrative. In particular old age , being infirm and the moment close to death. He highlighted a number of themes, he picked up 'by reading on the page' i.e the poem, namely the dialectic, ying/yang of ;- shadow, nemeisis , 'kushti bok woman' character (wise spiritual, philosophical ?) I had written in the back story for this project . I explained my own awareness, of recurring themes loss, abandonement, illness/afflictions of all kinds, alienation, parental issues, sex etc He assured me, this is quite as it should be for a writer. As what is on the page, is a representation of the inner/outer world of the writer. I agreed and added ,that the spice of your own experiences and other peoples, is the launch pad for your imagination. I have reviewed much of my previous writing and all of the above is confirmed. This seemed some how really very important - to give defintion to my work to date in some way ... In terms of someone else reading it on the page and the way they interpret meaning etc. for themselves. It seemed to me that I had not really thought about this aspect t enough previously maybe i.e. the possible transparency of self in your written work. Also today I met a lovely Money Goddess - i.e. a professional fundraiser - to join the story of this project at this point. For which I am hoping for the happiest of endings - so much relief joy and excitement at the propspect of working together