Sunday 13 January 2013

2013 The year of the Choreopoem...?


So feeling some keen anticipation to progress further at the start of this new year.  After rounding up the first phase of the project, at the end of last year. It became clear to me fully the extent of the huge ambition for the first phase of our project.  Its  success,  particularly  the audiences responses to the work  may  have surprised some in certain quarters.  The project leadership though, all felt  vindicated  and thrilled. Confirmed in our determination to continue to adapt and expand on the work to date. In the meantime, having sat on a Black History Season  2013 artist commission panel.  I am aware and gratified to know, that at least three other Black women artists in my East Midlands region. Are inspired and plan solo multi-media  performance works for 2013 .  It only takes one artist like myself to lead successfully in the van guard for others to find courage for their own vision. 

This has all been  as I hoped  and  planned - it is real source of joy and  pride.  I have been in touch with poet Chanje Kunda (Manchester) and looking forward to her  publication of her choreopoem - by her cutting edge  publishers linked  to the North West Literature Development  Agency.  She also plans to stage her work this year also.  I  am also preparing material to promote the choreopoem art form  for other artists  to consider  via my series of  workshops, creative salons  talks and presentation.  I will  launch this with a  brief Choreopoem  introductory session at Embrace Arts Leicester, for the Event SPRING curator by Bobba Cass  of PINGGG...K ! fame. - To provide workshops  for attendees  to  perform work they have generated on the day to an audience - celebrating Leicester/shire's robust thriving Live Literature  scene. 

 However funding is needed in fact essential for  other BME artists, as mainstream arts tends not to take them on and support them in a sustained fashion  , the current  funding environment is  even more competitive and very proscribed for charities,  young people or arts of demonstrable social policy benefit .  Very tough for  individual new wave  Black woman multi-artist,  looking to advance to the next level. I remain committed  to starting a new cycle  to move forward  and maintain momentum. My vision is focused and aimed  at regional, national and international  target venues and audiences.   There has been some interest from arts management companies I have met with, to help fundraise and and manage say a  future tour programme of dates to to other theatres. Onward and upward then...