Forest BB

Following on from the Movement and Motive events at the forest in 2006 and 7, which led onto the IAM events at the GRV and Voodoo Rooms in 2008… Chakan (me) has left Edinburgh to go on a research and development trip to find new collaborators and content for the Contemporary Multi Media events as well as develop relationships with issue based organisations around the globe. The latter which might provide impactful subject matter and provide a basis for developing issue based art collaborations in a series of venues, as well develop sustainable actions and produce organic distribution channels for relevant causes.

Namely starting in Barcelona, Spain I have now moved down through Granada to the southern tip of Spain, where I hope to cross into Africa via Tangier, Morocco later today…. Below I will post updates related to this journey, which I hope will take me through several Western African Cultures. I plan on transparently ball parking ideas for event formats, media collaborations or issue based strategies which people might like to feed back on, and will also keep people posted on any interesting volunteer opportunities I come across…

Incidentally I´ll also keep you posted on the activities of several of the other African volunteers who have gone onto develop formats in other cities e.g. like Oxford, Cape Town and New York, which may in the future link back up with future forest events or activities.

If anyone wants to contact me personally they can on chakanhislop@gmail.com

_________________
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Q. what´s the difference between insight and insightful actions?
A. maybe, possibly, probably...

When i initially made the decision to go south from Barcelona, i could not have realised on each stage of the journey and the further i got from my expectations, how the simplicity of defining action against the idea would become clearer than a paneless window: A contrast of feeling and thought; I on the outside in the warmth of an African sun and a chilling awareness of the short sighted self interest of the human condition and the ensuing errors of un-checked consumption and market making. I sometimes wonder if these errors are compounded by the initial assumption that the nations who have had the technology advantage also have the necessary insight to shepherd our developing world into an evolved age of enlightenment and sustainable living...

Personally I felt that to develop my insight and productivity i would need balance my skills and contacts that i had picked up in Europe with a deeper insight and relationship with the content and philosophies i wished to engage and employ in a series of cultural, communication, and sustainable business actions. Actions i hoped in a small way will contribute to the environment around me, and the value I add in terms of my interaction as an individual and the sum of my experiences, which through this African journey i was hoping to add to...

Barcelona - Useful Art and Issue based Links

Barcelona Based international arts mag
http://www.rojo-magazine.com/

A must have arts E-zine for anyone interested in living, watching or traveling to Barcelona
http://www.lecool.com
http://lecool.com/cities/barcelona/subs ... anguage=en

Hangar is a cutting edge experimental centre for arts production and research.
http://www.hangar.org

International ethical organisations Forum instigated in Barcelona, addressing the issues of
cultural diversity, sustainability and peace
http://www.barcelona2004.org/eng/

International short film festival
http://www.mecalbcn.org/index_uk.html

Festival of digital culture and creativity
http://www.artfutura.org/v2/index.php?lang=En

The Online Flash Film Festival of digital arts
http://www.offf.ws

General Links

Barcelona city council website
http://www.bcn.es

Places to live
http://www.loqou.com
http://www.easypiso.com

African orientated Barcelona Links

African arts and issue based events organisation
http://www.media-africa.org

Aigua per al Sahel (es)
http://molinsderei.net/entitats/aigua_sh.htm

Cultural environmental human development association of Ghana (en)
http://www.cehdaghana.org

SILO (es)
http://www.silogb.com

ACS Association Catalana de Residents Senegalesos (es)
http://www.senegalesos.org

And so I left Barcelona, a city i love, and on a comparatively warm Saturday night after a 3 hour journey reached Valencia. As i had done absolutely no preparation at all i jumped off the bus and got talking to the first backpackers I saw, who happened to be from stateside. On inquiring about where the best hostel was at, they furnished me with both good and bad news. The bad news was they were leaving town because due to it being a Bank holiday all of the hostels were full hence why they were at the bus station, but the good news was they had a map and could tell me where these full hostels were so i could try my own luck.

An eternal optimist i set off in the general direction of the old town, where again i stopped my next likely suspect, a deadlocked surfer type, German incidentally, who proceeded in taking a break from the festivities of the evening to escort me to the nearest hostel, where i got lucky on first bite... After unpacking and a refresh i went out to meet my escort at the bar which he directed me he would be at... the first thing that struck me was the entire town was alive with literally thousands of young people out and about, electrified with a buzz i had not seen in so compact a space for a little while, oh apart from Raval in BCN that is... The Edinburgh equivalents of George st and Cowgate just does not cut it in comparison.

Even though many of the people had obviously been drinking and many still were, there was no arrogance or intolerance in the air that you sometimes associate with similar scenes around the UK at this time of night. A sense of relief ensued and i spent a great evening chatting with my German hosts in the only bar in Valencia as well as enjoying the voyeurism of a ring side seat on a busy street..

During the couple of days i spent my time wondering along the markets, and visiting a couple
of nightlife spots, as i would not have enough time to investigate the leftfield art scene here.. What i did see of the social life was of notable contrast to that which i experienced in Barcelona... slightly more interactive and friendly and it seemed much easier to get involved namely due to team outings from the hostel, as well as the tendency for locals to invite you into their evenings with comparative ease.

During my stay I noticed that their was a huge population of Senegalese; so I thought Id spend some time looking for the places they did business and congregated. It seemed as well as there being a small African district near the bullring which contains several clothes shops and one great African art shop the Senegalese tended to trade via the markets. Several Senegalese had official market stalls, mainly selling clothing and bags and this type of thing, but a much larger contingent made themselves busy on the alleyways that lined the markets. The goods sold namely consisted of DVDs and other blackmarket type fayre.

A theatre type performance would unfold when the local police would amble towards them, the vendors would pull the corners of their blanket upwards using a contraption of strings so as to create a enclosed space, and then hurry off in the opposite direction. To the officers credit they made no concerted attempt to catch these guys as far as i could see, and thus this cat and mouse game served no other purpose than to clear the streets periodically of unofficial vendors and keep the young Senegalese entrepreneurs on their toes.

It seems to me with so many young Senegalese budding businessman within the city that in several years time, with the right environment, these young men will be making a great contribution to the commercial and cultural life of Valencia.

This experience underlined one of my initial aims; that when i get to Senegal i would attempt to speak to interested parties in both countries about possible develop a couple innovative ideas which could support and develop these self starting young men. Possibly through cultural interaction and a wider range of commercial opportunities based on specific environmental conditions, which may possibly not only provide alternative employment but may also feedback into the populace and economy of Senegal in some small way..

Incidentally over the last couple of years I have been formulating a quite specific African cultural market model, which basically matches background, skill sets, and market conditions to produce a cultural and commercial outcome set within a space of an retail and arts based cultural dialogue. A model which i hope may contribute to an element of a solution for several problems immigrant communities face, when rich in culture and poor in business infrastructure and opportunity. And talking of new arrivals one could apply the same theory to developing leftfield art spaces and transactional models beyond relying solely on arts funding or other sources of large financial backing, one only has to look at the warehouse spaces surrounding the Truman Brewery in London to see the model thriving well, but how this would apply in other cities with a more dispersed dmographic i am not sure, not without a large collaboration between dozens of active organisations and individuals to get the right balance of footfall and content to make it work..

Back in the African context; by involving young active types in pro active cultural dialogue and activity it is relativly easy to produce a home ground that participants can engage with confidence, it being based on life experience.. This could lead to cultural and artistic collaboration whilst possibly being financially supplemented with cultural goods markets and food offers, and performance donations. Creating a symbiotic relationship between dialogue, public interaction, and commercial opportunity in a manner which is tangible, organic and sustainable and adds value to the environments where effectively actioned... The basic requirements are some willing bodies and sound minds as well as a little space close to a reasonably high traffic area. A candidate or two, to do the necessary paperwork when dealing with the relevant authorities, would also be of immeasurable use.

Im sure loads of other people have the same sort of idea, in fact the forest cafe does do this to a certain degree... Im currently in contact with several people who are intending in the near future to develop these formats in Scotland, Spain and England and if your interested in this type of action feel free to mail me and i can send you information on tools which may be of some use..

The Truman Brewery Market, London UK
http://www.sundayupmarket.co.uk/

Large art degree show held at the Truman Brewery
http://www.free-range.org.uk/

The Drill Hall, Edinburgh, which could do with a couple more arts / market weekends
http://www.outoftheblue.org.uk/

Dhakla Morocco into Mauritania

Apologies for break in continuity and will post my notes from Spain and Morocco as soon as i get the chance later this week....

However Im now in Dakhla Morocco, and have promised my fellow travelers who have hung back around Essaouira and Marrakesh that i would post info as soon I had it... I have found a concrete way across the border into Mauritania, there is no public transport for this leg of the journey and it has the least amount of solid published information on the web... but there is a good system of locals in the hotels who can point you in the right direction... for anyone intending making this journey you need to get to the Sahara Hotel in Dakhla and speak to the guys working on reception. It seems this is the main and safest source of drivers that you can take you through the desert and across the border.. have found 3 french people and one Japanese chap to make some of the the journey with. There have only been 12 travelers trying to make the same journey and eight of us met for dinner last night. It was the Moroccans that alerted us to each other, from different starting sources we ended speaking to the same people as we and they attempted to make economies of scale for the journey ahead..

Ill be traveling through Mauritania to Senegal without any long stops and hope to get to Dhaka for Thursday morning latest... These are the last few hours of my weeks around the Sahara and i look forward to posting info on some of the many great interactions I had when i reach my next destination.

Traveling across the Mauritanian border from Dakhla;

Cost approx 600 DHM but ill leave it to you to negotiate
Location for negotiations/ Sahara Hotel, Dakhla
Contact number and email for the respected man about town
Troufik; 062487391 Toufik_sahara@hotmail.fr

Oh incidentally it being 500 KM from the next large town the web connection is via sat link which is just a tad better than modem, dont plan on too many lucid skype chats whilst in Dakhla, there not going to happen, believe me i tried.... OH and if your coming by coach or car go for the Tagines at the cafe stops which are few and far between in the desert, everything else on the menu is mediocre...

_________________
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Q. what´s the difference between insight and insightful actions?
A. maybe, possibly, probably...

The African Diaspora and the new presidency

On the day of the inauguration of Barack Obama I find myself in Dakar, Senegal, settled for the first time in months attempting to build a sustainable model for the arts using international collaboration, to define an impactful message and tangible outcome. A model which partners with producers of arts related mediums and products in Europe and Africa through the development of new distribution channels across developed world markets, facilitated by art platforms which will produce enhanced tangible access to related physical and media distribution channels. I also hope that through impactful action and collaboration we may be able to develop the insight of interested parties about issues surrounding sustainable modeling and the new logistics of the information age.

Yesterday evening in Dakar as I walked to the internet Café a short distance from my house there was no city lighting on the streets. This did not make the streets any more dangerous as even though alot of the people do not have a lot of money they do not resort to crime against their own communities or visitors to resolve their problems. The streets have no lighting because the electricity is generated by petrol and because the country does not tax a lot of the entrepreneurship of the poor, so on occasion the council cannot afford to pay for the petrol that produces public lighting. By not enforcing tax laws on the poor, of which there are many, it means that a huge amount of economic activity in the city does not create an income for the government but allows the poorest to survive with comparatively less discomfort. The light on the streets came from the porches of houses along the city's roads and like much of the light of the city comes from the people themselves. The Senegalese people have created a strong sense of community much like a lot of Africa, who where possible share the hardships that the free market have brought to all people around the world to different degrees.

Each morning in Dakar at around 7.30am the city comes alive with people making their way to work, as well as attempting to make a living from a wide range of high street entrepreneurial activity, ranging from open air coffee vendors, food stalls, newspaper sellers, shoe shiners, and every type of product or service based store. I wonder that if these people lived in an economy that created more foreign currency how much more access to what we call the very basics these very industrious people would have. Wealthy enough to afford hot running water, schooling for all of their children, healthcare and other things we take for granted.

More worryingly I think about the changes in the environment that are sure to come in the next few years, and the ability for African countries to develop the infrastructure many countries take as a given. Infrastructure which will allow them to defend themselves and develop through the environmental changes that we know are coming.

Many other parts of Asia and South America have more advanced developing economies which are contributing to develop large infrastructure projects which in many ways will help them to withstand the different symptoms of climate change which we are beginning to see in many parts of the world. In Africa however most countries are just about surviving and are not able to prepare for the devastation and migration which is highly likely to come within many of their lifetimes unless the African nations can build an effective lobby in developing countries. This African lobby will hopefully contribute to ensuring their politicians and policy makers cannot continue their devastating policies of trade protection and charity that are so negatively impacting on developing countries ability to trade, build the partnerships they need to develop to create a more conducive environment for large scale investment and employment, and thus develop infrastructure.

I return at midnight to my abode, and I turn on the news and before I see the headlines about the inauguration of the first black president, I see the Israelis are pulling out of Gaza, so guess what? high up on the agenda of the new presidency is the solving of the middle east cauldron. No Matter how terrible I know it is I cannot help but to think of it as another hijacking of an American presidency and the negative impact on a historical moment of change. Yet again the whole world has to place a completely disproportionate focus on a few countries in the Middle East, instead of more productively focusing political and media resources on the people of the entire planet specifically the short, medium and long term impact of the mismanaged speculative markets and the global weather change that is now guaranteed to appear in our lifetimes. Beyond that there has not been a mention as long as I can remember about the issues surrounding the effects of the holocaust of the slave trade where 100s of millions of people were traded, devastated and in a lot cases killed to build the economies of the developed world, and the more recent effects of colonialism and neo colonialism where the resources were transferred through 'legal means' from the poorest nations to the richest countries, which has caused the ongoing disparity in the standards of living and national infrastructure we are seeing today, not just in the developing world, but in the black communities in the developed world as well. Of course the positive sustainable development of this requires balanced informational context and a strong well connected and financed lobby, itself a symptom of real power and logistical insight and integration.

The continuing actions related to the African Holocaust and resource transfer have directly contributed to the issues surrounding migration, which most recently is now called illegal immigration, and the lack of a tangible and sustainable strategy to allow the one billion Africans to insure themselves against economic disaster today and in the future when the weather systems start changing. This reality may turn out to be the biggest continuing crime perpetrated against one continent in the recent history of the human race, which considering the human condition and the propensity for short term self protection is not a small thing. At what point will it become common insight that the globalization of the world has created a symbiotic system where what happens to one part of the global population will have knock on which will effect all, e.g. in this case the cost of immigration policing and the negative impact on inner cities of developing countries, the costs of peacekeeping in war torn countries and the knowledge that in fact we are in the midst of creating a completely unjust international gated community, where no matter the basis of true justice, a great proportion of the planet population will be left outside in the desert or storms. A disenfranchised population have become the recipients of what our developed world calls charity and altruism, which is far cheaper then trading fairly however ethically bankrupt it is. A developed world strategy that is led by the flaws of reactive action instead of proactively dealing with the cause and effects which are directly related to policy and the wider insight of the general population. An insight into the true logistics of a system that has and continues to benefits a few of us but has a history and future capacity to continue destroying the lives of billions of others, namely through our ignorance and complacency. Oh its ok because it happens every day.. and as long as Africans don't become terrorists then it's basically off the agenda.

If we can evolve then we must, and I am hoping that in the midst of this celebration of change there will be a new thrust for governments and international bodies to effect tangible change. Each individual must produce more incentives for our democratically elected politicians and the organizations we contribute to to effect this change, as well being directly involved as individuals in that which is in our environments. We initially begin in the information age by understanding the true nature of our shared experience, and then by understanding and developing our individual contribution to positive change. If there is any universal justice that exists then this human race will not be judged on its 'possessions', ideas or emotions but the cause and effects of its actions on this planet and legacy left on the lives of the people of this world, who as a matter of fact we are all related to.

_________________
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Q. what´s the difference between insight and insightful actions?
A. maybe, possibly, probably...

Incidentally... Obama Swearing-in ceremony at 11:30am EST, followed immediately by Obama's inauguration address...

www.cnn.com

_________________
--------------------------------------------------------
Q. what´s the difference between insight and insightful actions?
A. maybe, possibly, probably...

Granada, multiculturism, and the destruction of knowledge

After leaving Valencia I headed down to Granada, where i thought i would visit the last place in Europe that was an Islamic State. During the Moorish state's ascendency Granada was a great centre of learning and was internationally renowned for a tolerance towards people of all religions.

The resulting intellectual melting pot greatly stimulated science and philosophy and was at the time of the Thirteen and fourteen hundreds a great centre of learning on the european continent. To faclitate this the Moorish Rulers built the Great Islamic library of Granada, one of the most important of its time it brought together books from accross the Islamic empire, Greek, Hindu civilisations and the Jewish Diaspora. However during the reconquest in the 1480s Tomas Torquemada promoted the burning of non-Catholic literature, especially the Jewish Talmud and Arabic books after the final defeat of the Moors at Granada in 1492. Additionally in 1499 another 5000 original Arabic manuscripts were consumed by flames in the public square at Granada.

During my stay I wondered what insights from history went up in smoke during this period and what might have been if these texts and others that had been preserved and studied and incorporated into widespread modern day learning. Would issues surrounding a lack of real insight into the historical, logistical and cultural development of different monotheistic religions occured as prevelantly as they have, and whether it would have been so easy for despots to create environments of religious (and cultural) intolerance for their own populist and political aims. Widespread insight of other races breeds understanding and respect, and with this comes insightful dialougue, which negates the possibility of negative populist politics and the reactive policies of afterthought. Insight belongs to and in an inherited awareness of all people and this is the only insurance against the storms of destructive power politics, economic hardships and the nature of protectionism these hardships breed.

It is sometimes hard to understand why these subjects are still not hardly broached in a balanced manner which is inclusive and accessible when exploring our shared historys and issues surrounding multiculturism and 'racial integration'. Without a hand wringing concern but in a manner which propogates all that surrounds us including popular mediums and mindsets. In this day and age there should be no guilt attached to a discussion of history and it's threaded environments, as this generation is surely not guilty of the actions of their past generations, however we may be guilty for not using every insight and tool in our armoury to attempt to use all of the lessons of history to find solutions to the issues of race, religion and nationhood and the context of the pain and fear in our shared future.

An understanding of values based on a factual human expereince would certainly benefit our psychological evolution beyond that which has resided on the negotiating tables of our nation states. Only then with the assistance of these tools can we surely face the challenges that lie ahead of us with the strength and wisdom of all that has come before us. Not the theory but the practice of; Our Communication, Art and Cultural Dialogue are the winds of the ships of our human experience, to travel in the oceans we wish to explore.

Links

http://www.michmaa.org/newsletters/Fall ... rigin.html
http://www.alhambra-patronato.es/

Guide to Granada

http://www.pocketguia.es/portadas.html (es)

_________________
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Q. what´s the difference between insight and insightful actions?
A. maybe, possibly, probably...

For lots of different reasons related to functionality and problems surrounding typos using a mixture of different language machines and keyboards including arabic and fench, i am having to continue this blog on http://www.cityson.comthe collaborative arts website i am developing...

Appologies for the lack of posts, but as you can imagine i myself was becoming increasingly pissed off with my own seemingly illiterate posts, which in my own defence were related to issues surrounding my lack of patience, a lack of technology, and a mixture of what i consider other rather good excuses related to the places i was visiting....

in any case the new site allows for actual blogging as opposed to just threading bulletin board posts... http://www.cityson.com

In the future for the intrepid tech guys connected to the forest; it may be an idea to create a blogging aplication for forest users, specifically the many that have had to move away, and put some of their insightful experiences at the forest to good use in other environments....

persistance and faith is the only thing that makes you carry on standing up, people fail all the time, its whether you can get back up that determines the winners from the losers...

See below for our first collaborative strategy to contribute to developing a sustainable economy for a broad base of artists in Africa, to exlore creative different methods of creating sustainable channels of foriegn exchange for the wider economy, as well as develop collaborative relevant and impactful communication and art which can penetrate beyond the 'concerned' demographic, the latter of which is the first challange of issue based communication, however not the last...

_________________
--------------------------------------------------------
Q. what´s the difference between insight and insightful actions?
A. maybe, possibly, probably...

Following from my Adventures in Africa as put in the post, I eventually travelled through to Cape Town In South Africa, where i am now running a large NPO which is producing a large market and performance area in Observatory, Cape Town, called the Village of Arts, like the forest accept a little larger e.g. 240 ethical stalls and several performance spaces, reference attached powerpoint. which is an extension of the alternative market we produced during the Fringe Festival but with more lead time..

I am also running in collaboration with Improvement District, the civic association, the business forum, and the City of Cape Town and a large team; The Observatory Festival of Arts which you can find information on below... I trialed several of the multi disciplinary formats in Edinburgh, and one of them at the forest "Movement and Motives", you know i think i was right asking what was the motive, i think the question still stands today "what the hell are we doing this for anyway... emotional compensation, a feeling of moral authority, a belonging to a community that has an impact on the wider community, what is the motive?

Information about the Observatory Festival of Arts, Cape Town, South Africa;

The Observatory Festival of arts will take place from 02/dec/10 to the 11/dec/10 in Cape Town, and is supported by the department of Arts & Culture

Now in its 14th year the Observatory Festival has now been renamed The Observatory Festival of Arts. This year’s festival has been developed to facilitate a cross pollination of audiences for ideas and forms, developing a multi-disciplinary platform for intercultural dialogue and interaction, representative of one of the largest residential arts communities in South Africa - The Observatory. In collaboration with a multitude of organisations we hope that the festival can challenge perspectives about the nature and importance of arts activity in South Africa, the relevance to the wider audience and the relationship between “our own environments” and the “outside world”.

As well as showcase Observatorians the Festival will platform a diverse mixture of content, with a strong leaning towards music, visual arts and performance from across the South African diaspora, representative of the diversity of cultures and contemporary disciplines that reside within the country today. The festival will also invite interventions from international artists, creating a counter point of insight and interaction, providing additional perspectives on the nature of diversity, communication, challenge and change.

As well as a provide an accessible platform for content that promotes insight and dialogue, the event intends to bring together a diverse audience within the streets and “free” areas of the festival, underlined by creating a space, presenting diverse content from across the spectrum , that the audiences of the “popular” content nodes will travel through. The Observatory area has been historically associated (most notably during apartheid years) with leftfield activism, multi-cultural interaction, and social change, and now hosts one of the largest residential communities of artists and intellectuals in South Africa REF: Living History Project. Around the festival Issue based organisations will also be invited to develop impactful interventions, raising awareness about issues that will continue to challenge all areas of society if spaces of dialogue and interaction do not propagate throughout the wider environment.

One of the core objectives of the festival is to develop new audiences for contemporary and traditional art forms, cross pollinating content to audiences who may have not had an opportunity to experience some of the formats we platform. On the streets and spaces of Observatory Africans and visitors alike will be able to enjoy social interaction and one of the most diverse showcases of South African Artists in 2010.

(NOTE for those of you who were around the similarity to the movement and motives dialogue we used at the forest cafe (http://theforest.org.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1692&p=6696&hilit=movement+and+motives#p6696 and I am digital at the GRVhttp://theforest.org.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=3983&p=22424&hilit=i+am+digital#p22424 )

Formats & Preview Events

The formats platformed during the Observatory Festival of Arts will include:

• Live Music
• Visual Art (including public installations)
• Traditional African arts, music and dance
• Street performance e.g. carnival parade, poi, interactive street theatre
• Physical Theatre and Contemporary Dance
• Theatre
• Comedy
• Spoken word & literary events
• Film and documentary


Preview Events:
In the long lead up to the main program in December 2010, the festival will produce a series of preview events, the launch of which will take place at the Bijou cinema and art studios on July 23rd, and throughout September and October in venues around Observatory. A notable percentage of the performance sharings will connect (via the web) to existing art nodes in London, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Berlin and the US.
Scheduled preview events include;
Movement and Motives:
Physical, dance and theatre preview sharings which will include public participation through dialogue, exploring the diverse perspectives of the content which is platformed.
Cityson:
A public participatory visual documentary project exploring the role of visual arts in raising issue based awareness, as well as the role and impact of artists in the communities of the cities they reside in.
Twittoetry:
Internet based written word collaborations exploring the nature of context, colloquialisms and word plays through peoples experience of their environments and the English language
Inside Out:
Public screenings of independent cinema and documentaries from Africa around the World
(in collaboration with several international film festival curators)

The Observatory Village of Arts (NPO)
The festival will also reverse into the Observatory Village of Arts, a weekly happening around Observatory, which will include public space preview performances, multi-disciplinary events in venues around Observatory and an arts and crafts market.

if anyone want to come over to cape town, let me know and ill give you the heads up..... chakanhislop@gmail.com

_________________
--------------------------------------------------------
Q. what´s the difference between insight and insightful actions?
A. maybe, possibly, probably...

Incidentally for those that are interested in getting involved in the online events (see above)... e.g. photographic, documentary, spoken word submission, or thinking about coming over and volleying in December during the festival... or just developing an insight into what we are doing with the events and NGOs related to arts in Cape Town, go to FB and add http://www.facebook.com/chakanhislop#!/ObservatoryFestivalOfArts?ref=ts which is the Observatory Festival of Arts facebook page... all the relevant call outs and applications will be happening from here...

if you are more interested in arts based (more left field) cultural broadcasts and background information (namely SA, UK, and bcn) then add me FB http://www.facebook.com/?tid=1369162792575&sk=messages#!/chakanhislop mention you are from the forest, it'll help with your add

_________________
--------------------------------------------------------
Q. what´s the difference between insight and insightful actions?
A. maybe, possibly, probably...

African Activity Update:

"Art is not just for the gallery or stage, as a festival is not just a periodical happening... it is in ever step we take through our door and decide to live life to its fullest. We do not need special days or places to celebrate our community, commonality and humanity, it can and does exist in our every experience..."

The Observatory Festival & Village of Arts Launch

Time 06 August at 18:00 - 07 August at 01:00
Location Bijou Cinema & Art Studios
178 Lower Main Road, Observatory
Cape Town, South Africa
Format:
Introduction and presentations of both the Observatory Festival of Arts (Dec 2010) & The Village of Arts NPO (from SEP 2010). The event will showcase artists open studios, installations, projected media, theatre & dance, photography, music and live performance:

About the Festival & Village:

The 14th edition of The Observatory Festival (now: of Arts) has been developed to produce a multi-disciplinary platform for inter-cultural performance and interaction, representative of one of the largest residential arts communities in South Africa.
http://www.facebook.com/ObservatoryFest ... nfo&ref=ts

The Village of Arts is a large interdisciplinary space and market area which will take place on the newly developed green in Observatory. The space which launches on the 25/09/10 will include 240+ booths for arts, crafts, fine food & drink, recycled objects, fashion and accessories, most of which will have been produced in S.Africa by independents. The Village, which will also integrate into other venues around Obz, will also include an outdoor restaurant, performance spaces, an indie cinema, as well as a host of workshops that people can participate in.
(applications for participation will available at the event and online at a later date)

The Preview and Fund-raiser event (Door: R40)

Reception by Observatory Festival of Arts and Partners

Speeches from supporters & collaborators

>Live Acts:
=========
Soul Noir.
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Solo, Kholelo Masala & Friends - (international touring percussionists).
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Meri Kenaz
http://www.merikenaz.com/
----------------------------------------

>Mixed Media:
=========
Jeanette Unite
http://unite.co.za/
----------------
Barbara Wildenboer (photography/ mixed media book arts)
http://www.photocentre.org.za/profile_body.htm
http://www.photographersgalleryza.co.za ... xhibition/
----------------
Selvin November (painter)
http://www.selvinnovember.co.za/
----------------
Norman O'Flynn (painter/sculptor/ artists books)
http://www.erdmanncontemporary.co.za/norman-oflynn/
---------
Christopher Slack (painter/printmaker)
http://www.christopherslack.com/
-----------------------------------
Chris Swift (mixed media and site-specific installations)
http://www.chrisswift.co.za/
---------------
Liza Grobler (mixed media installation /site-specific interventions/ work on paper)
http://www.lizagrobler.co.za/
-------------------------------
Kilmany-Jo Liversage (painter/ silk ribbon compositions)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kilmany_jo_liversage
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Hanlie Coetzee (book maker)
http://www.leatherbacks.co.za/
-------------------------
Elize Vossgatter (painter/ mixed media)
--------
Albert Coertse (painter)
-------------
Aiden Madenfield
http://www.scribblesays.blogspot.com/
-----------------------
Neil Nieuwoudt
http://aclockworkorange.withtank.com/
http://www.neilnieuwoudt.blogspot.com/
-----------------------------------
Pierre Florenche
http://www.pierreflorenchie.com/
-----------------

>Live drawing:
=========
Andy Posner


>Projected media - Documentary Photography & Video:
=============================
Africa Burns: retrospective of 10 years of Africa burn (multiple artists)
http://www.afrikaburns.com/
--------------------------------------
One Small Seed TV
http://onesmallseed.tv/
---------------------------------------------------
Falko one
http://http://falko1.co.za
--------------------------
Yasser Booley:
http://yasserbooley.wordpress.com/ http://magcloud.com/browse/Issue/35757
---------------
Sydelle Willow
http://sydwillowphotography.blogspot.com/
-----------------
Neil Nieuwoudt
http://aclockworkorange.withtank.com/
http://www.onesmallseed.net/profile/neilnieuwoudt
-------------------------------------
Kathalijne Van Zutphen
http://www.kathalijne.com/
-----------------------------------------

>DJs:
==========
DJ ID (Kool Out Lounge)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2 ... all&ref=ts
-----------------------
DJ Anthoni (Chimurenga)
http://www.chimurenga.co.za/
------------------------------------
DJ Fred Spider (cape town international jazz festival)
http://www.myspace.com/pleingazproductions
-------------------------
DJ Infrared (superhuit music, paris, france)
http://www.myspace/infraredthecompose
------------------------------------

>Performance:
=============
Mbali Vilakazi (spoken word)
http://www.mbalivilakazi.com/
--------------------------------------
More spoken word and dance performances to be announced


>Media & Publications:
===============
One Small Seed
http://www.onesmallseed.com/
----------------------
Aesthetics Now
http://www.aestheticsnow.com/
---------------------------------
Chimurenga
http://www.chimurenga.co.za/
---------------
Fine Print (event special edition)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3 ... 218&ref=ts
------------------------------------------------------------------

Overtone
http://www.overtone.co.za/

>Technical Partners:
================
http://www.ultraevents.co.za/

Victuals: a selection of decent food and drink will be available at reasonable prices...

More artists details to be announced soon

The TWO FREE intimate after parties within a 1 minute walk of each other (until 4am), will be provided for those who would like to dance & play for a little longer, to be announced at the event...

for more info contact info@observatoryfestivalofarts.co.za

the information above can also be found on: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=130284213673613 (FB is really big out here!)

_________________
--------------------------------------------------------
Q. what´s the difference between insight and insightful actions?
A. maybe, possibly, probably...

Here are some of the fist pictures of the pre-launch event for the Observatory Festival and Village of Arts: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/album.php?aid=472692&id=822625064

you may also find the Canadian nodes of arts action of some interest:

411 Initiative for Change
Agents of Change
Art City in St. James Town
Art Gallery of Ontario
Arts Network for Children and Youth
Artreach Toronto
Art Starts
ACS Student Union
Artsvote
Asian Arts Freedom School
Bene-Fête Publicity and Events
CARFAC Ontario
Centre for Information & Community Services of Ontario
Centre for Integral Economics
CYAN
Chinese Canadian National Council, Toronto Chapter
Dandyhorse Magazine
DP Group
Duspa Collective
Elementary Teachers of Toronto
Earwaks.com
Eva's Initiatives
Evergreen
The Fairlawn Neighbourhood Centre
Fire Air and Theory
Grassroots Youth Collaborative
Illegalsigns.ca
Kate Henderson Intellectual Property & Trademark
Lakeshore Arts
Lotus Leaf
Manifesto
Milkweed Collective
Mural Routes
nataliagrosner.com
No.9 Contemporary Art & the Environment
OpenCity Projects
PressPause
Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Centre
Rhythmicru
Ryerson Students' Union
Scarborough Arts Council
Schools Without Borders
Sketch
Social Planning Toronto
Spacing Magazine
Stunt Creative
Style in Progress
Sunnyside Community Association
The Remix Project
The Gladstone Hotel
The Faculty Of
TakingITGlobal
them.ca
The Stop Community Food Centre
Threads 4 Humanity
Toronto Arts Council Foundation
Toronto Cyclists Union
Toronto Public Space Committee
Toronto Youth Cabinet
University of Toronto Student Union
Urban Arts
Well and Good Art Space
Why Not Theatre
Youth Action Network

_________________
--------------------------------------------------------
Q. what´s the difference between insight and insightful actions?
A. maybe, possibly, probably...