A Guest Visiting Lecturer New Choreopoetry Fans & C19 #BLM

 

So despite the perils of a global pandemic Covid 19, inertia, anxiety and uncertainty, a lockdown of the arts, e.g theatres, personal family bereavement. On a personal level, there is some good news, the last year has seen for me, writing commissions now published  in print, of non-fiction arts, and an excellent collaborative poetry anthology, with poets from across the world (details below). 

In addition to being appointed as Visiting Guest Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University for MA Creative Writing Students. Whereby, I recruited a number of enthusiastic student to take on writing choreopoetry for the page and stage. This was a total delight, I was so pleased to find new choreopoetry fans. Great to be able to convey the importance, of writing not only what you know, but to delve into their own background indentity, to explore a diverse range of voices for characters. In particular, I was able to share my passion, for Leicester and the East Midlands, its potential for narratives, and its unique dialect, slang and argot I use in my own writing.  

I will be a Visiting Guest Lecturer also for Derby University this April, for the MA Creative Writing for Performance Students. With a focus on using core writing skills, in order to make them transferable for different platforms and writing contexts. With a view to maximising income generation, building profile and portfolio. In addition to identifying writers voice and audience for their own writing. Importantly, to write for an increasing culturally diverse UK/ Europe and World. In the wake of #Black Lives Matter, there is an urgent need for real change, what is required, is anti-racist actions, to address systemic racism in society, its institutions. This in turn will galvanise us all to also address social equality and justice in general, for Women, LGBTQ, the Disabled, and all currently excluded groups. 

Publications 

Poetry and Covid  Anthology Editors Anthony Caleshu Rory Waterman

https://www.shearsman.com/store/Caleshu-and-Waterman-(eds)-Poetry-and-Covid-19-p294597003

Reflections:Cultural Voices of Black Irrepressible Resilience Serendipity Editor Pawlet Brookes

https://www.serendipity-uk.com/product/reflections-cultural-voices-of-black-british-irrepressible-resilience/

Catching Up... Carol Leeming MBE in New Years Honour List 2019! & The Future

It is some considerable time that has passed, since writing this blog, which has had so many visitors!  It it still an important repository to put my thoughts, events and achievements etc. As it was set up for myself to document an artistic journey as a Black Woman Artist living in Leicester, the East Midlands in England. I also wanted it to be a resource for others to learn about being an artist here at this time. It seems more pressing now with, more cuts and pressure then ever on public funds for arts, education etc, and the possible onset of Brexit (England Leaving the EU), and the implications of what that could mean, for an outward facing internationalist artist like myself. With regard to links and being able to work within say EU Countries. However I wanted to share some fantastic good news...

In January 2019 I was delighted, so proud  have been awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year Honours List, for services to arts & culture in Leicester as poet and playwright. This list is announced in the London Gazette, the  Investiture Ceremony took place at Buckingham Palace on March 7th and I received the MBE from HRH Prince Charles. I was accompanied to the ceremony by family and friends.

This national honor is life changing, historic and marks a wonderful milestone in my arts career and spurs me on to bigger and greater things. At the Investiture Ceremony Buckingham Palace, I was able to meet other recipients of the award from all walks of life and backgrounds e.g. the arts, business voluntary charitable sectors etc.

Looking back over this blog and my arts career to date it is clear. I have been on an incredible journey. and yet I feel I am just about to start yet another new chapter.  As of last year my company produced another choreopoem,  Love he life you live...Live the life you love see here http://www.daretodiva.org  an abridged version, which I directed with an excellent male performer. It previewed very successfully, it to a paying audience at a major regional theatre and got very useful feedback. This was with a view to fully producing the play to tour nationally later that year.

Disappointingly, that was not to be, it is even more difficult and competitive a climate for us to gain any arts funding than it was in 2010/11. As such I have reflected,  it is therefore likely the project will be put into abeyance for now. Until  the climate is more positive for arts funding, growth and sustainability.
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For now, I will therefore continue work in my current roles for my company, as Vocal Coach, Music Director, Curator, more recently Consultant re: Culturally Diverse Music Education & Governance. Along with writing and performing poetry, and preparing a full collection for publication after the sell out success of my self published  debut chapbook The Declamations of Cool Eye a few years back. It is hoped I can find a further new role soon, that would offer new challenges, new experiences and work with new people to build on my skills and experience to date, so watch this space...

Excitement ! New Producer Joins the Project & Arts Council Grants For The Arts

This year has been a busy and energetic one  hence the gaps in blogging...However this project still moves forward .. So we have on board now for the this production project, a successful and experienced Producer based in the East Midlands to Boot!  Michaela Waldram Jones is based in Nottingham and has an impressive track record working in theatre and with culturally diverse artists regionally, nationally and internationally. With excellent contacts and great track record across the theatre industry, Michaela will be of great benefit to our project.

Following an extended period of my working as a dramaturge and then director for an brilliant play, A Scholar & A Statesman written by the talented Pamela Roberts - which is in for further development for full production after an immensely successful rehearsed reading at the Attenborough Centre Leicester. I am in the process of doing a Grants for the Arts application on Grantium the new portal used by the Arts Council, for you to submit your application online. 

Initially you need to register your details and project title etc. this  may take a little awhile and then you can ask for templates or download them to work on. to collate and complete all the information you will need of the application.  One of the questions that is asked is about your arts activities over the last year, and how many artists, participants and audiences have benefited.   It has been interesting for me to look back and focus on all I have been doing, and actually calculate these numbers.  What is new this time is including also online numbers, eg, all my youtube video/s views or my blog views
too!

Finally, Actor colleagues and others have been very helpful already,  in suggesting potential actor/dancers to look at later on for the plum character role of Maz for Love The Life You Live..Live The Life You Live Love.   This makes it all so very exciting and real after all this time - can't wait to get cracking with it all - but patience is a real virtue when it comes to making theatre work. I have learnt form experience that things all come together at the right time and not before!

Getting Busy Pre-Production Game On

This most recent period, has been marked by a series of productive meeting with Curve Theatre and freelance producers,  and very helpful advice from Arts Council England, exploring the possibilities for producing Love The Life You Live Live The Life You Love later this year for a sharing for interested venues and bookers. in addition to discussing associate membership and a mentor for me as Director for the project.

After listening to the text, we now have on board the project, an excellent Choreographer, known for truly exciting physical theatre on board with an excellent region al nation and  international reputation. More details will follow in due course, regarding other members of  what will be a first class creative team to be recruited. Along with opportunities created for a Producer and student placements etc.

During this time work has also been done on tweaking, the governance for The Dare to Diva Company Advisory Board. It is likely this group will meet in due course to begin to guide the Funding application/s and oversee the project timelines and development.

All this work is fitted in between personal appearances performances and readings along with teaching and coaching voice and performance skills having moved to a new Performing Arts Academy and venue, after the closure of Sheehans Music Academy

A New Year.. New Developments

A new year begins 2017 and new developments...as the  prestigious Leicester Writers Club Award wining Choreopoem Love The Life You Live...Live the Life The You choreopoem, with text music, physical theatre, still and moving digital media, written by Carol Leeming who will also direct. Highlighting issues e.g.around identity, race ethnicity, LGBT and gender performance, is in pre-production for a staged public sharing at a major theatre later in the year.

You can buy the book anthology and find out more about the Hidden Stories project and anthology, by clicking the links at the end of this blog. Get the book and read this stunning choreopoem included, along with other great writing.

At this exciting, pre-production stage, excellent innovative collaborative creative team are being put together along with funding bid proposals.  A key role will be a producer/arts manager for the project making important links with venues for 2017/2018. It is hoped for this new production, that the piece will have an expanded music composition incorporating choral music

It is expected to be an exciting cutting edge and thought provoking even shocking production. The actor performer required for this ground breaking production  will need to be adept with monologue verse (non rhyming) and a bespoke physical theatre. The narrative which will certainly complicate Briton's historical narrative, with an expected immersive and completing performance.

Do stay tuned to this space for regular updates on the progress of this production.

http://www.phoenix.org.uk/blog/hidden-stories-book-launched-at-phoenix/ http://phoenixleicester.tictail.com
http://www.phoenix.org.uk/hidden-stories-book/

Published! Love The Life You Live…Live The Live You Love - Hidden Stories Book Launch 31st March 2015

Wonderful! The Hidden Stories Anthology print Book published by Affective Digital Histories, with my own choreopoem Love the Life You Live Live…Live The Life You Love included, is  launched is next Tuesday 31st March 2015 at Phoenix Digital Media Centre Leiceste . This the culmination of some excellent writing by the Creative Writers commissioned alongside myself, and all the Affective Digital Histories Team, of creatives and academics drawn from Leicester University,Centre for New Writing Phoenix and De Montfort University.

I just can't wait for the launch,when all the creative Writers will read and present extracts, from their writing in the book. It will be great to meet with them all socially too.  Corinne Fowler and Ming Lim who both led this innovative project, will adding also their own contributions, to what will be a wonderful evening, indeed so far the launch of the year for the region certainly!

Siobhan Logan Award Leicester Writers Club 2014 - Awarded to me - I am so Proud!

So its been an interesting  year to say the least, some ups and downs and round and round..
But overall lots of good things too, not least the completion of the Affective Digital Histories Creative Writing Commission the choreopoem, Love the Life you Live … Live the Life You Love and the wonderful audiences reaction to it. This year, I have attended more meetings of the Leicester Writers Club and enjoyed an learnt so much - every time I attended. I said to myself come 2015 I would attend even more meetings, as I am sure this will develop my own writing and appreciation of literature overall. As the Leicester Writers Club boasts a good number of published writers and poets and their  professional insightful and constructive feedback is most welcome.

I resolved to attend the Leicester Writers Club Annual Dinner, with a view to getting to know other members better and get a feel for this eagerly anticipated and important occasion.
We gathered at the Taste Restaurant for drinks, followed by the most delicious and elegant food. The convivial company at my table was equally fabulous, local Authors Rod Duncan,Chris De Lacey, Terry Bradshaw, Divya Ghelani and Siobhan Logan. Our Club Chair Lindsay Waller - Wilkinson, gave the most brilliant narrative style introduction to the more formal part of the evening. With Author Jean Chapman as a lovely and encouraging guest speaker. 

Then came the Awards, many were named after  previous  esteemed members, as the Club has been in existence for 50 years ! There were a number of awards, many for new novels, prose writers etc. and it revealed to me the high-level of activity and successful achievements of the Clubs members over the last  year. I knew how important this is to encourage writers in their work and there was ready warm applause all round. Imagine my surprise when my own name was read out, for a new award named after Siobhan Logan for Crafting Writing for Listeners, in recognition of my new choreopoem creative writing commission and the subsequent successful public reading event - Siobhan had outlined a long list of of other worthy members that were nominated for this award.  So I staggered up to receive my prize, very moved by and feeling so very proud!  Wonderful to be acknowledged and receive such an accolade from my esteemed peers in the club - a truly unforgettable night . This has as boosted me to continue with my writing and to aim for further achievements and success in the future.