Amelia’s Magazine | Earth Listings: 2nd – 8th November 2009

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2009

Diamond Tears by Verena Paloma Jabs at Tatty Devine

PANIK – CHANGING FACES

6 NOVEMBER – 28 NOVEMBER 2009 PRIVATE VIEW THURSDAY 6.30 – 9PM
26 ARGYLE SQ. ENTRANCE FROM ARGYLE WALK LONDON WC1H 8AP

Calaveras: Mexican Prints for the Day of the Dead

Make It Print It Pack It Ship It

Check out the range of talks and discussions this week, treat there is a chance to vent some anger at some cops in a more legitimate manner than normal as well as plenty of events pushing for action on a deal at the Copenhagen Climate Change Talks.

le1
Illustration by Anneka Tran

Architecture and Climate Change – The Sustainable City
Tuesday 3rd November 2009 ?

Acclaimed architect, visit planner and former Mayor of Curitiba, Jaime Lerner, discusses his visionary ideas concerning cities and their future. Lerner’s talk will look at design in structuring urban growth as well as focusing on the importance of public transportation as well as engaging with some of the key issues affecting the built and natural environment now and in the future.

Time: 6.30pm
£8, £5 concession
Venue: RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD
?Website: http://www.architecture.com

Fast Facilitation – An action-packed taster course
Wednesday 4th November 2009

Getting a group together focusing on environmental issues in your neighborhood, or looking to take a new role in a discussion group? This course is suitable for people with little or no experience of facilitation. This course aims to help you design, facilitate and evaluate meetings or workshops that engage and include all participants effectively in order to achieve desired outcomes.

Time: 9.30am – 5.00pm
Venue: 212 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7BF
Website: http://www.the-environment-council.org.uk/training.html

Establishing a food forest: the Permaculture way
Thursday 5th November 2009?

An inspiring and practical film from permaculturist Geoff Lawton about the potential of permaculture forest gardening to design abundant human ecosystems. Part of a programme of film and events to accompany C Words: Carbon, Climate, Capital, Culture – an exhibition by artist-activist group PLATFORM and their collaborators.

Venue: Arnolfini, Bristol
Website: http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/details/416

Met open discussion about policing of the G20
Thursday 5th November 2009

le2

The Met police will be hosting a public meeting about policing of the G20 demonstrations, chances for people to vet their anger, frustration or glee at seeing protestors get beaten up. The police will be answering questions and making sure the media see they are taking some initiative, although I’m sure continuing their oppressive tactics away from the spotlight.

Time: 9.30am – 12.30pm
Venue: London’s Living Room, City Hall

Climate Emergency Copenhagen forum
Saturday 7th November 2009

Looking everything we need to do to stop climate change in it’s tracks, 10% cuts by end 2010 and the case for emergency action. Creating a million climate jobs by end 2010, decarbonising our transport fast and looking at the Copenhagen talks, and the deal we need and the deal we’re likely to get. Plus plenty of workshops on the day.

Venue: South Camden Community School, Charrington St., London, NW1 1RG
?Time: 12 – 6pm
Website: www.campaigncc.org

Put People First G20 Counter Conference
Saturday 7th November 2009

le3

The Put People First G20 Counter Conference will bring together academics, activists, campaigners, unions and policy makers to debate alternative policies to promote jobs, justice and a safe climate. Following on from earlier this year, where we marched in our tens of thousands to demand the G20 Put People First. However, we’ve seen nothing but a return to business as usual.

Time: 10am – 5.30pm
Venue: Central Hall Westminster SW1 9NH
Website: http://peopleandplanet.org/navid8537

Green Sundays
Sunday 8th November 2009

Bored with lazy Sunday afternoons? Why not go down to Green Sundays at the Arcola Theatre and explore environmental issues in a relaxed and chilled out manner? The event provides an opportunity for like-minded people to get together to learn about the planet while listening to live world music, film, spoken word, games and discussion.

Time: 3:00pm – 7:30pm
Venue: Arcola Theatre, 27 Arcola St, London, E8 2DJ
Website: www.greensundays.org.uk

Categories ,10% cuts, ,Activists, ,arnolfini, ,bristol, ,C words, ,campaigners, ,Capital, ,carbon, ,climate, ,Climate Change, ,Climate Emergency Copenhagen forum, ,Culture, ,earth, ,environment, ,Facilitation, ,g20, ,Green Sundays, ,listings, ,Met police, ,permaculture, ,Put People First, ,sustainable, ,unions

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Sketchbook STUDIO at Kingly Court


A couple of weeks ago, medications I was sifting through work emails and idly wondering how my forthcoming weekend was going to shape up; it seemed to be taking on the familiar pleasures of the default setting – drinks, pilule lazing around Shoreditch Park, case catching a gig or two, having a coffee at Columbia Road flower market; the same old same old essentially, and then an email dropped into my inbox that quickly made me revise my plans. It was from Ben, an old friend of Amelia’s Magazine from French-Music Org, and Liz from Brittany Tourism who were both involved in the French music festival des Vieilles Charrues in Brittany, and wanted to know if Amelia’s Magazine was interested in coming along to check it out. Being a champion of all kinds of festivals, both in England and abroad, but at the same time staying true to the ethics of not flying wherever possible, I was pleased to see that the festival encourages all non-flight forms of travel, and had a good deal with Brittany Ferries worked into one of the ticket packages that also includes transfers to and from the festival. I had a quick look at the line-up, which included performances from Phoenix, Midlake, The Raveonettes, Fanfarlo, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip and Julian Casablancas. Then I checked my ipod and saw that apart from a little Francoise Hardy and Charlotte Gainsbourg, it was woefully lacking in French music and decided that this Gallic version of Glastonbury could be my guide to France’s vibrant music scene, especially seeing that Chapelier Fou, Revolver, Indochine, Fefe and the brilliantly named Sexy Sushi were all headlining. So that was that. All I needed to do was grab my trusty pillow and I was off to France! A few hours later, after a bumpy ferry ride that unfortunately took place on the windiest day of the year, I found myself in the picturesque town of Carhaix, home of the festival, and about 45 minutes inland from the coast.


Sune and Sharin of The Raveonettes give us a shock and awe performance.


Watching The Raveonettes with my friends – wet and bedraggled but happy.

It was straight to the festival and to the front of the crowd to watch The Raveonettes do a typically kinetic set of howling, fuzzy guitar riffs, liberally sprinkled with lots and lots of noise. Just how the audience like it. The Danish duo, made up of Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo are a dark force to reckon with and played an incredibly tight set, featuring songs from their fourth album, In And Out Of Control. I hadn’t see them play before and I came away thinking that the bands waiting in the wings such as Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Crystal Castles and Vivienne Girls still have a long way to go before they steal the crowns off of these two. Later I managed to get in some talk time with Sune who refused the offer of dinner with his bandmates in favour of shooting the breeze over mugs of vodka cranberries for a whole hour. (Interview to come in the next few weeks)

The next day, when I was a little less exhausted from twelve straight hours of travelling, and no sleep, I was able to properly explore the festival and see it through renewed eyes. Truth be told, it was refreshing to find myself at an overseas festival. The crowd were relaxed, extremely friendly (stand next to any random group of strangers and within a few minutes you will be conversing away happily in a garbled mix of Franglais) and the FOOD (and drink)! It doesn’t matter how many boutique festivals are springing up over England, festival des Vieilles Charrues trumps us with champagne bars all over the site (to be sipped insouciantly while you watch French rock gods Indochine) and food tents which can provide you cheese plates and fruits de la mer to go with your choice of wine. It being slightly earlier in the day, I was trying out the regional cider which was so tasty it practically made me weep, and made my way over to watch the Fanfarlo set. Unexpectedly, this was probably my favourite performance of the festival. Having toured constantly for the past year (watch the mini documentary on their website which painfully documents their incessant and exhaustion-inducing schedule), the performances of the songs from their 2009 release Reservoir have taken on a whole new level. Each band member seamlessly flitted between a myriad of different musical instruments; no-one ever held onto a guitar, trumpet, violin, mandolin or musical saw for more than a few minutes before doing some musical-chairs. I’m not sure how well France was aware of Fanfarlo, but the full audience loved every song they played, and noisily demanded an encore – which unfortunately they didn’t get, but then, the band do only have about twelve songs in their back catalogue.


Fanfarlo talk about life on the road and divulge the little known fact of lead singer Simon’s childhood love of ham radios.


Traditional Breton music. Everyone knew the dance moves but me.

Night time gave me a chance to flit between the bands playing. I watched Midlake, the indie Texans who are fast gaining popularity over on this side of the pond, serenade the audience as the sun set, their hazy Americana sound drifting over the breeze and through the fields. Then it was a hop, skip and a jump to watch Sexy Sushi, the raw Parisian rap of Fefe and – I didn’t see this coming – some traditional Breton music involving some old men, a couple of accordions and a lively crowd who were all versed in the dance moves that accompany the traditional folk style. Then the midnight hour was upon us and the audience was heading in droves to watch Phoenix, who are clearly the prodigal sons of France. I’ve heard before that some of the French don’t appreciate the fact that Phoenix record all of their tracks in English, as opposed to their mother tongue, but there was no such bad feeling in the crowd that stood around me that night, sending waves of love and adulation towards the stage which prompted lead singer Thomas Mars to briefly lie on the stage in slightly dazed wonder at this epic night.

It was frustrating to have to leave on Sunday, as I missed performances by Pony Pony Run Run, Julian Casablancas and Etienne De Crecy, but work commitments dictated an early departure. Nonetheless, I had such a great time that I am already planning next years Festival des Vieilles Charrues (which will be the 20th anniversary of the festival). Brittany was the perfect setting for such a chilled festival, and a welcome addition to the festival calendar.

Way back in 2007, click Amelia’s Magazine was one of the first to recognise the raw talent of a young Johnny Flynn, for sale who won us over with the delicately nuanced themes in his poetic and lyrical songwriting. (The fact that he could wield a Gibson guitar like nobodies business also helped make him alright in our books). Fast forward to today and it’s safe to say that the kid done good. Supporting Mumford & Sons in their upcoming October tour, performing at summer festivals all over the country (including this weekends Cambridge Folk Festival) and collaborating with Laura Marling and Anna Calvi, Johnny has more than established himself in the British folk canon. But Johnny is no one trick pony; his new album Been Listening shows a strong appreciation of musical diversity, and gives respectful nods to early 20th Century blues, African music, and even takes inspiration from Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha. His creative streak runs deep, and the animated video for his new single, Barnacled Warship (released August 16th) is a dark dystopia directed by Christian DeVita, lead storyboard artist on Wes Anderson’s ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ as well as Tim Burton’s forthcoming ‘Frankenweenie’.

So, as you can imagine, we felt that a catch-up with Johnny was long overdue, and so when we were approached by his team to do a video interview, it was only a matter of fighting over which contributor was the biggest fan (the honour went to the lovely Chloe) and then we were ready to go!

Watch the feature for Barnacled Warship here:
YouTube Preview Image

Go to Johnny’s MySpace and website for lots more, including his newly released tour dates.

dougald_hine_by-asli-ozpehlivan
Dougald Hine by Asli Ozpehlivan.

In May, search Dougald Hine, visit this co-founder of new literary movement The Dark Mountain Project organised Uncivilisation in Llangollen, Denbighshire. The three day festival of music, writing, thinking and doing was an astounding success, challenging the preconceived notions that our current way of living can be made ‘sustainable’. I caught up with him for a post-festival chat…

How are you feeling now the festival is over?
I’m exhausted and still piecing together what exactly happened, but it feels like it was something big and worthwhile.

Were you pleased with the turnout?
We had 400 people over the weekend, which was as many as the site could handle – and a real mixture of those who already felt deeply connected to Dark Mountain, those who were sceptical but wanting to engage, and those who were just curious to find out more.
 
Dark Mountain by Emma Raby
Dark Mountain by Emma Raby.

What were you wanting the audience to gain from the experience?
We wanted people to come away with a sense of the conversations going on around Dark Mountain and the spirit of the project.
 
Explain the dark mountain project in layman’s terms:
Dark Mountain invites people to think about what we do, if it turns out that our way of living can’t be made “sustainable”. It’s also about questioning the stories we tell ourselves about our place in the world, about progress and our ability to control nature. What if the mess that we’re in – ecologically, economically, socially – is rooted in those stories?

How easy was it to handle being a speaker and the organiser?
It wasn’t easy – I was living on four hours sleep a night, at the limit physically and emotionally, after the most intense few months of my life. Looking back, we really needed a larger team around the festival, but that’s hard when you’re doing something for the first time. We’ve had a lot of people getting in touch since who want to help organise future events.
 
time-to-look-down (dark-mountain)-by-Mags-James
Time to Look Down by Mags James.

How did you get the guest speakers involved?
For me, a great event should be a mixture of people you’ve wanted to see speak or perform for years and people you’ve never heard of, but who turn out to be amazing. It’s hard to choose highlights, but Jay Griffiths and Alastair McIntosh were particularly important voices for me – as were Vinay Gupta and Luke Concannon. There were things which, in hindsight, we might have done better. The main stage was too male-dominated – and we needed more convivial spaces for conversation and participation. But I was pleased with the contrasts between the speakers and the interweaving of ideas and performance. I just wish we could have spread it out over three weeks, rather than having to cram it all into three days.

Were you aiming for a specific ‘sound’ for the festival?
One of the surprises after the manifesto came out was how strong a response we got from musicians and songwriters. Chris T-T and Marmaduke Dando both have songs inspired by Dark Mountain on their new albums, while Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. has been involved from very early on. So the festival sound was shaped by the places where the project has struck a chord. There’s a lot of common ground with some of the powerful folk stuff going on with people like Jon Boden and Chris Wood, who was our ideal choice to close the whole weekend. But there was a real diversity of other sounds, whether it was delicate jazz ballads from Billy Bottle or hilarious death blues from Bleak.

Dark-Ruins-by-Lisa-Stannard
Dark Ruins by Lisa Stannard.

There seemed to be a lot of misunderstanding in the media about the purpose of the festival. Why do you think it was so hard for some people to understand?
Well, firstly, because Dark Mountain is work in progress – it’s a conversation, an exploration, not a single line of argument or a political platform. Most campaigns and movements deliberately try to distill what they’re doing to simple soundbites. That’s not a priority for us, because we’re trying to hold open a space for difficult conversations, for figuring things out together, rather than claiming to have a set of answers. Secondly, the stuff we’re talking about freaks people out. If you try to talk about the possibility that we might not go on getting richer, living longer, having hot and cold running electricity 24-hours-a-day, people think you’re predicting – or even hoping for – some kind of Mad Max scenario.
 
Are there plans for another festival?
Paul and I are still recovering! But we’ve already been contacted by someone who’s planning a four-day Dark Mountain gathering in Scotland this autumn, which is great.

There-is-no-PLan-B-by-Lisa-Stannard
There is no Plan B by Lisa Stannard.

You can read our original listing for the Dark Mountain Festival here.
In May, information pills Dougald Hine, drugs co-founder of new literary movement The Dark Mountain Project organised Uncivilisation in Llangollen, there Denbighshire. The three day festival of music, writing, thinking and doing was an astounding success, challenging the preconceived notions that our current way of living can be made ‘sustainable’. I caught up with him for a post-festival chat…

How are you feeling now the festival is over?
I’m exhausted and still piecing together what exactly happened, but it feels like it was something big and worthwhile.
 
Were you pleased with the turnout?
We had 400 people over the weekend, which was as many as the site could handle – and a real mixture of those who already felt deeply connected to Dark Mountain, those who were sceptical but wanting to engage, and those who were just curious to find out more.
 
What were you wanting the audience to gain from the experience?
We wanted people to come away with a sense of the conversations going on around Dark Mountain and the spirit of the project.
 
Explain the dark mountain project in layman’s terms:
Dark Mountain invites people to think about what we do, if it turns out that our way of living can’t be made “sustainable”. It’s also about questioning the stories we tell ourselves about our place in the world, about progress and our ability to control nature. What if the mess that we’re in – ecologically, economically, socially – is rooted in those stories?

How easy was it to handle being a speaker and the organiser?
It wasn’t easy – I was living on four hours sleep a night, at the limit physically and emotionally, after the most intense few months of my life. Looking back, we really needed a larger team around the festival, but that’s hard when you’re doing something for the first time. We’ve had a lot of people getting in touch since who want to help organise future events.
 
How did you get the guest speakers involved?
For me, a great event should be a mixture of people you’ve wanted to see speak or perform for years and people you’ve never heard of, but who turn out to be amazing. It’s hard to choose highlights, but Jay Griffiths and Alastair McIntosh were particularly important voices for me – as were Vinay Gupta and Luke Concannon.

There were things which, in hindsight, we might have done better. The main stage was too male-dominated – and we needed more convivial spaces for conversation and participation. But I was pleased with the contrasts between the speakers and the interweaving of ideas and performance. I just wish we could have spread it out over three weeks, rather than having to cram it all into three days.

Were you aiming for a specific ‘sound’ for the festival?
One of the surprises after the manifesto came out was how strong a response we got from musicians and songwriters. Chris T-T and Marmaduke Dando both have songs inspired by Dark Mountain on their new albums, while Get Cape has been involved from very early on. So the festival sound was shaped by the places where the project has struck a chord. There’s a lot of common ground with some of the powerful folk stuff going on with people like Jon Boden and Chris Wood, who was our ideal choice to close the whole weekend. But there was a real diversity of other sounds, whether it was delicate jazz ballads from Billy Bottle or hilarious death blues from Bleak.

There seemed to be a lot of misunderstanding in the media about the purpose of the festival. Why do you think it was so hard for some people to understand?
Well, firstly, because Dark Mountain is work in progress – it’s a conversation, an exploration, not a single line of argument or a political platform. Most campaigns and movements deliberately try to distill what they’re doing to simple soundbites. That’s not a priority for us, because we’re trying to hold open a space for difficult conversations, for figuring things out together, rather than claiming to have a set of answers.

Secondly, the stuff we’re talking about freaks people out. If you try to talk about the possibility that we might not go on getting richer, living longer, having hot and cold running electricity 24-hours-a-day, people think you’re predicting – or even hoping for – some kind of Mad Max scenario.
 
Are there plans for another festival?
Paul and I are still recovering! But we’ve already been contacted by someone who’s planning a four-day Dark Mountain gathering in Scotland this autumn, which is great.
In May, generic Dougald Hine, co-founder of new literary movement The Dark Mountain Project organised Uncivilisation in Llangollen, Denbighshire. The three day festival of music, writing, thinking and doing was an astounding success, challenging the preconceived notions that our current way of living can be made ‘sustainable’. I caught up with him for a post-festival chat…

How are you feeling now the festival is over?
I’m exhausted and still piecing together what exactly happened, but it feels like it was something big and worthwhile.
 
Were you pleased with the turnout?
We had 400 people over the weekend, which was as many as the site could handle – and a real mixture of those who already felt deeply connected to Dark Mountain, those who were sceptical but wanting to engage, and those who were just curious to find out more.
 
What were you wanting the audience to gain from the experience?
We wanted people to come away with a sense of the conversations going on around Dark Mountain and the spirit of the project.
 
Explain the dark mountain project in layman’s terms:
Dark Mountain invites people to think about what we do, if it turns out that our way of living can’t be made “sustainable”. It’s also about questioning the stories we tell ourselves about our place in the world, about progress and our ability to control nature. What if the mess that we’re in – ecologically, economically, socially – is rooted in those stories?

How easy was it to handle being a speaker and the organiser?
It wasn’t easy – I was living on four hours sleep a night, at the limit physically and emotionally, after the most intense few months of my life. Looking back, we really needed a larger team around the festival, but that’s hard when you’re doing something for the first time. We’ve had a lot of people getting in touch since who want to help organise future events.
 
How did you get the guest speakers involved?
For me, a great event should be a mixture of people you’ve wanted to see speak or perform for years and people you’ve never heard of, but who turn out to be amazing. It’s hard to choose highlights, but Jay Griffiths and Alastair McIntosh were particularly important voices for me – as were Vinay Gupta and Luke Concannon.

There were things which, in hindsight, we might have done better. The main stage was too male-dominated – and we needed more convivial spaces for conversation and participation. But I was pleased with the contrasts between the speakers and the interweaving of ideas and performance. I just wish we could have spread it out over three weeks, rather than having to cram it all into three days.

Were you aiming for a specific ‘sound’ for the festival?
One of the surprises after the manifesto came out was how strong a response we got from musicians and songwriters. Chris T-T and Marmaduke Dando both have songs inspired by Dark Mountain on their new albums, while Get Cape has been involved from very early on. So the festival sound was shaped by the places where the project has struck a chord. There’s a lot of common ground with some of the powerful folk stuff going on with people like Jon Boden and Chris Wood, who was our ideal choice to close the whole weekend. But there was a real diversity of other sounds, whether it was delicate jazz ballads from Billy Bottle or hilarious death blues from Bleak.

There seemed to be a lot of misunderstanding in the media about the purpose of the festival. Why do you think it was so hard for some people to understand?
Well, firstly, because Dark Mountain is work in progress – it’s a conversation, an exploration, not a single line of argument or a political platform. Most campaigns and movements deliberately try to distill what they’re doing to simple soundbites. That’s not a priority for us, because we’re trying to hold open a space for difficult conversations, for figuring things out together, rather than claiming to have a set of answers.

Secondly, the stuff we’re talking about freaks people out. If you try to talk about the possibility that we might not go on getting richer, living longer, having hot and cold running electricity 24-hours-a-day, people think you’re predicting – or even hoping for – some kind of Mad Max scenario.
 
Are there plans for another festival?
Paul and I are still recovering! But we’ve already been contacted by someone who’s planning a four-day Dark Mountain gathering in Scotland this autumn, which is great.

You might remember Sketchbook magazine from the last time it ‘popped up’ on Carnaby Street. From a bright blue shop in the Newburgh Quarter, help the magazine fusing fashion, troche illustration and culture hosted a series of talks, cheapest live music and lectures, with blogging legend Susie Bubble and our very own Amelia bringing their views to the table.

But this time, the magazine team are back with a different agenda. Occupying a shop space in Kingly Court from the 19th to 30th July, Sketchbook STUDIO is like a fashionable laboratory, where young artists, photographers, designers and stylists all get to practice and showcase their work.

At the heart of the studio are 25 young artists, who have each been invited to work on different projects – with the final work to be auctioned off to charity at the end of the week. In the background, photographers and stylists have been encouraged to shoot fashion editorial and looks books. It’s a springboard for emerging creative talent – much like the magazine itself, with the third issue being created ‘live’ as the pop up takes place.

“I wanted to create something a bit like Studio 54 – a creative community,” says Wafa Alobaidat, Sketchbook’s editor and creator. “But this is a lot more open and collaborative than a fashionable clique. Everyone’s welcome!”

On the day we visit DJ Sarah Young has hit the decks, sound-tracking a fashion shoot in full swing on the ground floor. One floor up, the magazine team are blogging and tweeting to their heart’s content, and trying to get things ready for the new issue. A stylist sifts through rails of clothes provided by vintage emporium Rokit’s ‘Designer’s Guild’, an exclusive collection of vintage designs reworked by up-and-coming designers.

Downstairs in the basement is the artist’s hub, where illustrators are hard at work sketching. Fashion designer Omer Asim drapes a mannequin with fabric, whilst visitors play with a video art installation and help themselves to cupcakes. It’s manic, but seems to be just another day in the life of the Sketchbook team!

Members of the public are also welcomed inside to take a peek, (and quite a few shoppers stray from buying as the DJ kicks in) and meet the team. They can even become part of the Sketchbook experience themselves, with the ‘Sketch a Smedley’ event on the 30th. Rails of luxury knitwear label John Smedley will be on hand to try on, and budding models will be sketched live by illustrators.

Clearly the studio has brought a buzz to Carnaby. But what’s next for the Sketchbook team?

“That’s a secret!” laughs Wafa as we finish our tour of the Studio. “But we’ve got more live projects in the pipeline, so you haven’t heard the last from us yet!”

Sketchbook Studio ends today. To see the magazine when it launches, visit here.

You can also read our review of the previous Sketchbook pop-up and Amelia’s talk here.

Categories ,Amelia, ,Anna Young, ,Carnaby Street, ,Culture, ,Designer’s Guild, ,fashion, ,illustration, ,John Smedley, ,london, ,Newburgh Quarter, ,Osman Ahmed, ,Rokit, ,Sketchbook Magazine, ,Sketchbook STUDIO, ,Studio 54, ,Susie Bubble, ,Wafa Alobaldat

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Jessica Simmons’ Vintage Cake Diet!

Popular education is based on values such as a commitment to transformation and freedom.  This means that rather than learning about the world and climate/social issues, pharmacy participants empower themselves to actually transform their environment.  Unlike traditional education, historical learning is focused on the history of the majority of the world (often socially excluded), and not just that of political and military leaders.

Popular education also aims to blur the relationship between teachers and students, instead creating an equal level at which everyone is learning from and supporting each other.  Social change is encouraged through developing critical awareness about the world and promoting social and environmental justice over economic gain, but debate is stimulated by encouraging free-thinking rather than dictating facts.

Past Trapese workshop topics have included: Migration, Food (history of industrial agriculture and understanding food crisis), Climate justice, Consensus decision making and non-hierarchical organising, Reclaiming space (setting up a social centre and keeping it running), DIY and Understanding the Economy (exploring the meaning of capitalism, recession and realistic alternatives).

TOOLSFOR SOCIAL CHANGE COURSE
diytrapesecollective

Providing an educational answer to the need for more grassroots social/ climate justice activity, Trapese have organised a weeklong course starting in March.  The course will aim to answer the questions: how we can move towards a more effective climate justice movement, how can we build more resilient communities and how can we achieve system change instead of climate change?

The course will provide training in grassroots organising, including tools for direct democracy, facilitation, using consensus, popular education techniques and how to plan, communicate and implement effective campaigns. It will explore how these tools can be used to set up community initiatives and ecological and social projects. 

No previous knowledge is necessary, but organisers ask that participants be committed to working co-operatively and respecting diversity.  Time to share ideas, work on practical technology projects around the farm, discuss current political debates, watch films and enjoy food together are also planned as part of the week.

The course draws on the ‘Do It Yourself Handbook’  and Trapese’s work since 2004, including their events at KlimaForum in Copenhagen.

Facilitators will include  Paul Chatterton, (MA Activism and Social Change, Leeds; www.paulchatterton.com) Kim Bryan, (Press Officer, Centre for Alternative Technology) Alice Cutler, (Freelance teacher/ activist, Bristol).

 To register interest or with any questions email trapese@riseup.net and they will send you further information.

Essential details:
Applications must be received by 12 noon Saturday February 27th 2010 at the latest.
Deposit of £50 to secure a place will be requested with full amount payable before the start of the course.
Cost range from £175 – £350 depending on income

 For more information about Trapese or to download a chapter of the book see www.trapese.org
Who:  Trapese Popular Education Collective
When:  27th March 2010  to 3rd April 2010
Where:  Ragman’s Lane Farm, pilule Forest of Dean, viagra near Gloucester.
Applications must be received by 12 noon Saturday February 27th 2010 at the latest.
Cost:  Deposit of £50 to secure a place will be requested with full amount payable before the start of the course.
Cost of course ranges from £175 – £350, hospital depending on income.

——————————————————————–

Trapese is a not-for-profit UK-based popular education collective.  Through workshops, film nights and training they aim to enable people of all ages to explore social and climate issues and develop practical alternatives and solutions. 
trapeseeimage2

Popular education is based on values such as a commitment to transformation and freedom.  This means that rather than learning about the world and climate/social issues, participants empower themselves to actually transform their environment.  Unlike traditional education, historical learning is focused on the history of the majority of the world (often socially excluded), and not just that of political and military leaders.

Popular education also aims to blur the relationship between teachers and students, instead creating an equal level at which everyone is learning from and supporting each other.  Social change is encouraged through developing critical awareness about the world and promoting social and environmental justice over economic gain, but debate is stimulated by encouraging free-thinking rather than dictating facts.

Past Trapese workshop topics have included: Migration, Food (history of industrial agriculture and understanding food crisis), Climate justice, Consensus decision making and non-hierarchical organising, Reclaiming space (setting up a social centre and keeping it running), DIY and Understanding the Economy (exploring the meaning of capitalism, recession and realistic alternatives).

TOOLSFOR SOCIAL CHANGE COURSE
diytrapesecollective

Providing an educational answer to the need for more grassroots social/ climate justice activity, Trapese have organised a weeklong course starting in March.  The course will aim to answer the questions: how we can move towards a more effective climate justice movement, how can we build more resilient communities and how can we achieve system change instead of climate change?

The course will provide training in grassroots organising, including tools for direct democracy, facilitation, using consensus, popular education techniques and how to plan, communicate and implement effective campaigns. It will explore how these tools can be used to set up community initiatives and ecological and social projects. 

No previous knowledge is necessary, but organisers ask that participants be committed to working co-operatively and respecting diversity.  Time to share ideas, work on practical technology projects around the farm, discuss current political debates, watch films and enjoy food together are also planned as part of the week.

The course draws on the ‘Do It Yourself Handbook’  and Trapese’s work since 2004, including their events at KlimaForum in Copenhagen.

Facilitators will include  Paul Chatterton, (MA Activism and Social Change, Leeds; www.paulchatterton.com) Kim Bryan, (Press Officer, Centre for Alternative Technology) Alice Cutler, (Freelance teacher/ activist, Bristol).

 To register interest or with any questions email trapese@riseup.net and they will send you further information.
Good-housekeeping-biscuitsAll photographs courtesy of Camilla Blackie except where otherwise stated

I’ve just spent a snowy weekend in my friend’s country kitchen, page elbow deep in flour, cost spice and all things nice. It’s for my vintage cake-spot. Here, I bake and blog, throwing some of the best and most well-loved cake recipes of the last century into the mixing bowl.

Lemon-Buns-in-spotty-case

I mixed my ingredients for a classic marmalade pudding (sourced from The Constance Spry Cookery Book,1956) in a small, glass basin. After wrapping this in a clean tea-towel, I left it to gently steam on top of the Aga. Three hours later the pud was a picture of dome-shaped perfection; all steaming suet and glinting orange rind. This was going to be a good baking day.

Lemon-Buns

Constance Spry, described as the ‘Martha Stewart of mid-century Britain’ joins a long list of bakers, homemakers and celebrated authors who’ve left a lasting legacy in the culinary world. As a girl who’s partial to the sweeter side of life, I became fascinated by one legacy in particular – the cake.

Small-jess

As writer for the Women’s Institute membership magazine, WI Life,  my research began in earnest. Lunch breaks were spent in the national archives, dusting off leather-bound periodicals dating back to 1919. Economy cake, plum pudding, and gingerbread were just some of the suggestions listed in the H.H.H. (handy household hints); a modest few lines of recipes printed in the then WI membership magazine Home and Country.

Flapjacks

By the time I’d test-baked a batch of spiced buns, my mind was made up. My good friend Camilla came on board as cake-spot photographer and we haven’t looked back. If I’ve got the nose for burning crumbs, she’s got the eyes to weigh up a perfect cake shot.

Valentines-Biscuits-2

Baking, and blogging about it, is fast becoming my number one past-time – not forgetting the odd ‘tweet’ as part of the global PR cruise. Yes, I was inspired by Julie and Julia – who wouldn’t be charmed by a French-talking Meryl Streep? – but the vintage cake-spot is more than show and tell. These are real cakes using classic, trusted recipes. And they’re tasty, too.

Tiled

Jessica-6

The good news is, everyone loves cake. But while the red-velvet iced delights of Portobello Road still cause a stir for hungry Londoners, I must stay true to my recipe books. If a slice of dripping cake’s not to your fancy, look away now. This is no time for counting calories.

Small-Yorkshire-teacakes

The blog has opened my eyes up to a new London. East-end antique stores and charity shops have taken on a whole new dimension, many harbouring the battered old cook-books held so precious for women now and during the last century.

Small-baking-equipment

Cake is one of life’s pleasures and I don’t think there’s ever been a better time to celebrate the fact. If my blog can inspire anyone to grab an apron, some pantry essentials and get baking, I’m a happy girl.

Coffe-cake

JessicaJessica Simmons photographs courtesy of Peter Schiazza

What Jessica likes:

Places: Whitby in North Yorkshire. It’s got high cliffs, a beautiful old abbey and probably the best fish and chips you’ll ever taste (www.magpiecafe.co.uk). There’s also a fun caravan site called La Rosa and you can get your fortune told in a little shack on the pier

Food: A nice fish pie (see above)

Drink: Chambord and lemonade, whisky macs

Website: Find delicate hand-picked teas and a very inspiring lady

Music: Blondie, Moloko, Pink Floyd, Jay-Z, the Doors

Books: Shadow of the Wind’ by Carols Ruiz Zafon. I’m currently reading ‘The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton’ by Kathryn Hughes for inspiration

Film: Far from the Madding Crowd

Shop: Hemswell Market in Lincolnshire. It’s an antiques wonderland. I also can’t resist cos on Regent Street for a bit of office-glam.

Small-dripping-cake

Categories ,Antiques, ,cakes, ,charity shop, ,Cooking, ,craft, ,Creative Review, ,Creativity, ,Culture, ,cupcakes, ,Entrepreneurship, ,film, ,handicraft, ,handy household hints, ,Home and Country, ,Jessica Simmons, ,Meryl Streep, ,photography, ,vintage cake-spot, ,women

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Jessica Simmons’ Vintage Cake Diet!

Popular education is based on values such as a commitment to transformation and freedom.  This means that rather than learning about the world and climate/social issues, pharmacy participants empower themselves to actually transform their environment.  Unlike traditional education, historical learning is focused on the history of the majority of the world (often socially excluded), and not just that of political and military leaders.

Popular education also aims to blur the relationship between teachers and students, instead creating an equal level at which everyone is learning from and supporting each other.  Social change is encouraged through developing critical awareness about the world and promoting social and environmental justice over economic gain, but debate is stimulated by encouraging free-thinking rather than dictating facts.

Past Trapese workshop topics have included: Migration, Food (history of industrial agriculture and understanding food crisis), Climate justice, Consensus decision making and non-hierarchical organising, Reclaiming space (setting up a social centre and keeping it running), DIY and Understanding the Economy (exploring the meaning of capitalism, recession and realistic alternatives).

TOOLSFOR SOCIAL CHANGE COURSE
diytrapesecollective

Providing an educational answer to the need for more grassroots social/ climate justice activity, Trapese have organised a weeklong course starting in March.  The course will aim to answer the questions: how we can move towards a more effective climate justice movement, how can we build more resilient communities and how can we achieve system change instead of climate change?

The course will provide training in grassroots organising, including tools for direct democracy, facilitation, using consensus, popular education techniques and how to plan, communicate and implement effective campaigns. It will explore how these tools can be used to set up community initiatives and ecological and social projects. 

No previous knowledge is necessary, but organisers ask that participants be committed to working co-operatively and respecting diversity.  Time to share ideas, work on practical technology projects around the farm, discuss current political debates, watch films and enjoy food together are also planned as part of the week.

The course draws on the ‘Do It Yourself Handbook’  and Trapese’s work since 2004, including their events at KlimaForum in Copenhagen.

Facilitators will include  Paul Chatterton, (MA Activism and Social Change, Leeds; www.paulchatterton.com) Kim Bryan, (Press Officer, Centre for Alternative Technology) Alice Cutler, (Freelance teacher/ activist, Bristol).

 To register interest or with any questions email trapese@riseup.net and they will send you further information.

Essential details:
Applications must be received by 12 noon Saturday February 27th 2010 at the latest.
Deposit of £50 to secure a place will be requested with full amount payable before the start of the course.
Cost range from £175 – £350 depending on income

 For more information about Trapese or to download a chapter of the book see www.trapese.org
Who:  Trapese Popular Education Collective
When:  27th March 2010  to 3rd April 2010
Where:  Ragman’s Lane Farm, pilule Forest of Dean, viagra near Gloucester.
Applications must be received by 12 noon Saturday February 27th 2010 at the latest.
Cost:  Deposit of £50 to secure a place will be requested with full amount payable before the start of the course.
Cost of course ranges from £175 – £350, hospital depending on income.

——————————————————————–

Trapese is a not-for-profit UK-based popular education collective.  Through workshops, film nights and training they aim to enable people of all ages to explore social and climate issues and develop practical alternatives and solutions. 
trapeseeimage2

Popular education is based on values such as a commitment to transformation and freedom.  This means that rather than learning about the world and climate/social issues, participants empower themselves to actually transform their environment.  Unlike traditional education, historical learning is focused on the history of the majority of the world (often socially excluded), and not just that of political and military leaders.

Popular education also aims to blur the relationship between teachers and students, instead creating an equal level at which everyone is learning from and supporting each other.  Social change is encouraged through developing critical awareness about the world and promoting social and environmental justice over economic gain, but debate is stimulated by encouraging free-thinking rather than dictating facts.

Past Trapese workshop topics have included: Migration, Food (history of industrial agriculture and understanding food crisis), Climate justice, Consensus decision making and non-hierarchical organising, Reclaiming space (setting up a social centre and keeping it running), DIY and Understanding the Economy (exploring the meaning of capitalism, recession and realistic alternatives).

TOOLSFOR SOCIAL CHANGE COURSE
diytrapesecollective

Providing an educational answer to the need for more grassroots social/ climate justice activity, Trapese have organised a weeklong course starting in March.  The course will aim to answer the questions: how we can move towards a more effective climate justice movement, how can we build more resilient communities and how can we achieve system change instead of climate change?

The course will provide training in grassroots organising, including tools for direct democracy, facilitation, using consensus, popular education techniques and how to plan, communicate and implement effective campaigns. It will explore how these tools can be used to set up community initiatives and ecological and social projects. 

No previous knowledge is necessary, but organisers ask that participants be committed to working co-operatively and respecting diversity.  Time to share ideas, work on practical technology projects around the farm, discuss current political debates, watch films and enjoy food together are also planned as part of the week.

The course draws on the ‘Do It Yourself Handbook’  and Trapese’s work since 2004, including their events at KlimaForum in Copenhagen.

Facilitators will include  Paul Chatterton, (MA Activism and Social Change, Leeds; www.paulchatterton.com) Kim Bryan, (Press Officer, Centre for Alternative Technology) Alice Cutler, (Freelance teacher/ activist, Bristol).

 To register interest or with any questions email trapese@riseup.net and they will send you further information.
Good-housekeeping-biscuitsAll photographs courtesy of Camilla Blackie except where otherwise stated

I’ve just spent a snowy weekend in my friend’s country kitchen, page elbow deep in flour, cost spice and all things nice. It’s for my vintage cake-spot. Here, I bake and blog, throwing some of the best and most well-loved cake recipes of the last century into the mixing bowl.

Lemon-Buns-in-spotty-case

I mixed my ingredients for a classic marmalade pudding (sourced from The Constance Spry Cookery Book,1956) in a small, glass basin. After wrapping this in a clean tea-towel, I left it to gently steam on top of the Aga. Three hours later the pud was a picture of dome-shaped perfection; all steaming suet and glinting orange rind. This was going to be a good baking day.

Lemon-Buns

Constance Spry, described as the ‘Martha Stewart of mid-century Britain’ joins a long list of bakers, homemakers and celebrated authors who’ve left a lasting legacy in the culinary world. As a girl who’s partial to the sweeter side of life, I became fascinated by one legacy in particular – the cake.

Small-jess

As writer for the Women’s Institute membership magazine, WI Life,  my research began in earnest. Lunch breaks were spent in the national archives, dusting off leather-bound periodicals dating back to 1919. Economy cake, plum pudding, and gingerbread were just some of the suggestions listed in the H.H.H. (handy household hints); a modest few lines of recipes printed in the then WI membership magazine Home and Country.

Flapjacks

By the time I’d test-baked a batch of spiced buns, my mind was made up. My good friend Camilla came on board as cake-spot photographer and we haven’t looked back. If I’ve got the nose for burning crumbs, she’s got the eyes to weigh up a perfect cake shot.

Valentines-Biscuits-2

Baking, and blogging about it, is fast becoming my number one past-time – not forgetting the odd ‘tweet’ as part of the global PR cruise. Yes, I was inspired by Julie and Julia – who wouldn’t be charmed by a French-talking Meryl Streep? – but the vintage cake-spot is more than show and tell. These are real cakes using classic, trusted recipes. And they’re tasty, too.

Tiled

Jessica-6

The good news is, everyone loves cake. But while the red-velvet iced delights of Portobello Road still cause a stir for hungry Londoners, I must stay true to my recipe books. If a slice of dripping cake’s not to your fancy, look away now. This is no time for counting calories.

Small-Yorkshire-teacakes

The blog has opened my eyes up to a new London. East-end antique stores and charity shops have taken on a whole new dimension, many harbouring the battered old cook-books held so precious for women now and during the last century.

Small-baking-equipment

Cake is one of life’s pleasures and I don’t think there’s ever been a better time to celebrate the fact. If my blog can inspire anyone to grab an apron, some pantry essentials and get baking, I’m a happy girl.

Coffe-cake

JessicaJessica Simmons photographs courtesy of Peter Schiazza

What Jessica likes:

Places: Whitby in North Yorkshire. It’s got high cliffs, a beautiful old abbey and probably the best fish and chips you’ll ever taste (www.magpiecafe.co.uk). There’s also a fun caravan site called La Rosa and you can get your fortune told in a little shack on the pier

Food: A nice fish pie (see above)

Drink: Chambord and lemonade, whisky macs

Website: Find delicate hand-picked teas and a very inspiring lady

Music: Blondie, Moloko, Pink Floyd, Jay-Z, the Doors

Books: Shadow of the Wind’ by Carols Ruiz Zafon. I’m currently reading ‘The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton’ by Kathryn Hughes for inspiration

Film: Far from the Madding Crowd

Shop: Hemswell Market in Lincolnshire. It’s an antiques wonderland. I also can’t resist cos on Regent Street for a bit of office-glam.

Small-dripping-cake

Categories ,Antiques, ,cakes, ,charity shop, ,Cooking, ,craft, ,Creative Review, ,Creativity, ,Culture, ,cupcakes, ,Entrepreneurship, ,film, ,handicraft, ,handy household hints, ,Home and Country, ,Jessica Simmons, ,Meryl Streep, ,photography, ,vintage cake-spot, ,women

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Ctrl-Alt-Shift Chantelle Fiddy Interview

SouthBank15All photographs courtesy of Matthew Gonzalez Noda

Valerie Pezeron: Tell me about the event today?

Chantelle Fiddy: It’s a new style of club night. The idea is to bring together music, seek art and activism under on roof to show that they are all married and they can be used towards a good cause.

SouthBank12

VP: It’s the second year in a row, capsule isn’t it?

CF: It’s the second event we did. I think we did the first one in June or July and we used the roof as well last time, advice until it rained and then we had to go inside! It was absolutely mental! So it’s myself on behalf of Ctrl-Alt-Shift, Riz Ahmed, South Bank Centre and British Underground who did the event together. It’s a four-way collaboration.

SouthBank1

VP: Who was the initiator of United Underground 2?

CF: Riz came to myself, because Riz was a resident here and he wanted to do something about getting in the South Bank Centre the kind of music that you normally don’t get in here. And he knew I used to do a clubs’ column at The London Paper for three years and was really into Underground music so he came to me. Chris from British Underground is more into the kind of band and folk side, so Riz just kind of pulled it all together and it went from there.

SouthBank6

VP: Good you mentioned Riz! What is your connection with him?

CF: I met Riz at a talk. We were both talking at a theatre somewhere once. I was like “Oh, my god, Riz Ahmed”, ‘cause I have so much respect for him! And he was like “Oh, my god, Chantelle Fiddy!” I was like, “how the hell do you know who I am?!” And then we just started talking and we just got on really well, we clicked and that was that!

SouthBank2

VP: You describe Ctrl-Alt-Shift as an activist movement. What do you mean by that?

CF: We’re giving young people a platform to bring up issues and to make change. It’s kind of giving them the tools, giving them the confidence to feel they can stand up, say something, and then they’ll be counted for it. In the past we did a campaign around HIV travel bans, and we involve young people in all the processes: how do they feel about the issue, what would they like to see change, how should we demonstrate this to a wider audience/ public?

SouthBank9

VP: What is more important for you? Is it about the political message or promoting the arts in youth?

CF: For me, it is about awareness all around ‘cause I think the two go hand in hand. If we use more models in popular culture to try and make change in the political sphere, we have greater success. So I think it’s more about creating awareness firstly around the issues that we should be aware of around the world.

SouthBank4

VP: So art can change the world?

CF: I think so. Also I think it is about redefining the term activism. And understanding that if you come here tonight, that makes you an activist because you’re paying money to an event that will educate you about not just the music but about other issues. You can hear the speakers in one room, new music in the other room. So I just think it all blends into a big melting pot of change.

SouthBank14

VP: This event reminds me of stuff I did as a student. I was wondering whether you ever wrote for the student paper, or were in student politics or in a student association?

CF: No. I did a journalism degree and then I worked for the paper. And I think that is partly why I think they brought me in because sometimes, with charity and activism, you can feel like an outsider, if you don’t know loads about something. To be honest with you, I don’t have a massive grip on global issues. So the idea is that we all learn together. Because the way I see it, if I read an article and I don’t get what the issue is about, then how is a 19 year-old gonna get it? So the whole idea is as I am learning, you are learning with me. We are trying to make it feel like everyone could be a part of this and it does not matter if you don’t know about an issue, you ask some questions, we’ll give you some answers or you go and make up your own mind.

SouthBank11

VP: Ctrl-Alt-Shift’s operations are strictly UK based?

CF: It’s UK based, so we are a Christian Aid initiative. We started two years ago. They wanted to find a new way to talk to young people about charity. I was told we’re not gonna mention charity or Christian Aid! It’s a really interesting idea because you wouldn’t necessarily expect Christian Aid to start something like that up. So it’s been an interesting journey.

SouthBank8

VP: So what’s next for Ctrl-Alt-Shift?

CF: Now we’re planning all the activity for next year. So we’re looking at our next big cultural collusion, because in the past we’ve worked with Sadler’s Wells, and various people like that so now we’re looking at what to do next. We will be revealing those plans in the next couple of months as they are all being finalised. Starting work on the next magazine, which should be around conflict.

SouthBank10

VP: I read you are advocating bringing the silent majority to the fore. Who is that silent majority to you?

CF: It’s the average man on the street. Most of them go to that point where they don’t know much about the issue to be involved. So it’s about people who want to know or are little bit interested in what’s going on but not sure about how to get involved.

SouthBank3

VP: What’s been the pinnacle for you of Ctrl-Alt-Shift’s journey so far?

CF: For me, it was the rave we did for Haiti a couple of weeks ago. It was insane! You probably saw the line-up, everyone from Ms Dynamite to the cream of the Dub-Step scene, cream of the electro scene. We brought together every genre of music. We had three days to organise it, there was no time to rest, it was actually two hours sleep at night and it was done. And we opened the door at 9 pm and I looked out onto the road and “oh, my god!” Literally, the queue went around into Oxford Street, we were at capacity by 10 o’clock and we made about 10,000 pounds. The atmosphere in the rave and the way people were giving their money, it was just brilliant! I felt a massive sense of achievement, because I looked at that and I thought I have never seen these kind of people involved in a charity event and it showed that a scene can come together. Black music especially gets a raw deal but I think things like that show that it’s not what you see in the media. For me it’s a personal agenda to make people aware that black music is a very positive thing.

SouthBank13

VP: Give people the right platform and they’ll express themselves.

CF: Exactly, it’s not all about hoes, guns and bitches, you know and that’s what everyone thinks. It’s been something I have been working on for ten years, trying to get that across.

SouthBank7

VP: I feel the same, it infuriates me when people say black music, and they think hip-hop. But when they say hip-hop, they amalgamate all “black” music and brand it hip-hop!

CF: You know, at the Brits the way they were stereotyping black men with Jonathan Ross and the way he was dressed, I thought that was one thing. But what he said and the accent and then some of the sly jokes they made towards JZ. This stereotype and prejudice is still running throughout the music industry and the rest of the industry. But the music is doing the talking now, look what is selling in this country. Tinchy Stryder was the best selling UK male of last year. So I say a middle finger to the mainstream.

SouthBank5

Categories ,activism, ,art, ,British Underground, ,Chantelle Fiddy, ,Christian Aid, ,Ctrl-Alt-Shift, ,Culture, ,event review, ,events, ,film, ,Gig review, ,Hip-hop, ,Jay Z, ,Jonathan Ross, ,london, ,magazine, ,Mayor of London, ,music, ,musician, ,Purccell Room, ,Queen Elizabeth Hall, ,Riz Ahmed, ,Sadler’s Wells, ,Southbank centre, ,talks, ,The Brit Awards, ,The London Paper, ,Tinchy Stryder

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Ctrl-Alt-Shift Chantelle Fiddy Interview

SouthBank15All photographs courtesy of Matthew Gonzalez Noda

Valerie Pezeron: Tell me about the event today?

Chantelle Fiddy: It’s a new style of club night. The idea is to bring together music, art and activism under on roof to show that they are all married and they can be used towards a good cause.

SouthBank12

VP: It’s the second year in a row, isn’t it?

CF: It’s the second event we did. I think we did the first one in June or July and we used the roof as well last time, until it rained and then we had to go inside! It was absolutely mental! So it’s myself on behalf of Ctrl-Alt-Shift, Riz Ahmed, South Bank Centre and British Underground who did the event together. It’s a four-way collaboration.

SouthBank1

VP: Who was the initiator of United Underground 2?

CF: Riz came to myself, because Riz was a resident here and he wanted to do something about getting in the South Bank Centre the kind of music that you normally don’t get in here. And he knew I used to do a clubs’ column at The London Paper for three years and was really into Underground music so he came to me. Chris from British Underground is more into the kind of band and folk side, so Riz just kind of pulled it all together and it went from there.

SouthBank6

VP: Good you mentioned Riz! What is your connection with him?

CF: I met Riz at a talk. We were both talking at a theatre somewhere once. I was like “Oh, my god, Riz Ahmed”, ‘cause I have so much respect for him! And he was like “Oh, my god, Chantelle Fiddy!” I was like, “how the hell do you know who I am?!” And then we just started talking and we just got on really well, we clicked and that was that!

SouthBank2

VP: You describe Ctrl-Alt-Shift as an activist movement. What do you mean by that?

CF: We’re giving young people a platform to bring up issues and to make change. It’s kind of giving them the tools, giving them the confidence to feel they can stand up, say something, and then they’ll be counted for it. In the past we did a campaign around HIV travel bans, and we involve young people in all the processes: how do they feel about the issue, what would they like to see change, how should we demonstrate this to a wider audience/ public?

SouthBank9

VP: What is more important for you? Is it about the political message or promoting the arts in youth?

CF: For me, it is about awareness all around ‘cause I think the two go hand in hand. If we use more models in popular culture to try and make change in the political sphere, we have greater success. So I think it’s more about creating awareness firstly around the issues that we should be aware of around the world.

SouthBank4

VP: So art can change the world?

CF: I think so. Also I think it is about redefining the term activism. And understanding that if you come here tonight, that makes you an activist because you’re paying money to an event that will educate you about not just the music but about other issues. You can hear the speakers in one room, new music in the other room. So I just think it all blends into a big melting pot of change.

SouthBank14

VP: This event reminds me of stuff I did as a student. I was wondering whether you ever wrote for the student paper, or were in student politics or in a student association?

CF: No. I did a journalism degree and then I worked for the paper. And I think that is partly why I think they brought me in because sometimes, with charity and activism, you can feel like an outsider, if you don’t know loads about something. To be honest with you, I don’t have a massive grip on global issues. So the idea is that we all learn together. Because the way I see it, if I read an article and I don’t get what the issue is about, then how is a 19 year-old gonna get it? So the whole idea is as I am learning, you are learning with me. We are trying to make it feel like everyone could be a part of this and it does not matter if you don’t know about an issue, you ask some questions, we’ll give you some answers or you go and make up your own mind.

SouthBank11

VP: Ctrl-Alt-Shift’s operations are strictly UK based?

CF: It’s UK based, so we are a Christian Aid initiative. We started two years ago. They wanted to find a new way to talk to young people about charity. I was told we’re not gonna mention charity or Christian Aid! It’s a really interesting idea because you wouldn’t necessarily expect Christian Aid to start something like that up. So it’s been an interesting journey.

SouthBank8

VP: So what’s next for Ctrl-Alt-Shift?

CF: Now we’re planning all the activity for next year. So we’re looking at our next big cultural collusion, because in the past we’ve worked with Sadler’s Wells, and various people like that so now we’re looking at what to do next. We will be revealing those plans in the next couple of months as they are all being finalised. Starting work on the next magazine, which should be around conflict.

SouthBank10

VP: I read you are advocating bringing the silent majority to the fore. Who is that silent majority to you?

CF: It’s the average man on the street. Most of them go to that point where they don’t know much about the issue to be involved. So it’s about people who want to know or are little bit interested in what’s going on but not sure about how to get involved.

SouthBank3

VP: What’s been the pinnacle for you of Ctrl-Alt-Shift’s journey so far?

CF: For me, it was the rave we did for Haiti a couple of weeks ago. It was insane! You probably saw the line-up, everyone from Ms Dynamite to the cream of the Dub-Step scene, cream of the electro scene. We brought together every genre of music. We had three days to organise it, there was no time to rest, it was actually two hours sleep at night and it was done. And we opened the door at 9 pm and I looked out onto the road and “oh, my god!” Literally, the queue went around into Oxford Street, we were at capacity by 10 o’clock and we made about 10,000 pounds. The atmosphere in the rave and the way people were giving their money, it was just brilliant! I felt a massive sense of achievement, because I looked at that and I thought I have never seen these kind of people involved in a charity event and it showed that a scene can come together. Black music especially gets a raw deal but I think things like that show that it’s not what you see in the media. For me it’s a personal agenda to make people aware that black music is a very positive thing.

SouthBank13

VP: Give people the right platform and they’ll express themselves.

CF: Exactly, it’s not all about hoes, guns and bitches, you know and that’s what everyone thinks. It’s been something I have been working on for ten years, trying to get that across.

SouthBank7

VP: I feel the same, it infuriates me when people say black music, and they think hip-hop. But when they say hip-hop, they amalgamate all “black” music and brand it hip-hop!

CF: You know, at the Brits the way they were stereotyping black men with Jonathan Ross and the way he was dressed, I thought that was one thing. But what he said and the accent and then some of the sly jokes they made towards JZ. This stereotype and prejudice is still running throughout the music industry and the rest of the industry. But the music is doing the talking now, look what is selling in this country. Tinchy Stryder was the best selling UK male of last year. So I say a middle finger to the mainstream.

SouthBank5

Categories ,activism, ,art, ,British Underground, ,Chantelle Fiddy, ,Christian Aid, ,Ctrl-Alt-Shift, ,Culture, ,event review, ,events, ,film, ,Gig review, ,Hip-hop, ,Jay Z, ,Jonathan Ross, ,london, ,magazine, ,Mayor of London, ,music, ,musician, ,Purccell Room, ,Queen Elizabeth Hall, ,Riz Ahmed, ,Sadler’s Wells, ,Southbank centre, ,talks, ,The Brit Awards, ,The London Paper, ,Tinchy Stryder

Similar Posts:





Amelia’s Magazine | Ctrl.Alt.Shift – Current Affairs & a Double Shot of Tequila

When Owen Pallett, pharmacy the man behind the erstwhile Final Fantasy moniker, announced in December 2009 that he was abandoning the name in favour of recording under his birth name, it came not without a sigh of relief – for years the slightly-embarrassing recording name had led to a kind of stigmatization within Pallett’s fans – including numerous inside jokes envisioning bleary-eyed, pock-marked RPG nerds, stumbling from their houses, giddy with the promise of an evening devoted to their favourite video game – only to be faced with a devastatingly hip young man playing sumptuous, violin-looped indie pop -impish, Pallet may be, but he ain’t no fairy – although, considering Pallett’s own, infamous devotion to the video game, he may have been more than happy to accommodate said nerds at his concerts.
As endearing as such stories may be, they still led to Pallett becoming slightly belittled in the indie community – rather than garnering the fervent praise and respect he deserved, he was slotted lazily into the male folk singer-songwriter category, along with Sufjan Stevens and Andrew Bird – Pallett’s sprawling, endlessly cinematic compositions bears far more similarity to Van Dyke Park’s work with Joanna Newsom rather than Bird’s compact little folk ditties.
Having said that, it is ironic that Pallett chooses to dump the whimsical Final Fantasy recording moniker on the album that is by far Pallett’s most fantastical yet – ‘Heartland’ is an unbelievably opulent record, each chord blessed with a kind of extravagant, sprawling luxuriousness, almost to the point of indolence. Even by Pallett’s decorative standards, ‘Heartland’ is goddamn flowery – in fact, the gently curvaceous, coalescing melodies of ‘Lewis Takes Action’ are so feather-light that when Pallett delivers the blunt violence of the ‘I broke his jaw, he’ll never speak’ line – in his wan, fluttering soprano over endless, fluffy stratums of dizzying strings, it seems almost devastatingly incongruous.

owen-pallett pic
And thus we are introduced to ‘Heartland’s main protagonist – ‘Heartland’ is written in the character of brawny, alpha-male farmer Lewis, who spends most of his time lamenting his broken family (‘Left my daughter and my wife’) and getting into various scrapes and hijinks with a mythical creature called, interestingly enough, Owen (‘I drove the iron spike into Owen’s eyes’) who he also, bizarrely, appears to be in love with (‘I’ve been in love with Owen since/ I heard the strains of Psalm 21’).

The more you delve into ‘Heartland’s chasms, the more you realise what a bizarrely warped world it is – although this is no error of communication on Pallett’s half, indeed, you get the feeling Pallett may have wanted it that way – as though he relishes the idea of his fans poring over ‘Heartland’s lyric booklet, their foreheads knitting and eyebrows raising in quick succession.

For however straight-laced and oppressive ‘Heartland’ may appear on first listen, Pallett is yet to descend into stern-faced baroqueness – there’s still a gentle, self-effacing humour shot into Pallett’s epic panorama, especially in the casting of Pallett as a kind of hulking monster – Pallett fans will know that the line ‘I drew a bruise on his brawny shoulder’ is highly incongruous with Owen’s corporeal, slight frame – and it’s almost prognosticated that any record which includes a song called ‘Lewis Takes Off His Shirt’ (which seems to ring more of a gossip than a symphony piece) is destined not to take itself entirely seriously – right?
When Owen Pallett, cialis 40mg the man behind the erstwhile Final Fantasy moniker, page announced in December 2009 that he was abandoning the name in favour of recording under his birth name, it came not without a sigh of relief – for years the slightly-embarrassing recording name had led to a kind of stigmatization within Pallett’s fans – including numerous inside jokes envisioning bleary-eyed, pock-marked RPG nerds, stumbling from their houses, giddy with the promise of an evening devoted to their favourite video game – only to be faced with a devastatingly hip young man playing sumptuous, violin-looped indie pop -impish, Pallet may be, but he ain’t no fairy – although, considering Pallett’s own, infamous devotion to the video game, he may have been more than happy to accommodate said nerds at his concerts.
As endearing as such stories may be, they still led to Pallett becoming slightly belittled in the indie community – rather than garnering the fervent praise and respect he deserved, he was slotted lazily into the male folk singer-songwriter category, along with Sufjan Stevens and Andrew Bird – Pallett’s sprawling, endlessly cinematic compositions bears far more similarity to Van Dyke Park’s work with Joanna Newsom rather than Bird’s compact little folk ditties.
Having said that, it is ironic that Pallett chooses to dump the whimsical Final Fantasy recording moniker on the album that is by far Pallett’s most fantastical yet – ‘Heartland’ is an unbelievably opulent record, each chord blessed with a kind of extravagant, sprawling luxuriousness, almost to the point of indolence. Even by Pallett’s decorative standards, ‘Heartland’ is goddamn flowery – in fact, the gently curvaceous, coalescing melodies of ‘Lewis Takes Action’ are so feather-light that when Pallett delivers the blunt violence of the ‘I broke his jaw, he’ll never speak’ line – in his wan, fluttering soprano over endless, fluffy stratums of dizzying strings, it seems almost devastatingly incongruous.

owen-pallett pic
And thus we are introduced to ‘Heartland’s main protagonist – ‘Heartland’ is written in the character of brawny, alpha-male farmer Lewis, who spends most of his time lamenting his broken family (‘Left my daughter and my wife’) and getting into various scrapes and hijinks with a mythical creature called, interestingly enough, Owen (‘I drove the iron spike into Owen’s eyes’) who he also, bizarrely, appears to be in love with (‘I’ve been in love with Owen since/ I heard the strains of Psalm 21’).

The more you delve into ‘Heartland’s chasms, the more you realise what a bizarrely warped world it is – although this is no error of communication on Pallett’s half, indeed, you get the feeling Pallett may have wanted it that way – as though he relishes the idea of his fans poring over ‘Heartland’s lyric booklet, their foreheads knitting and eyebrows raising in quick succession.

For however straight-laced and oppressive ‘Heartland’ may appear on first listen, Pallett is yet to descend into stern-faced baroqueness – there’s still a gentle, self-effacing humour shot into Pallett’s epic panorama, especially in the casting of Pallett as a kind of hulking monster – Pallett fans will know that the line ‘I drew a bruise on his brawny shoulder’ is highly incongruous with Owen’s corporeal, slight frame – and it’s almost prognosticated that any record which includes a song called ‘Lewis Takes Off His Shirt’ (which seems to ring more of a gossip than a symphony piece) is destined not to take itself entirely seriously – right?
———————————————
Climate Camp London Gathering
When: Saturday 16th Jan 10.30am to 6.30pm, symptoms Sunday 17th Jan 10.30am-5.30pm
Where: Tottenham Chances, order 399 High Rd, Tottenham, London N17 6QN
Nearest tube: Tottenham Hale or Seven Sisters (Victoria Line)
———————————————

So…my first post as editor of the Earth section at Amelia’s Magazine! I’ve been preparing some posts for the listings page, overwhelmed with news of meetings and events, but here’s an overview of some of the Climate Camp gatherings going on in the next week.

photo courtesy of Amelia
People’s Assembly outside the gates of the Bella Centre in Copenhagen
(All photographs courtesy of Amelia)

Copenhagen may have been a predictable let-down, but it is also a wake-up call to creative and motivated individuals everywhere. Environmental decisions cannot just be left to politicians – any real change in our economic system, which at the moment is gnawing away the ground beneath our feet, has to come from the roots up. The real climate ‘experts’ are the creative people on the ground learning about and participating in environmental and social initiatives, setting up meetings, and taking practical steps to move away from fossil-fuel consumption (such as the Transition Towns springing up left, right and centre).

Lilo bridge built by climate campers crosses the moat at the Bella Centre, CopenhagenLilo bridge built by climate campers crosses the moat at the Bella Centre, Copenhagen

It would be convenient to believe the hype of the green-wash advertising that surrounds us, but any real success has to come from individual and collective creativity and hard work, not from glossing over issues and adding 1% of ‘natural organic ingredients’ to endless environmentally-harmful products. After the media circus that was Copenhagen, the focus now has to be firmly on local groups, meetings, film screenings, courses, and above all creative people using their skills to build and inspire a more sustainable way of living.
Meeting at the school in CopenhagenMeeting at the school in Copenhagen

This weekend I’ll be going along to the Climate Camp regional gathering in London on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th January, at Tottenham Chances, 399 High Road, Tottenham, London, as well as some of the weekly meetings at SOAS later on in the month. Since the first meeting in August 2006, Climate Camp has quickly gathered a huge level of participation. This means that that the gatherings are now regional, and not national as they have been previously, allowing an even greater number of people to take part. To check out your nearest gathering click here. The meetings in London this weekend will address the failure of Copenhagen and the debate and action it should now inspire. They will include:

* What was good and what was bad in 2009, from the G20 to Copenhagen?
* What should the climate justice movement do next – in London, the UK and internationally?
* What are our goals for 2010?
* How should we organise to meet them?
* What should we organise together?
All the proposals for the regional meetings can be seen on Climate Camp’s discussion board.

The London meetings will go on from 10.30am to 6.30pm Saturday, and 10.30am-5.30pm on Sunday.   There will be a KidSpace at the gathering so parents can leave their children to play while they attend meetings.  If you want to help out in the KidSpace, email london@climatecamp.org.uk  – the more people help the more can attend meetings!  Vegan food (and cake) will be available for a donation for Saturday lunch and dinner and Sunday breakfast and lunch.  It’s best to  email if you plan on coming, that way the organizers can get an idea of numbers for food.  Amelia’s brilliant band Green Kite Midnight will be performing at the London gathering on Saturday, 8.30pm, and there will be more music afterwards!

Tomorrow, Wednesday 13th Jan, the Workers Climate Action meeting is taking place in the Grafton Arms, Grafton Way (nearest tube is Warren Street) at 7.30pm. The group aims to add a firm working class perspective to the debate and action. Find out more at their website.
photo courtesy of AmeliaBike Block at the Candy Factory in Copenhagen

There is wide disagreement on whether we should be protesting or working through the already-established political route, but I believe this misses the point. Without everyone empowering themselves with knowledge on how environmental problems can be solved and taking it upon themselves to be creative, we will only be taking symbolic pigeon steps while political and publicity campaigns continue swirling around us with empty words and soft-focus pictures of countryside scenes. Going to meetings and sharing ideas is a great way to realise we can stop relying on other people to make decisions for us, so I’ll hopefully see you this weekend and at future events!

I’d like to profile groups and individuals working on sustainability from the roots up, so please contact me on earth@ameliasmagazine.com with information if this is you, or if you’d like to contribute to this section with articles and interviews.
magPhotograph courtesy of Ctrl.Alt.Shift.

Ctrl.Alt.Shift is a seriously cool experimental youth initiative dedicated to politicising a new generation of activists for social justice and global change. Last time I heard of them, healing they were organising a comic book themed talk at the ICA Comica festival. Using creativity, salve photography, more about film, stories, illustrations and music, it aims to give a voice to the silent majority- meaning you and I, dear artistic and socially motivated Amelia’s readers! On January 7th, experimental youth movement Ctrl.Alt.Shift will become the first charity to venture onto newsagent mainstream shelves with the release of its own bi-annual magazine – Ctrl.Alt.Shift: The Corruption Issue.

IMG_2414Photograph by Luke Miley

It’s hot stuff! Spanning 84 pages, the launch of Ctrl.Alt.Shift: The Corruption Issue will focus on corruption as both a key cause of poverty and the barrier to overcoming it, and represents an ongoing attempt by the organization to bring a marginalized social and political agenda back into mainstream rhetoric. Including a satirical fashion shoot inspired by Guantanamo Bay, and drawing on comment and work from contemporary artists such as V V Brown and Sarah Maple, the magazine taps into popular culture to provoke debate and counter apathy amongst its audience of 18 – 25 year olds.

boob-job-neededAll other photographs by Adrian Nettleship

Highlights of the issue include the artist Sarah Maple; described by The Independent on Sunday as ‘the heir to Tracy Emin‘s throne’, Maple unveils a bespoke piece of work influenced by corruption and sex. Richard Shoyemi looks at how Asda’s new Asian range will inspire a generation of fashionistas for the Culture club section of the magazine. There is an interview with Tim Westwood as the Radio 1 DJ talks marrying music, activism, and why he wouldn’t take Pimp My Ride to Palestine. Freelance journalist and Middle East expert Ben White is the author of Israeli Apartheid: A Beginner’s Guide. White breaks down the language of corruption for the magazine. There is also Riz Ahmed; fresh from appearing alongside Jude Dench in the movie Rage, the actor and MC finds time to give his take on the effects of corruption. Ctrl.Alt.Shift’s Face the Music unearths the sounds which are making it big in Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria and beyond. There will be a goody two shoes feature on how Brazilian shoe company Melissa and designer Vivienne Westwood have met in ethical style heaven. And there is ‘Murder he wrote’, an investigative feature into honor killing in India.

DSC_5595

We love the fact that the magazine puts what it preaches into action. It’s well known that magazines add to the pollution issue we all now face; printed on completely uncoated paper using vegetable ink, the magazine is completely biodegradable and has a cover price of £3.95. It is available from most WHSmith stores, as well as www.ctrlaltshift.co.uk/magazine

DSC_5776_1

Katrin Owusu, Head of Youth Marketing and Innovations at Ctrl.Alt.Shift and Chantelle Fiddy, Editor of Ctrl.Alt.Shift Magazine tell Amelia’s art editor Valerie Pezeron about their exciting new venture.

Valerie Pezeron: It’s a very brave act of faith to launch a magazine at a time when the industry is experiencing economic problems. Why should people buy your magazine?

Katrin Owusu: Ctrl.Alt.Shift: The Corruption Issue is inclusive, broad and at times controversial; with content ranging from a fashion-shoot inspired by Guantanemo Bay, to Sarah Maple creating art inspired by sex and corruption, to the music which is making the charts in Afghanistan. We hope the magazine will reach out to people who wouldn’t traditionally be interested in politics or current affairs, and encourage those people out of their comfort zones and into action.

VP: I love Ctrl.Alt.Shift and you guys are really setting the bar really high!

Chantelle Fiddy: It’s a real accomplishment to have produced a magazine that takes on board third sector objectives yet sits happily alongside consumer titles. Having had the freedom to explore new ways to package stories on global and social injustice, from Tim Westwood talking about activism to looking at the work of ethical shoe company Melissa and highlighting trends from around the world, we’ve resulted in something of a first (for the charity sector).

VP: So the new year is commencing with a bang?

CF: It’s the icing on the cake for what’s been an amazing eighteen months for Ctrl.Alt.Shift!

Run to the shops now, there aren’ t that many original magazines with a conscience out there…besides Amelia, of course!

Categories ,art, ,brazil, ,Ctrl.Alt.Shift, ,Culture, ,fashion, ,ICA Comica festival, ,magazine review, ,Melissa, ,music, ,politics, ,popular culture, ,publishing, ,Riz Ahmed, ,Sarah Maple, ,shoe comapny, ,Tim Westwood, ,Tracy Emin, ,Vivienne Westwood, ,vvbrown

Similar Posts: