Hello Barrow!

I recently headed up to Barrow-in-Furness to deliver a Noise Box workshop and chat about possible future sonic happenings with the guys at Octopus Collective – the people behind the marvellous Full of Noises Festival.

Their enthusiasm and courtesy was evident from the start, which made me keen to go and visit. Then they mentioned the park! Octopus Collective is based in a house (formerly used by the park keeper I believe) in the middle of Barrow Park. The park has a lake, a bandstand, a memorial, a skate park, a little railway and all sorts of other stuff – and artists are invited to explore this space.

Octopus Collective HQ

On the Friday we talked about Barrow, surrounding industries and areas, previous happening and thoughts for the future. Something very good is going to come of this! On the Saturday we brought another ten Noise Boxes into the world – YES! Oh, and at some point I was hastily handed a phone to chat with a lady on Radio Cumbria – have a listen, John from Octopus Collective up first (sorry for the clicks and pops – seem to be on the BBC stream!).

Here are some pictures of the space available. I will be back to explore these further!

Bandstand

Park

Ducks

Train

Lake

Memorial

Inside Octopus Collective HQ

Workshop

I was treated really well from the start. It seemed in their nature. This made me feel great, just like I did on my recent trip to Denmark. More of this please.

Oh, and many thanks to Nikki Pugh, who recommended me to Octopus Collective. You rock!

Hello Denmark!

As my first blog post of the New Year I decided to pull my finger out and blog about something I attended in December 2011. I was asked by my friends at The Centrifuge to conduct an electronics workshop, building my Noise Boxes, in Helsingor, Denmark. This was the venue (Photographs by Quintin Lake). How could I refuse?

The workshops I conduct provide an opportunity for me to share my skills, in the hope that others might be inspired (at the very least) to “hack things better”, rather than accept that all electronic devices are untouchable. They also provide a great opportunity for meeting interesting people and engaging in some deep and worthwhile discussions. To then get my expenses and my time paid, have amazing food, drinks and accommodation provided, and be treated with the utmost courtesy, made my time in Denmark really remarkable. It was quite clear how much value they attach to the arts, based not only on the venue we were at but the future plans and the general approach. It warmed my heart!

The workshop went really well. My mini lecture went well too. Much fun was had. Everyone was charming, relaxed and professional. The Centrifuge crew delivered.

I’d like UK arts organisations to take note. If you treat us well we will reciprocate. Expect us to deliver many hours of our time at a loss, with a load of stress-heads beating us up about the whole thing and you get what you deserve.

That is all.

 

 

BIG thanks to The Culture Yard and The Centrifuge for making this happen.