The processes at the moment seem to be involve lots of talking and not much doing. I’m finding it frustrating at one level, but enjoying on the other. The frustration comes from being taken away from my own practice and making, while still enjoying the whole experience of talking to shop owners, artists, councils and committees.
Another meeting later today, with the Borough Council who have access to empty shops that we’re hoping to use, I have to stop myself getting carried away and thinking too big and reminding myself this is our first year and there is time for the trail to grow organically. And hopefully we’ll have more people helping out next year with all sorts of jobs.
So far we have quite a few artists involved, and will get proper confirmation by the 25th of exactly who is taking part, as this is the deadline for writing something about themselves for publicity. This is of course a flexible deadline, but we needed to know who wanted to participate and where their work would fit. For me this is the more interesting side of things, finding out what the artists will be doing and then seeing the development of that work.
For myself, I’m booked onto a ‘curating the rural’ symposium organised by re:place, I make no claims to know what I am doing on this trial, so a bit more education wouldn’t go amiss! It may help me move towards being more critical and confident in what we are trying to achieve.
We had a chat last week with artist Jayne Sanders, who has agreed to show some work for the Art Trail, and during the conversation, she expressed a need to have written confirmation of the arrangements.
So this weeks job is to email all the artists we have been talking to, and get a definate ‘yes’ in writing from them that they still want to take part. It will also confirm that the trail is really happening and not just talk. Andrew has set up a QR which can go on the poster for the Food Festival and will have all the information about artists and shops who will be taking part.
Still lots to do… But it feels quite exciting.
Things for the Art Trail are progressing at a good pace.
We have had several meetings with the Town Council and the Food festival committee who are all very supportive. At the last meeting, the lady who owns the Black Swan invited us to use six of her restaurant windows, so this will provide an interesting challenge to one of our artists, especially as we have to be careful about which fixings we use.
The whole process has been a good challenge for me on a personal level. It has taken me into contact with our local arts officer, the town council. local councillors and generally people outside my lovely arts community. As a naturally shy person, the prospect of talking in front of a group of extremely assertive people is incredibly daunting.
But has been a real time of growth for me as a professional artist, becoming more confident with my own knowledge and background in the arts, and applying them to working in partnership with other agencies.
