Pigs (Three Different Ones)

Please note that our events on January 23rd and February 6th are oversubscribed and I’ll be in touch with everyone who’s expressed an interest in attending the event on the 6th, over the coming week. 

The social impact of participation in culture and sport inquiry
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee 
A new inquiry has been launched. The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee is to investigate ways in which taking part in the arts, cultural activities and sport can have a positive impact on health, community and education.

Participation in culture and sport has a proven link to a wide range of benefits. The Committee is expected to focus on five major themes, taking evidence on social mobility, health, crime reduction, education, community engagement and diversity. The legacy of the Olympics may also be considered as part of the inquiry. The Committee is keen to hear from specific case studies of success. There is no single cross-Government strategy of support for this work – alongside funding from Arts Council England and other government bodies, projects are largely run by charities and private organisations. Often projects are delivered in isolation rather than in partnership with public bodies which could extend their reach and influence. The inquiry would seek to draw the Government’s attention to the importance of these activities and ‘join up’ currently separated departmental efforts. Full details are available HERE.



TIME at ARC Gallery
An exhibition of Art by Simone Frater-Russell & Nerissa Cargill Thompson
TIME is an exhibition of textiles, print and photography by Manchester-based artists Simone Frater-Russell and Nerissa Cargill-Thompson. Click HERE to find out more. 

Royal Liverpool University Hospital
The new Royal Liverpool University Hospital looks have a thriving arts scene developing, with a stunning immersive work by Luke Jerram as a tribute to organ and tissue donation. You can read more about this, and work developed with the Chronic Fatigue Service by clicking HERE.

The artwork by Luke Jerram celebrates, remembers and gives thanks to the generosity of organ and tissue donors and their families. On display in the main reception area of the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Tribute is due to be unveiled when the new hospital opens. The artwork consists of a spiralling tower of wood with dichroic windows, etched with personal stories from organ and tissue donors, recipients and their families. Visitors will be able to sit or stand inside the artwork to contemplate the stories and experience the infinite reflections created by the mirrored ceiling and floor. Click HERE for more information on his work.

CATALYST COMMISSION
SICK! Festival is offering a small number of Catalyst Commissions of between £2,000 - £6,000 for early- to mid-career UK-based artists to develop new works of contemporary performance and dance that resonates with the festival’s thematic interests for presentation as part of SICK! Festival in March 2019.
We are interested in works that reflect the physical, mental and social challenges that we face in our individual and collective lives.  We would particularly welcome applications dealing with areas that have seen limited attention in the arts including addiction, eating disorders, motherhood / fatherhood, abortion, shame, self-harm and cancer. More information HERE. Closing date Monday 12th February 2018.

FREE 3 day TRAINING for Addiction and Recovery-related Health & Social Care Workers
26, 27 & 28 February, Brighton, 9.30am - 4pm
Delivered by Portraits of Recovery in collaboration with Cascade Creative Recovery, this is a three day programme. Full details HERE.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
SICK! Festival are delighted to be joining Arts Council England’s National Portfolio from April 2018. As we embark on an exciting, ambitious new phase in the organisation’s growth, we are seeking a new Marketing and Communications Director to join the team in Manchester.
The Marketing and Communications Director will lead all areas of marketing, communications and audience development, creating and developing strategy as well as ensuring successful delivery. Deadline for application is 9am on Monday 5 February 2018. More information HERE.



The Leche Trust
The Leche Trust's main grants programme supports projects in two areas: performing arts and conservation. Trustees will consider grants up to £5,000. In 2017 they awarded 83 grants totalling £172,400. The average grant was £2,077. Applicants must be UK registered charities, public authorities or public institutions. Applications are not accepted from Community Interest Companies (CICs) or individuals. 
Performing Arts: The Trustees support projects that promote excellence in professional performance in music, dance and theatre, with particular emphasis on new work and on the development of young professionals aged 18 or over. Trustees are sympathetic to projects that widen geographical access to the performing arts, for example through festivals and touring.
Deadlines: The deadlines for applications for the meetings in 2018 are:
Friday 20 April for the June 2018 meeting,
Friday 17 August for the October 2018 meeting.
For full details on eligibility and how to apply, please click HERE. 

£1 Million available to support good causes 
Wesleyan, the specialist financial mutual, aims to give up to £1 million a year to good causes throughout the UK. Every quarter Wesleyan invites its customers and supporters of the chosen causes to vote for the cause they would most like to support. The more votes a cause gets, the bigger the share of support it receives. The Foundation supports both local community groups and charities nationwide. Its four core themes are:
Health
Education
Social development
Innovation.
Read more HERE. 

Coventry UK City of Culture 2021
Off the back of their winning bid, Coventry City of Culture Trust now wishes to appoint a Creative Director to move the project forward to the next stage.
Salary circa £100,000 to £125,000 + benefits.  Fixed term contract to April 2022. Closing date: 2 March 2018.
Tasks include the overall management of UK City of Culture programming, co-curation, community engagement, capacity building and development of national and regional partnerships.  The successful candidate will be an inspiring leader and programmer or curator of arts festivals and events with at least 5 years’ experience gained in a similar role of similar responsibility and complexity. Full details are HERE.  

In Other News......two boated self-styled eugenicists have hit the headlines. MP Ben Bradley has been appointed Conservative vice for youth  - and  Toby Young has bowed to public pressure and resigned from The Office for Students.

Both men are apologists for their youthful comments, but it's difficult to believe they don't still hold the same vaues. In short Bradley's blog (see image above) was tagged with keywords including “chavs” and “wasters” and in short, called for 'the unemployed' to have vasectomies. Here's a taste:
"It’s horrendous that there are families out there that can make vastly more than the average wage, (or in some cases more than a bloody good wage) just because they have 10 kids {...} Sorry but how many children you have is a choice; if you can’t afford them, stop having them! {...}vasectomies are free."
Toby Young has a well-honed pedigree for his breed of provocations and self-publicity and he wrote in a conservative Australian journal only two years ago, “My proposal is this: once this technology [genetically engineered intelligence] becomes available, why not offer it free of charge to parents on low incomes with below-average IQs?” to address “the problem of flat-lining inter-generational social mobility.” 

Great to see this conjoining or politics and free speech...

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