short and sweet

Composer Max Richter has been creating beautiful music over this last decade. On the blog today you'll find a work (below) which takes the UN Declaration of Human Rights as its starting point. I needn't say any more.

Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance (July Bulletin)
The latest round-up of blogs, opportunities, events and much, much more is available on the CHWA website by clicking HERE. I'd particularly like to draw your attention to The House of Lords Covid-19 Committee who are asking people to share their hopes and fears about the long-term impact of the pandemic.

'The Committee, which was appointed in June 2020 to consider the long-term implications of the pandemic on the economic and societal wellbeing of the UK, wants to understand what individuals and organisations think that COVID-19 will mean for our daily lives, at work and at home, and for how we function as a society – what might it mean for social cohesion, for (in) equality, for our environment or for arts and culture? Asking people to look several years into the future, the Committee are keen to hear about both the challenges there are to overcome and the opportunities to do things better, especially in light of the systemic inequalities in society that the pandemic has highlighted. The Committee are welcoming both traditional written submissions and more creative contributions, and details of how people can share their views are included in the call for evidence.' DEADLINE - 31st August 2020.
For more details, click on the image by soymicroscopio below, taken from covidartmuseum.

Maggie's Leeds
What a wonderful thing it is that Maggie Keswick Jencks has given us - a legacy that embraces beauty and life with cancer. These healing environments that she and her husband envisaged following her own cancer diagnosis, have spread around the UK and internationally and are really beautiful environments that exude care in their very materials. I had a real treat of being asked to one of the centres in the grounds of Charing Cross Hospital back in 2013. The whole experience was so stimulating, that alongside the design work of Darren Browett, (which was focused on memory loss and design) I was not only propelled into writing a book chapter, but it really shifted my thinking towards living with cancer, dementia and the arts and (don't let it disturb you) mortality. I really do owe a debt of gratitude to Jencks and Browett. But this week sees much publicity about a new Maggie's Centre which has opened in Leeds and designed by the Thomas Heatherwick studio. What a beautiful thing. Seemingly improbable - but not impossible - why can't all healthcare provision take a leaf out of this book. 

BEYOND
GRAEAE'S NEW ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR DEAF AND DISABLED ARTISTS
Are you a passionate artist who wants to create live performance, develop an idea, find new collaborations, be seen & heard, but cannot get beyond barriers to developing or continuing your practice? BEYOND is designed to transform the careers of Deaf and disabled artists, supporting new connections to artistic development opportunities through advice, training, mentoring and creative spaces within a national network of theatres. For full details click HERE or on the image below.

. . .

Blackberries have come early,
Fingers stained and torn too soon.

.