independent thinking

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plan is to have the venue more deeply connected to the city’s creative grassroots, rather than operating in isolation as an arts centre. Richards explains: “We’re fortunate to be neighbours with Liverpool Biennial and similarly Elevator Studios, which is home to numerous creative firms. We’ll be looking to strengthen our engagement with these and others in the city over the coming months.” With the pretty much consistent shortage of funding for the arts in Liverpool, there’s always been a tradition of DIY culture, which has led in more recent years to a more entrepreneurial spirit in the arts. Another example is Mercy, a creative collective that came to prominence during the build-up to Liverpool’s Capital of Culture year and has gone on to do commercial design work for everyone from Diesel to Arctic Monkeys. Based on Hope Street, the collective has maintained a high profile thanks to organising its own arts programme, which most 37 28 NOV - 4 DEC 2011 · THE BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH ARTS When the arts funding cuts were announced last year there was trepidation across the rest of the country. Inevitably there were some major casualties, and Liverpool lost the A Foundation, a huge complex of former industrial buildings that had opened in 2006 as an independent contemporary art space. Yet it was not the end for the site. Three creative businesses already located in the vicinity – architects Union North, design agency Smiling Wolf and the Elevator Studios complex – got together with building owner and arts patron James Moores, and developed a new broader and more sustainable model for the venue. From this, Camp And Furnace was born. Venue manager Ian Richards describes Camp And Furnace as a “constantly evolving, independent, cultural destination”. Since its reopening a few months ago, it has hosted several club nights, the Liverpool Food and Drink Awards and even Google’s first “engagement day” in the UK. On 16 December, the venue will host a winter picnic promising “fake snow, real food and open fires”. The business end will develop next year, with the opening of a bar and eatery, alongside a hotel with a difference. “Camphotel will be part boutique hotel, part indoor festival campsite,” says Richards. “We will be taking a selection of vintage caravans and re-appropriating them in an ‘outdoors indoor’ setting.” Richards insists the cultural offer is still at the core of Camp And Furnace. “We’ll be rolling out a varied cultural programme over the coming year. Events to watch out for include art installations, exhibitions and performances, collaborative theatre, avant-garde cabaret, comedy and music.” Based in the Baltic Triangle, which local authorities are pushing as the next cultural quarter in Liverpool, the Independent thinking recently involved a series of events in collaboration with the Abandon Normal Devices festival. Doug Kerr, one of Mercy’s directors, explains the relationship between Mercy’s arts side and its agency side. “The two sides operate independently of each other, but with the same set of values and principles. Our job descriptions straddle both sides of the business, and each side feeds the other creatively.” Kerr stresses that having two sides to the operation does not lead to compromise. “Far from it. We’ve found a way of working that suits all of our skills and personalities, and the result is that we’ve got two self-sufficient models. It’s not necessarily right for everyone, but for us we’ve been able to have our cake and eat it – at a time when it’s not easy to sustain an arts organisation. Our general policy is to unify disciplines and encourage collaboration and we feel like it’s that kind of approach which will stand us in good stead in the future.” Whether we like it or not, the arts are changing from a model dominated by public funding to something more fluid, and those organisations that are flexible and self-sustaining are the ones that will likely survive and thrive in this changed climate. www.campandfurnace.com www.mercyonline.co.uk Liverpool’s independent arts scene is flourishing in the face of cuts thanks to a do-it-yourself work ethic, as Kenn Taylor discovers THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS From 2 Dec, The Lowry, Salford The tales of Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad come to the stage in Alan Bennett’s version of The Wind in the Willows. When Mole abandons his spring-cleaning for the enchanting world of the riverbank, so begins an adventure that leads eventually to battle. Written with distinctive Bennett flair, this adaptation remains true to its original. The exploits of the four friends are woven with clever songs and witty dialogue. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM From 29 Nov, Theatre Royal, York Filter Theatre presents its unique take on this classic text with a fast paced version of Shakespeare’s well-loved comedy. This informal production promises unique viewing from night to night as decisions on the direction of the performance are taken on the hoof. Directed by Sean Holmes, artistic director of the Lyric Hammersmith (where the production will appear in 2012), A Midsummer Night’s Dream will feature Filter’s trademark fusion of performance and live music. Camp And Furnace in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle. Below: the work of creative collective Mercy ALSO SHOWING BITN 904_37 (Arts):BITN 24/11/11 18:43 Page 37

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Article I wrote for The Big Issue in the North about some grassroots arts organisations in Liverpool thriving despite the cuts.

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Page 1: Independent Thinking

plan is to have the venue moredeeply connected to the city’screative grassroots, rather thanoperating in isolation as an artscentre.

Richards explains: “We’re fortunateto be neighbours with LiverpoolBiennial and similarly ElevatorStudios, which is home to numerouscreative firms. We’ll be looking tostrengthen our engagement withthese and others in the city over thecoming months.”

With the pretty much consistentshortage of funding for the arts inLiverpool, there’s always been atradition of DIY culture, which has ledin more recent years to a moreentrepreneurial spirit in the arts.

Another example is Mercy, acreative collective that came toprominence during the build-up toLiverpool’s Capital of Culture year andhas gone on to do commercial designwork for everyone from Diesel toArctic Monkeys. Based on HopeStreet, the collective has maintaineda high profile thanks to organising itsown arts programme, which most

3728 NOV - 4 DEC 2011 · THE BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH

A R T S

When the arts funding cuts wereannounced last year there wastrepidation across the rest of thecountry. Inevitably there were somemajor casualties, and Liverpool lostthe A Foundation, a huge complex offormer industrial buildings that hadopened in 2006 as an independentcontemporary art space.

Yet it was not the end for the site.Three creative businesses alreadylocated in the vicinity – architectsUnion North, design agency SmilingWolf and the Elevator Studioscomplex – got together with buildingowner and arts patron James Moores,and developed a new broader andmore sustainable model for thevenue. From this, Camp And Furnacewas born.

Venue manager Ian Richardsdescribes Camp And Furnace as a“constantly evolving, independent,cultural destination”. Since itsreopening a few months ago, it hashosted several club nights, theLiverpool Food and Drink Awards andeven Google’s first “engagement day”in the UK. On 16 December, thevenue will host a winter picnicpromising “fake snow, real food andopen fires”.

The business end will develop nextyear, with the opening of a bar andeatery, alongside a hotel with adifference. “Camphotel will be partboutique hotel, part indoor festivalcampsite,” says Richards. “We will betaking a selection of vintage caravansand re-appropriating them in an‘outdoors indoor’ setting.”

Richards insists the cultural offer isstill at the core of Camp And Furnace.“We’ll be rolling out a varied culturalprogramme over the coming year.Events to watch out for include artinstallations, exhibitions andperformances, collaborative theatre,avant-garde cabaret, comedy andmusic.”

Based in the Baltic Triangle, whichlocal authorities are pushing as thenext cultural quarter in Liverpool, the

Independent thinking

recently involved a series of events incollaboration with the AbandonNormal Devices festival.

Doug Kerr, one of Mercy’s directors,explains the relationship betweenMercy’s arts side and its agency side.

“The two sides operateindependently of each other, but withthe same set of values and principles.Our job descriptions straddle bothsides of the business, and each sidefeeds the other creatively.”

Kerr stresses that having two sidesto the operation does not lead tocompromise.

“Far from it. We’ve found a way ofworking that suits all of our skills andpersonalities, and the result is thatwe’ve got two self-sufficient models.It’s not necessarily right for everyone,but for us we’ve been able to haveour cake and eat it – at a time whenit’s not easy to sustain an artsorganisation. Our general policy is tounify disciplines and encouragecollaboration and we feel like it’s thatkind of approach which will stand usin good stead in the future.”

Whether we like it or not, the artsare changing from a modeldominated by public funding tosomething more fluid, and thoseorganisations that are flexible andself-sustaining are the ones that willlikely survive and thrive in thischanged climate.

www.campandfurnace.comwww.mercyonline.co.uk

Liverpool’s independent arts scene is flourishingin the face of cuts thanks to a do-it-yourselfwork ethic, as Kenn Taylor discovers

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWSFrom 2 Dec, The Lowry, Salford

The tales of Ratty, Mole, Badger andToad come to the stage in AlanBennett’s version of The Wind in theWillows. When Mole abandons hisspring-cleaning for the enchantingworld of the riverbank, so begins anadventure that leads eventually tobattle. Written with distinctiveBennett flair, this adaptationremains true to its original. Theexploits of the four friends arewoven with clever songs and wittydialogue.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’SDREAM From 29 Nov, Theatre Royal, York

Filter Theatre presents its uniquetake on this classic text with a fastpaced version of Shakespeare’swell-loved comedy. This informalproduction promises unique viewingfrom night to night as decisions onthe direction of the performance aretaken on the hoof. Directed by SeanHolmes, artistic director of the LyricHammersmith (where theproduction will appear in 2012), A Midsummer Night’s Dream willfeature Filter’s trademark fusion ofperformance and live music.

Camp And Furnace in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle. Below: the work ofcreative collective Mercy

ALSO SHOWING

BITN 904_37 (Arts):BITN 24/11/11 18:43 Page 37