It’s been too long…

So, as you might know, Up For Arts officially ended on 31st March, but we did go out with a bang; a National Conference and a volunteer visit to Utrecht, added a cherry on the top of the Up For Arts cake.

Sorry, we haven’t been in touch and up dated you with goings on  since March 18th (tut, tut) but there will be some posts in the coming week about the trip and the conference as well as some infamous beer mats to feast your eyes on!  We may then have to bid you farewell, but hopefully not for too long…

Beer, beer, beer mats. Yes please.

I don’t think these ace doodles need any explanation.  More in the beer mat gallery…

FREE First Aid Training: Get Qualified and Get Ahead

Up For Arts in partnership with St John’s Ambulance invites arts and crafts groups of all sizes to take part in a recognised First Aid Course for free.

Thursday 18 March 2010

2pm – 5pm

Performance Space, Hanover Street, BBC Radio Merseyside

www.upforarts.co.uk

Vital for groups and organisations of all sizes, this course gives an opportunity for arts and crafts groups to access free training.  The session will give an insight into:

Important basic first aid skills

How to deal with minor and deteriorating conditions in any casualty

Communication and Casualty Care

Looking after yourself and the casualty

Treatment of minor bleeding and minor burns

Treatment of an unconscious casualty

Priorities of First Aid and managing the scene

Treatment of choking casualty

Treatment of fainting, bites, stings, sprains and strains

The course is suitable for all arts and crafts groups, no matter of size or number of members. The session is free, but places are limited to one per group. To find out more and to book, call the A-Team on 0151 794 0984.

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Ron’s Therapeutic Art Group

Ron’s Therapeutic Arts Group is based in Maghull on Merseyside. The group supports older people to develop their painting skills and provide an outlet for creativity to blossom.

This short video made by our Community Reports at Toxeth TV, lets members of the group explain what happens when they attend the sessions and what they take away from it.

Beer Mat Gallery ahoy…

Feast your eyes on these beauties.  These are the first of our ‘scribbled on’ beer mats which were brilliantly inked at Django’s Riff at the Draw the Line night on Thursday 4th March.  There are many more where these came from, you talented lot, you.

Up For Arts and NODA present FREE training session

How to avoid the splinters: The future of treading the boards.

Up for Arts in partnership with NODA (National Operatic and Dramatic Association), Hand in Hand Theatre Productions, The Media Trust and BBC Radio Merseyside invites you to How to Avoid the Splinters: The Future of Treading the Boards.

Sunday 28 March 2010
10am – 4pm
Lyceum Theatre, Port Sunlight, Merseyside

The session is free, but places are limited. To find out more and to book, call the A-Team on 0151 794 0984.

How to Avoid the Splinters is a free one day training session examining the future of amateur theatre. The workshop will fill you full of priceless information from industry professionals.

The day will cover a multitude of current hot topics surrounding sustainability in the current environment, audience development as well as advice and guidance for dealing with the media in all its forms, all in the beautiful surroundings of The Lyceum one of the oldest buildings in Port Sunlight.

NODA
NODA is the UK’s largest representative body for amateur theatre, founded in 1899, now with over 2,500 society members and several thousand individual members. NODA aims to support practitioners at all levels, including those appearing on stage, back stage, and front of house, with a range of training and support services designed to ensure the sustainability of amateur theatre. Tony Gibbs, Chief Executive will be discussing how to attract new audiences, the art of encouraging young people to get involved in amateur theatre and overall financial sustainability.

Hand in Hand Theatre Productions
Hand in Hand Theatre Productions is a Wirral based not-for-profit organisation set-up by writer/director Bev Clark. The aims of Hand in Hand are to bring performance art to local communities and to work in partnership with others to produce new and original Theatre Events. Bev will explain how this collaborative approach has enabled Hand in Hand to achieve considerable success both locally and nationally.

The Media:
The session will in part, have a media focus, welcoming industry professionals from The Media Trust, BBC Radio Merseyside and freelance journalist and broadcaster, Liam Fogarty.
Adam Perry from The Media Trust will be giving an overview of available services available to groups through The Media Trust and will be conducting a workshop on writing a press release.

BBC Radio Merseyside
Helen Jones Up for Arts Broadcast and Helpline Manager will be leading the way on how Up for Arts has been a great success with Local BBC in Merseyside and Cheshire showcasing groups and events and inspiring listeners and members of the public.

Liam Fogarty
Liam is a freelance journalist, broadcaster and consultant with a wealth of experience.  he will be giving a presentation on using media opportunities and highlighting how you can make the media work for you.

How to Avoid the Splinters is suitable for all levels of theatre companies. The session is free, but places are limited. To find out more and to book, call the A-Team on 0151 794 0984.

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Are you dancing? We are definitely asking…

We are presenting a series of free dance events across Merseyside for you to get involved in, so polish those shoes and comb that hair, we are taking you out.

On Tuesday 9^th March between 2pm and 4pm, the luscious Sefton Park Palm House plays host to a tea dance. Dust down those florals and polish those pearls as we waltz to the live piano accompaniment, then refuel with free tea and cake. We have bagged some free places, so hurry these will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

On Friday 12^th March get ready for some hip wiggling, shoulder shaking, smile inducing salsa at the Palm House between 7pm and midnight. We have free places available for the evening which includes a free dance class, music to make you move and then an opportunity to showcase your skills…no rhythm required!

Discover the magic of Bollywood with a free dance class at Merseyside Dance Initiative, Monday 15^th March, 6pm – 7pm. Learn the poses, master the body rolls and throw in some lip synching.

All opportunities are free, but places are limited. To book, call the A-Team on 0151 794 0984.

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You’re invited…free national conference

Voluntary Arts England is presenting a free one-day national conference on Tuesday 30 March at FACT, Liverpool;

Restoring the Balance:
the effect of arts participation on informal learning, health and wellbeing

The conference, part of the Up For Arts project, has been designed to celebrate and recognise projects, schemes and organisations that reach out to disadvantaged communities using arts/crafts as a vehicle for increasing levels of informal learning, health and wellbeing.

Throughout the day BBC 24’s Breakfast presenter Susanna Reid will chair discussions which will explore the major social, health, economical and environmental benefits in developing opportunities for and participation in arts and cultural activities.

Keynote speakers will be given a platform to share creative ideas and best practice and will highlight exemplar projects such as:

–         ‘Up for Arts’ which is a high profile informal learning/arts participation project within BBC Radio Merseyside.   Up for Arts is collaboration between Voluntary Arts England and the BBC.

–         Liverpool’s Year of Health & Wellbeing.

–         Arts Council England’s national 2010 Arts Participation Campaign

–         ‘Restoring the Balance’, Voluntary Arts England’s latest publication which showcases how wellbeing, health and, in some cases, lives have been transformed as a result of arts participation.

The conference will be thought provoking and inspiring combining insightful keynote presentations and panel discussions with practical workshops, led by some of the most influential figures from across the health, local authority and voluntary arts sector.

The conference is free, but places are limited.  To find out more and to book, visit http://restoringthebalance.eventbrite.com/

Let’s All Get Scribbling with Draw the Line

Draw the Line is a growing Liverpool art social event aimed at the artist and everyman alike to unite under one roof and enjoy a casual doodle together.
Since its origin, the event has grown in popularity and has achieved an underground cult status in the city.

Draw the Line first put pen to paper back in 2007 in its spiritual home of Django’s Riff. Robin Peters, studying to be a Therapist and former employee of the bar, was introduced to Michael Snowdon, a recent graduate in Graphic Arts, and the concept was born. The aim was to provide a free event where people of the city could gather and indulge in some creativity together, part social networking, a bit of artistic therapy and all about a love of doodles!

Draw the Line is for anyone who wants to get involved, for the artists of the city and the everyman alike. The paper and pens are there waiting for you and it doesn’t cost a penny. There is no benchmark at Draw the Line. The ability level ranges from the professional to the people who tag their name.

Draw the Line has a following of people across the spectrum of art, from computer game character designers, illustrators, fine artists, graffiti writers to people who sit and crochet in the corner to those who just can’t help themselves but to draw something phallic! It’s an energetic, colourful cross-section of Liverpool life.

The guys were invited by the Bluecoat to host a scribble session at the opening of their “The End of the Line” illustration exhibition last May, have featured on FACT’s “Climate for Change” list of events and are due to be involved with the “Up for Arts” project at the end of this month, a collaborative venture between Voluntary Arts England and BBC Radio Merseyside which celebrates arts and creativity across the whole of Liverpool.

This year Michael and Robin are keen to secure some funding for Draw the Line, with the aim of hosting a gallery to showcase some of the work that’s been generated over the years. If you assumed that the paper was discarded after the night, guess again, they’ve been planning things from the start. Draw the Line are looking forward to being involved with “CGTweetup” again, an annual gathering for digital artists from across the globe to network, showcase and share experience, after a hugely successful night last year held at Circo on the docks.

Draw the Line invites you to enjoy some artistic self indulgence, meet new people, learn new techniques and get involved. Drop in and leave your mark!

Under The Mud Screening Tonight!

Thanks to everyone to came to see the Under the Mud bus at the weekend, it was great to see you all.  Photos from the day are up on our facebook and flickr pages – check them out!

Tonight is the screening of the film at BBC Radio Merseyside along with a Q&A from director, producer, writers, cast and crew!  The screening is full, but sure we’ll have some lush pictures to show you tomorrow.