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Ben Folds and a Piano : Norfolk & Norwich Festival at Theatre Royal, Norwich

21/5/2018

Review of Ben Folds and a Piano
Norfolk & Norwich Festival at Theatre Royal, Norwich
Saturday 19 May 2018
Reviewer Andrew F Smith

They say the only truth is art.

Well, that’s artists for you. Talk about blowing their own trumpet..

With Ben Folds though, you do actually begin to believe it. He writes and sings like an understated philosopher, or maybe a wise owl, surrounding the clear narrative with both intricate ‘classically trained’ piano runs and thumping Jerry Lee Lewis ivory and ebony abuse.

‘Boxing’s been good to me. Has boxing been good to you?’ A line from the song referring to Mohammed Ali. A waltz. Yes, that works. Clever multi-layered meanings.

How about the beautiful ‘Gracie’? A song that can’t help but move any young father to to near-tears.

The harsh description of the other customers at Denners(?) whilst as a child eating there with his dad. ‘They don’t give a fuck. Just as long as there’s enough for them’.

His words are good. His songs are weighty and light at the same time… a strange balance.

I do wish he wouldn’t bash the piano with forearm slams….my mum wouldn’t like that!

When did he last play in Norwich? 2000, he thinks.
‘No! It was 1997!’ The adoring audience knows better than him.
‘I hope you write down that he that he shouldn’t wait 20 years before he returns next time,’ a woman pats my arm, almost knocking the biro out of my hand. ‘We want him back sooner than that!’

The piano’s been good to him. Has he been good to the piano?
Oh yes, Mum. I think he has.

Andrew Smith May 2018
for Culture Shift

Review : The Paper Man by Improbable at Norwich Puppet Theatre

19/5/2018

Review : The Paper Man by Improbable at Norwich Puppet Theatre
Thursday 17 May 2018
Marion Catlin

A world first for the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, the premiere of renowned theatre group new production Improbable’s The Paper Man has a run of several nights at Norwich Puppet Theatre, until Saturday 19 May. Improbable have a reputation for improvised work and the distinction of this show is that it takes a different course every night. I was sorry to have missed the evening with the post-show talk as it would have been good to find out more about how different each show is. Anyway, the core narrative and structure must be the same I guess.

The main story is about an Austrian footballer called Matthias Sindelar who was allegedly murdered by the Nazis when he refused to cooperate with them during the war. He is introduced early on and a fairly full description of his childhood and rise to fame as Austria’s best ever footballer is clearly explained. But when actors Vera Chok, Jess Mabel Jones, Anna-Maria Nabirye and Adrienne Quartly start to improvise their input, it starts to get a bit more surreal and hard to follow as they all bring in their own perspectives as women, women of ‘colour’ and a variety of views on diversity and oppression.

Football features heavily and somehow Newcastle United creeps into the story, with the actors kitted up in black and white for much of the play. Hitler moustaches also feature - which always makes me feel uncomfortable somehow. The idea stems from Improbable member Lee Simpson’s late night TV watching some years ago - a programme about Sindelar whoch fa. The design of the show is brilliant, the visual effects are great and the shadow puppetry/projection works very well. Paper scenery and scene changes are also very effective. It is a very professional production which reminds me a bit of a jazz gig where there is structure to a point but each musician ‘takes it away’ for a while an then it all comes back to a single point - no reason why that shouldn’t happen with theatre too. Take your chance to catch this show while it is in Norwich - you can read more about the ideas behind the show here www.nnfestival.org.uk/lee-simpson-on-the-paper-man

Review : Grand Finale by Hofesh Shechter

18/5/2018

Review of Grand Finale by Hofesh Shechter
Theatre Royal Norwich Tuesday 15 May 2018
Marion Catlin, Culture Shift

Grand Finale, the new work by choreographer Hofesh Shechter, is one of the highlights of the Festival this year. Anyone that watched Political Mother in 2015 would be expecting an equally powerful piece of theatrical dance on the Theatre Royal stage and they would not be disappointed. Dance is not really my preferred genre and not usually my first choice but I was not intending to miss this…

In the first scene though, my worst fears of dance spring to mind. Music and movement from my primary school days as the cast gyrated their arms and made like trees on a dark stage with large blocks in the shadows. However it soon changed. The movements of the dancers got wilder and stronger, floppy and fluid in high energy coordinated moves. Swift, smooth, athletic. It wasn’t long before I wondered whether they would be able to maintain this level of physical excellence through the next hour and a half.

The 10 dancers were cleverly joined by 6 musicians - often I couldn’t spot the scene changes as they appeared first one side of the stage and then the other, in shadows and corners. They were equally choreographed with the dancers and certainly not just a supporting group of musicians.

As with many dance pieces there was no obvious narrative but clearly the movements were communicating chaos, confusion, death and violence, distress and caring, tenderness and love. It was also humorous, darkly playful and light-hearted in parts. The lighting and scene sets were also superb - simple, stark, dramatic. Towering grey blocks on gliding castors which were pushed around the stage revealing dancers, pockets of light, creating spaces and niches but in such a smooth and simple way which didn’t intrude - also part of the choreography. Bright, searchlight style ceiling spots also cast graphic shafts of light onto the stage, onto dancers, onto scenes. One memorable sequences entailed soap bubbles falling from the roof, like snow, gently falling on the dancers illuminated by dozens of lights, reminiscent of the deck of the Titanic as the musicians continued to play whilst dancers dragged their floppy, fluid partners around in a kind of death waltz.

This was clearly contemporary dance of the highest quality and also choreography that couldn’t be overlooked. The dancing was skilful artistic expression but it was also clear that the dominant artist was the choreographer Hofesh Shechter, directing and controlling the many components in this 90 minute drama and composing the music too, which was a beautiful achievement in its own right.

12 hours later, I still can’t believe what I saw in terms of the sequences, movements, timing and expression that I watched. How do the dancers coordinate themselves so well and remember such complex scenes? How do they make their bodies flow and fall as though they are lifeless and yet then spring into life in one smooth strike. And at the end of an hour and a half, the dancers still looked springy and was though they could set off for a run after the dance, so fit and lively.

It was a one-off performance in the Festival. If you get the chance to watch this somewhere else I would highly recommend that you take it!

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Theatre Royal 16 May 2018

17/5/2018

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Theatre Royal 16 May 2018
Reviewer Elisabetta cavalli

I have been aware of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, like most people, through their participation in the famous 1986 Paul Simon’s album, Graceland, and I have been very much looking forward to this performance. I also remember the controversy surrounding Paul Simon going to South Africa to make Graceland at a time when most artists, sports people and investors were boycotting the country, especially as the boycott was supported by the ANC. Nevertheless, the tour with Paul Simon gave LBM an international audience that has certainly pushed forward their already long-standing career.

Founded in 1960 by Joseph Shabalala, LBM are somewhat of a South African institution and have played at pretty much every big shot occasion, especially if it had anything to do with Nelson Mandela. The 9 strong group still has some of the original founder members and it’s fronted by four of Shabalala’s sons, who very proudly spoke about their father and also presented their latest Grammy Award winner album, Shaka Zulu.

The theatre was packed and the performance sold out, which helped creating a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere throughout the concert. After a warm welcome in their native Zulu language they began to sing; their tone is deep, vibrant, repetitive and mesmerizing, mimicking the sound of nature, birds, water and trees.

The performance is also very physical, with amazing and humorous facial expressions, dancing, and throwing legs and arms about as if detached from their bodies! At one point it seemed as if a contest of who could kick their leg higher over the head was in progress, very impressive considering some of the performers were in their 70s!

The repertoire included mainly songs on love, nature, struggle, peace and freedom, very evocative of South Africa and its history and they explained that when they perform abroad they are called by their co-nationals ‘the guys that make us homesick’.

Halfway through the concert, in front of a starry night background, they performed the beautiful and political “Long walk to Freedom” song in honour of Nelson Mandela (whose first book has the same title), celebrating 24 years of democratic elections. The song repeats hauntingly: ‘Long way, long walk to freedom, congratulations South Africa’, and the audience responded warmly.

Of course a couple of songs from Graceland were performed, “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes” and “Homeless”, and very much enjoyed by the audience. The finale was an amazing vocal, dancing and agility contest, getting the audience clapping and singing. Naturally they were called back for an encore for which they chose to perform their version of Amazing Grace. I was so hoping to hear their wonderful national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ Iafrika, but it wasn’t to be.

All-in-all a brilliant concert, and an ‘a cappella’ choir experience as riveting as opposite to ‘The Sixteen’ I heard two nights ago. That’s the NNFestival!

(PS: For anybody wondering what the name Ladysmith Black Mambazo means, Ladysmith is the name of the village where the Shabalala’s family comes from, Black refers to the black ox, considered the strongest animal, and Mambazo means ‘axe’ in Zulu, symbolising the group’s ability to slash the competition!)

Elisabetta Cavalli for Culture Shift

Review: Alice Though the Looking Glass : Britten Sinfonia : Saturday 13 May 2018

15/5/2018

Review : Culture Shift/Music in Norwich
Alice Though the Looking Glass
Britten Sinfonia at Norwich Playhouse

This afternoon at Norwich Playhouse, I took the opportunity to take my nearly 6 year-old grand daughter to her first classical concert. Music doesn’t feature that much in her life, not classical anyway as it is not really her parents’ cup of tea but this show, performed by members of Britten Sinfonia, I thought might be just the ticket, and I had heard before that it was very good. Plus I know Britten Sinfonia’s work quite well through the Music in Norwich forum.

It took a bit of persuading to get her to come as she has not quite trusted me since I took her to see an especially scary (or so she thought) version of Rumpelstiltskin but once I convinced her that it wouldn’t be scary and it was interactive, she agreed. And she was chuffed that it was at Norwich Playhouse as her theatre school Crocodile will be performing their next show there.

Anyway, the set was a large black and white chequer board with a piano and chairs and various images of chess pieces so I took the opportunity to explain about chess, and Alice (she knew Alice in Wonderland) and to recite a good chunk of the Jabberwocky, which was one of my childhood favourites. The show started with Jessie, dressed in a striking red and black costume who greeted the audience and got us all involved in warm-up exercise - some with relevance to the show although we didn’t realise that to begin with.

After a story intro, the first pieces of music were played and then more story as we worked our way through the basics of Alice’s adventure though the looking glass, but by bit making use of what we learned in the warm-up.

Part way through, Jessie started conducting the five musicians (a violin, a cello, a flute, piano and occasionally a horn of some sort (French I think) and then made an offer for three children to come and try conducting - Ella wasn’t chosen but the three that were did it very well, using their hands to make the music louder or quieter.

In just under an hour, we were back in our warm beds - or at least Alice was and we were off. I was keen to know what Ella thought ‘ Okay’ she said. ‘I really liked the music, that was the best bit’. Her answer surprised me although she had clearly been enjoying it but I assumed she would have enjoyed the story most. As an aside, it was 5-9 years but I think my two-and a half year old grand-daughter would have been interested and able to engage with it.

All in all a success so will look out for the next one. I enjoyed it too!

Hymn : Damien Hirst : St George's Street, Norwich

While I was taking my grand-daughter to the Playhouse, we took a little diversion to see Hymn, a piece by Damien Hirst, outside the Norwich University of the Arts building in StGeorge's Street. It is massively tall (someone tell me how tall) and a copy of the model that toy company Mattel used to sell where you could take apart a human body and all its organs. A great thing for those not too squeamish and wanting to learn about our inner workings. There is a full exhibition of Damien Hirst's work at Houghton Hall - this is a Norwich taster. Not sure if it really art but it is certainly astonishing and maybe that is all that it needs to be! I think it is there all summer.

Norfolk & Norwich Festival has launched - 17 more days to come

12/5/2018

ACROBATS, AERIALISTS AND OPERA SINGERS OPEN 2018 NORFOLK & NORWICH FESTIVAL

The Festival runs 11 – 27 May 2018.
Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2018 opened this evening in spectacular style, transforming the city centre with a large scale street procession and aerial display. As the sun set on Norwich, Transe Express, a company of carnivalesque drummers, took to the streets alongside larger than life opera singing dolls, parading through the city, turning Norwich into a fantastical open-air opera house and culminating in an astonishing aerial finale high above the Forum.

Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2018 runs 11 - 27 May. The programme spans performance, theatre, music, visual arts, literature, circus, outdoor and family events and includes world and UK premieres, one-off spectaculars, and a host of free events across the fortnight. The Festival will showcase renowned international artists from across the globe and countries as widespread as Syria, Australia and India, alongside the best local Norfolk and UK talent presented across the county, from Norwich city centre and Great Yarmouth to Wells-next-the-Sea.

The flagship arts organisation for the East of England, Norfolk & Norwich Festival showcases some of the world’s most renowned international artists alongside regional talent, drawing audiences from across the UK.

Norfolk & Norwich is dedicated to making Festival events accessible for all and there are many free events as well as reduced price tickets for some age groups and for people with reduced access for whatever reason, to enable as many people as possible to enjoy the work.
Full information on Norfolk & Norwich Festival and all events at www.nnfestival.org.uk.

The Word Defiant at Blickling Hall, Norfolk

10/5/2018

The Word Defiant at Blickling Hall 1st May to 28 October 2018

Last night I attended a private viewing of the newly launched exhibition at Blickling Hall – The Word Defiant - an installation based artwork using books as a starting point. Theatre company Les Enfants Terribles was commissioned to make a set of seven interventions within the National Trust property and stately home Blickling Hall. The artworks respond to the theme of books and threats to them from different quarters – political, environmental or simply because they are out of date.

The exhibition as commissioned by the National Trust to draw attention to the threat to books and the written word, and to highlight the international importance of the library in Blickling’s Long Gallery and its book collection. Each atmospheric installation represents a different way that the written word is at risk. The library and collection of books at Blickling is currently undergoing a comprehensive conservation programme as it has been plagued by damp and deathwatch beetle for many decades. It is hope that The Word Defiant will alert the public to the magnificence of the important collection at Blickling.

So, I arrived at Blickling Hall on foot having parked at the Buckinghamshire Arms pub not far away. Early evening, after a beautiful sunny day and it felt like rain so there was a strange light, common in Norfolk. I was met at the main gate and directed down the drive towards someone, called Sebastian I was told, who would meet me. I felt like a character from Alice in Wonderland as I took a long lonely walk between two tall hedges down a long, long drive towards a distant figure who poked his head out from behind a silver-coloured car and beckoned me towards him. Finally we met and he greeted me and welcomed me to Blickling. It is a long time since I been to the hall and never without crowds of people. I was reminded of what an amazing place it is. I was told to start with the Neglected Word and then directed with a (very polite) handwave towards The Temple – which I couldn’t see for hedges - but I headed off in the indicated direction nevertheless. Gradually I met other wanderers and eventually a pink light appeared. It was the doorway of a small temple and inside, books half-buried in sand which we could walk around and through. I was still not ‘quite on the page’ with what I had come to see. The description of the artists as a theatre company meant I expected a performance but it was when I returned to the house (still under the threat of rain) that I realised we had started with the one outdoor installation first and that the house contained the rest. Once back inside I was given a piece of paper which explained everything, including the introduction at the top of this review. I also started to comprehend that the role of the theatre company was one of artists using the skills of theatrical set designers and that no-one was likely to leap out on me from behind a screen or out of the wallpaper.

The paper sheet I was given introduced seven installations and gave a little background to each one. I have to say that it really helped having some interpretation as it enabled me to get much more from each piece as I followed the trail.

The trail takes you around the house from the grand hallway, through the lush drawing rooms, below stairs and even into the cellars and bathrooms, each piece highlighting a contemporary issue from book-burning in Afghanistan, to censorship in China to redaction in the USA and plain old water damage in places such as Venice – probably this was one of my favourites The Word Drowned – books in a bath – apparently the bath is where bookshops in Venice store their books to protect them from rising tides! And The Word Redacted in the long corridor below stairs where many, many words had been deleted from the memoir Operation Dark Heart. This piece is visually dramatic (as they all are) and accompanied by a Morse code soundtrack. In fact, many of the pieces have some sound attached which adds to the atmosphere, such as Sat Nav instructions that accompany maps and charts flowing from a cabinet in The Word Superseded in the Chinese Dressing Room.

The final point in the trail is the enormous Long Gallery. I had never been in there before and my jaw literally dropped as I entered the room. An incredible decorative plaster ceiling above, metres of book shelves lining the walls and a huge pile of books falling from the shelves, onto the carpet, over the grand piano and out of the window. We were told that all of the books were destined for recycling before being used for the artwork – even that fact is quite startling as many of the books looked ‘valuable’ but are in fact no longer needed.

This exhibition is a great opportunity to take a new look at Blickling Hall – which is completely awesome – in the true sense of the word, combined with these interesting intersections with the interior spaces and furnishings. Both the house and the installations would be interesting on their own, but together they make a compelling reason to visit Blickling Hall this summer.

The exhibition is open now until 28 October
At Blickling Hall and Estate, Norfolk NR11 6NF
http://www.bit.ly/TheWordDefiant
@BlicklingNT
Facebook @BlicklingEstateNT

Nordic Urban Labs post 1

22/3/2018

Welcome to a few days of blogging about the Nordic Urban Laboratory cultural planning workshop conference near Helsinki in Finland,

It is a pretty intensive programme and I haven't decided all of the sessions I will go to yet. But I will see how the day pans out. First I will set the scene

I arrived at the conference hotel yesterday afternoon. It is called Hanaholmen/Hanasaari (Swedish and Finnish names for the same place) which is a cultural and conference centre and hotel which has been recently refurbished. It is not actually Helsinki as I though but in a town called Espoo, and when I say in a town, it is in a wooded small peninsula just off a motorway with nothing around for miles. But I am not complaining as the setting is beautiful - although the frozen sea could be a field, a park or anything else covered by a layer of snow and ice - well there are some reeds poking out which is a giveaway to its lakeside nature.

The building itself looks a bit grim from the outside, modernist and blocky I guess but inside it is warm and inviting. It is a bit like a Nordic Premier Inn but with lovely fabrics, little corners to sit, artworks both paintings and small sculptures and fireplace corners. I guess it is hygge as we have come to know it in the UK as well, cosy, homely, welcoming. There is also a sauna and swimming pool which I have seen but not really investigated as yet - it looks lovely too. And the food so far has been great - lots of salads, cold meats and pickles

I was travelling with my friend and colleague Lia Ghilardi and went for a walk around the hotel. It is cold and snowy but strangely, not as cold as it was last week in Norfolk. The hotel is cosy anyway and we had a brief glimpse of a very red sky - I was hopeful that we might get a showing of the Northern Lights but it was so quick I guess it was just a sunset.

The conference is organised by an organisation called Metropolis/Kopenhagens Internationale Theatre who are based in Copenhagen and run an annual festival amongst other activities. They are artists who work in the urban space, with interventions of art and performance, often on a grand scale, always exciting and original ideas. Their director Trevor Davies is English originally but has worked in Denmark since is early twenties. There are several of his team members here and it is really nice to meet them as they are also part of the In SITU network so we have some friends in common via Norfolk & Norwich Festival.

There are around 100 delegates here and actually almost as many speakers. The programme gives a number of keynote speeches to a plenary audience and then a choice of 4 types of workshop on the themes of: Policies, Strategies and Mapping; Participation, engagement and Activism; Artistic practice and Urban Transformation; Temporary and Instant Urbanism. They are about an hour long so that's three in an afternoon - a lot of choice for each theme. You can see the workshop summaries here.

I'll let you know tomorrow how I got on, and load up some more pics too

From a snowy Finland!

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Culture Shift Update Nordic edition March 2018

22/3/2018

Hello friends
I am celebrating this evening as have finished the new Music in Norwich booklet and got it off to print so that it will be back and around the town in hard copy form before the Easter holiday and also as I head off to a cultural planning* conference in Finland for a few days. It is called Nordic Urban Lab 2018 and is the third of series of Labs run by Metropolis - an organisation based in Copenhagen headed by Trevor Davies who was worked in Norwich for a couple of years and also contributed to our Capital of Culture bid in 2003 - he also led Copenhagen 1996 and part of last year's Aarhus Capital of Culture year in Denmark . He has worked in Denmark for most of his career apart from a few years back in the UK. Franco Bianchini and Lia Ghilardi have also helped to shape Norwich cultural policy through Capital and City of Culture bids in 2003 and 2010, and Charles Landry, author of The Creative City and many other influential publications who making on of the keynote speeches is also an old-time friend of Norwich. So although I am starting this at the beginning of my travels, by the time you read this, I will probably sitting in a hotel room in Finland.

If you are interested in knowing more about cultural planning and the Nordic Urban Lab, download the programme here and follow my blog here as I will be sharing as much of the experience as I can as I hope that there will be some useful lessons and case studies for us here in the UK. It's quite an investment of time and money to go, and I can think of a few people I would love to take along with me so the more people that can benefit from my trip the better. If you are specially interested, get in touch and I will happily share materials and insights in more detail. It is especially relevant to city planners, artists, activists, architects and anyone interested in how we can creatively make our cities, towns and communities more liveable and better places to be and more inclusive especially. The early part of the 21st century the UK was moving quickly in this direction but when the Labour government was replaced by the Coalition government and austerity kicked in, many of the initiatives have closed down over the ensuing years. We need to bring the human being and social equality back into planning and development and and think about how artists and creatives can influence quality of life and community cohesion. I am hoping that I will be able to share some of Norwich's great projects and also learn from the places around the Nordic countries.

Creative Workspace Summit Friday 20 April in Great Yarmouth
original projects; are also running a really interesting day on Friday 20 April at St George's Theatre in Great Yarmouth. It's a CREATIVE WORKSPACE SUMMIT: The Role of Creatives in Creating Great Places, with keynote speaker Charles Landry (again!) and many other excellent speakers and contributors on the subject of artists workspaces. Great Yarmouth is bristling with people who are creating projects and initiatives but the town is really lacking workspaces for creative people and other resources to thrive. There will be lots of case studies and stimulating discussion so book your place quickly. You can find out all about it and book here

Opportunity to meet the new Norfolk & Norwich Festival Director Daniel Brine
Many of you will know that Festival director William Galinsky left Norwich last year and we now have a new director Daniel Brine, formerly from the Junction in Cambridge who arrived in Norwich in January. On Tuesday 3rd April, 6.30pm at Norwich Arts Centre is an opportunity to meet him at an informal presentation at Norwich Arts Centre. Tickets are free but need to be booked - find out more here and take your chance to meet the new man. Also with him will be Liz Hughes, the new executive director. Liz used to spend a lot of time in Norwich when she worked for the Arts Council so it is good to see her back here - welcome Liz!

Incidentally, Festival tickets are now on sale for all events - sadly the launch had to be cancelled because of the snow so we didn't get the full excitement of the presentation but there are lots of wonderful performances of all kinds and one thing that will please lots of people is the return of the outdoor spectacular opening event on Friday 11 May in the Cathedral Close. Explore the programme, there are lots of brochures around the city and at last, the marketing team have devised some Festival 'journeys' to help you find your way.

Other highlights this weekend are the opening of SUPERSTRUCTURES : The new architecture 1960-1990 , a new exhibition at Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and an exhibition of work by Damien Hirst at Houghton Hall, plus Norfolk by Design also at Houghton in the Stables - a showcase of Norfolk designers, artists and makers.

Stop Press: I believe that the Superstructures opening at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts has been postponed until 7 April but don't forget that you still have time to catch the Roger Law exhibition until 3 April which includes his massive ceramic vases, influenced by his collaborations with Chinese ceramic craftspeople as well as a history of his days as an illustrator and animator. It's a fascinating exhibition.

Music-wise, Norwich Baroque are playing at Norwich Cathedra with St John Passion just in time for Easterl and young musicians from Norwich School are also playing at the Cathedral on Thursday - see here for details

22nd Norwich Cathedral : Making Musicians : 1.10pm
22nd Assembly House Albion Quartet 1pm
24th Norwich Baroque : St John Passion : Norwich Cathedral : 7.30pm
see below for details

Exhibitions
Various exhibitions are running - Katarzyna Coleman at Mandell's Gallery, Elm Hill- Katarzyna will be in the gallery on Saturday 24 March from 12-4pm which is a great opportunity to see her work and also talk to her about it. She works mostly in monochrome, paint or drawing, of industrial areas of Great Yarmouth which is where her studio is. It's a brilliant exhibition of work.

Colin Self and Jim Moir aka Vic Reeve at Fairhurst Gallery, Anteros Arts Foundation in Fye Bridge Street keeps developing new activities and extending its programme - I am not even going to try and summarise it but here is a link so that you can explore their programme yourself. They are running concerts, gigs, art classes, poetry sessions and much more.
Nunns Yard
22-23 Augustine’s Street, Norwich
Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th March 2018, 10am-4pm
Artpocket presents...Immersive: Exhibition : Natasha Day, Catherine Laura Ward, Shathy Bano

Immersive showcases students work from term 2 of the Artpocket Post Graduate Programme in Creative Practice, and is the result of personal themes, concepts and concerns translated into processes, made solid by the art making using different mediums.

You are warmly invited to the Private View on Friday 23rd March 6-8pm

Anglian Potters in Norwich are exhibiting in the Undercroft in Norwich this week everyday until April 1st. It is a very well-presented exibition of work by a wide range of ceramicists in the region - if you are in the city, please pop in

Print-making classes
Print-maker Annette Rolston is running a series of print workshops in Diss where she is a member of DesignerMakers 21 - a collective of artists occupying a former shop in the middle of Diss were they run lots of activities and sell their work. Have a look at www.artinnorwich.org.uk/annette-rolston-printmaking.html

Artist Talk
Squaring the Circle - A talk by artist Michael Horn - Tuesday 10 April 7.30pm, The Auditorium, The Forum, Norwich
ncas and Norwich 20 Group member Michael Horn is giving an ncas talk on Tuesday 10 April,

Michael will explain how his work often contains contradictory aims and influences battling it out in search of some sort of resolution–a battle between a rarefied idealised world and an actual, often disordered one.
His later work draws together strands from earlier abstract painting and combines it with elements from the natural world and the mood of the area in which he now lives, North Norfolk, giving a sense of place and continuity in the tradition of English landscape painting.
Michael has exhibited widely, including the V&A, Kettles Yard, Wolterton Hall and Düsseldorf.
Tickets on the door : NCAS Members £2.50, non-members £4.00

Concert at the Chapel 64 Park Lane, Norwich
Gloria Campaner – piano Sunday 25th March, 6:30pm

The young Italian pianist GLORIA CAMPANER, who was quite a hit when she was in Norwich last year, returns on Sunday for an interesting recital based on J S Bach – details of this and other chapel concerts below

And at The Assembly House today (Thursday 22 March) at 1pm the ALBION QUARTET lunchtime concert .
They are playing Schubert Rosamunde and the always popular Dvorak American quartet – lots to see and hear so if you have tie for a little lunchtime music go along to the Assembly House

Making Musicians is also at 1.15pm on 22 March - Young musicians from the Norwich School perform in Norwich Cathedral in a free concert

As predicted, this email took longer to write than expected and I am now in the Hanaholmen Cultural Centre just west of Helsinki in a lovely hotel room surrounded by snow (don't believe the pictures which were obviously taken in summer. I am hoping to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights tonight - apparently it is possible that they will show - I'll let you know how it goes!
all best
Marion

*Cultural planning is essentially a cross sectoral approach to development (of anything really), using the assets and resources of a community to strategically plan and find solutions to civic problems/issues. It is not about planning culture, more thinking about the way we live using the culture of a place or community as a starting point to come up with a creative solution.

Marion Catlin
Culture Shift network

The Shift Norwich: Culture Shift, Design Shift, Digital Shift
Developing and promoting Norwich as a city of culture

Telephone 07946 261651
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Website: www.theshiftnorwich.org.uk

Culture Shift Network is a free communication resource for the arts and cultural community of Norwich. If you would rather not receive email updates please email back asking to unsubscribe. Please feel free to forward on to other networks and contacts, and if you would like to be added to the list for your own copy, please email me at [email protected] or visit www.theshiftnorwich.org.uk. Thank you

Volunteer for the Norfolk & Norwich Festival this year - deadline Monday 12 March

7/3/2018

Each year Norfolk & Norwich Festival delivers a world class international arts festival. Our work thrives on the artistic freedom to present work across multiple art forms and across a breadth of indoor, outdoor, urban and rural settings. We have a reputation for innovative and inspiring programming and commissioning and we couldn’t do it without the help of a team of over a hundred volunteers.

Norfolk & Norwich Festival is now accepting applications to volunteer this May! This year the Festival runs from 11 – 27 May.

Volunteering is a fantastic opportunity to get a great insight into how a major arts festival is run, allows volunteers to gain useful skills and is also a wonderful way to meet people and make new friends. Norfolk & Norwich Festival welcomes applications from all over-18s, with any (or no!) level of experience. We are keen to do our best to fulfil any access requirements for our volunteers.

We are looking for enthusiastic, reliable and flexible volunteers, with a passion for the arts, who have some spare time in April and throughout May. If this sounds like you, please visit our website for more information and to download an application form nnfestival.org.uk/take-part/volunteer/.

Alternatively, you can contact Amy or Melinda, the NNF18 Volunteer Coordinators, at [email protected] or 01603 877756 for any questions that aren’t covered online. All applications must be received by 9.30am Monday 12 March.

‘Meeting so many new people every day and building friendships with other volunteers helped me engage with people of various ages and learn more about their connection with the city.’ 2017 Volunteer

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