Tuesday May 29th, 12.00 – 2.00.

Guest speaker Caroline Sutton. A former  national newspaper journalist with over 20 years experience working for the UK’s most popular and successful newspapers and television companies including The Telegraph group, Mirror Group Newspapers, News International, Granada and Channel 4, Caroline will be talking blogs, social media and how to write a great news story to capture your audience.

Free to New Writing South members, £5.00 for visitors.

Please register with Christine Harmar-Brown – chb@theschoolcreativecentre.co.uk

We are looking for someone to develop new research, to integrate this learning into our programme of work and to communicate and share this widely.

The post will be based at our office at the Canterbury Innovation Centre, Canterbury, Kent.

Salary: £25,000-£30,000 pro-rata (initially 3 days a week)

For a full job description and application details go to www.peopleunited.org.uk or email info@peopleunited.org.uk or for more information contact Tom Andrews on 01227 811800. Closing date for applications Monday 11^th June, 12 noon

Are you hungry for something new? Are you craving something different? or do you need some variety in your cultural diet? Fancy getting involved with the Kentish performance scene? Then why not try Pot Luck Performance Nights!
After starting out above a pub in Canterbury this Culture Award nominated trial series of events has grown from strength to strength. All four previous Pot Luck Performance Nights have been sold out, setting twitter alight and showcasing some of Kent’s most exciting performance talent.

Pot Luck Performance Night #5 will be the last of the current series and is set to be the most fabulous evening of home grown performance to date. On the 26th of May at Creek Creative in Faversham we will introduce clown, dancer and performance artist Carrie Ann Oddling whose comedy stylings will delight and thrill. There will be some exciting new work from Estelle Rosenfeld, The 33* Collective and the renowned theatre.dash guaranteed to satisfy even the hungriest of audiences. Pot Luck will also be serving up some yummy offerings from Laura Jane Dean and Accidental Collective.

Pot Luck operates like performance tapas or mezze. We put together a tasty and varied menu so you can feast on all kinds of work. What’s more, Pot Luck offers you the opportunity to meet the participating artists and other creative individuals in a fun, relaxing and supportive environment. As many of the pieces performed are being currently developed, feedback is very much encouraged. The bar will be open, and there will be ample opportunity to mingle.

Following the brilliant success of Xanthe Gresham’s Baba Yaga & The Virgin last month, our final ScandalNight before the summer break will feature renowned storyteller, Ben Haggarty with his Fairy Tales for Grown Ups: The Grateful and The Dead

Ben Haggarty (Artistic Director of the Crick Crack Club and member of Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble) is a master of improvisation and internationally respected for his playful, physical and challenging performances of stories inspired by international fairy tales, folk tales, myth and epic. Ben’s performances regularly pack out the Barbican, Soho Theatre and storytelling festivals across the world. We are absolutely delighted to welcome him to the Tom Thumb!

‘I was spellbound… I don’t use the word lightly’  The Times

“Haggarty tells his stories with enormous gusto and relish…” The Independent

“Haggarty’s telling is an adroit mix of the imposingly epic and the reassuringly rhythmic, tempered by a twinkle that admits to the story’s heightened nature without mocking it…”  The Times

Allow Ben Haggarty to lure you into the richly metaphorical world of a full-blooded fairytale for grown-ups. Dark, beautiful and startling by turn, this is a story of dreams, initiations and the repayment of debts – a journey from innocence to experience, which delves into a disconcertingly familiar narrative world. Ben Haggarty performs with infectious charm and ease – fierce, fast paced, and unashamedly magical.

Ben Haggarty is a world-class performance storyteller renowned for his playful and dynamic performances of traditional narratives ranging from 3-minute fables to 3-hour epics.  He has been a guest artist in over 100 International Storytelling Festivals in 25 countries.  Having been trained in mime and theatre direction, and apprenticed as an ‘image-maker’ with Welfare State, Ben Haggarty became a central figure in the re-visioning of storytelling as a contemporary performing art in the UK. He counts the writers Alan Garner and PL Travers and the Theatre Director, Peter Brook among his mentors.

If you are interested in getting involved in ScandalNights, please contact Emily at scandalmongers@live.co.uk
ScandalNights will be back at the Tom Thumb from October onwards (2nd Fridays).

Watch out for ScandalNights on Tour across Thanet over the Summer!

Roles are varied, and include the run up to the festival as well as the main weekend; from being our point of contact on the streets to taking photographs of some of our events.  Hours are flexible.

Our Volunteer roles:

Information Assistants – distributing publicity material (during Lighting the Fuse and main festival weekend), undertaking audience questionnaires at events and manning our Information Points.

Event Assistants – assist in the office with sign-making and photocopying before the event, displaying publicity at sites and venues and dressing our sites.

Press Assistants – capture images of Fuse events for press, our website and archiving.  You will need your own camera and software to supply images to us on disc.

No experience necessary and full training will be given.

Email fuse@medway.gov.uk for more information

• £20,000 production commission – to cover the associated costs of developing and producing a new piece of classic contemporary theatre
• Up to £15,000 for touring. house will book and support an initial tour to up to 20 venues across the East and South East.

This call is open to national and international artists.   Further details on the commission, and of how to apply, here

Mark Makin and Katie Williams
house
01252 745 424

Register on the house website for ongoing news and opportunities

1. Be part of local and regional gatherings featuring inspirational speakers and practical opportunities to generate ideas and collaborations

2. Discover new partners with whom to create experiments and projects

3. Bid for investment in collaborative projects that can become case studies for cultural and social development across the region and beyond

Canterbury Festival has teamed up with Workers of Art and The Map Consortium to be the catalysts and the facilitators of this two-year journey

Salon Luminhaire is an interactive installation that is hairy on the outside and all heart on the inside. In this salon for the mind, audiences explore a world of stories, experiences and provocations that divert their attention to the kinder side of life. Salon Luminhaire’s staff will always be on hand to help people on their journey through this installation which spotlights, magnifies and celebrates the small things that make a difference.

This installation is a 7.5m diameter set, that will be touring to various locations across the country over summer 2012.
Confirmed dates are:
* Hampshire:  2- 5th June  (travelling up on 1st)
* Hat Fair: 6-8th June (travelling up on 5th)
* Herne Bay Festival: 18th August

We anticipate other bookings to be made throughout the summer season. Opportunities will be fairly distributed to all volunteers, subject to individual availability.

Role  d e s c r i p t i o n
We are looking for volunteer crew members to assist the production in the following ways:
1. Take part in the get-in and get-out of the set each day
2. Throughout the day replenish consumable props and materials
3. Ensure performers are looked after during the day (e.g. fetching water/lunch)
4. Where appropriate you may be asked to drive the van to or from the festival
5. Where appropriate liaising with festival staff during the day
6. If necessary acting as a steward during busy periods.

In return you will receive:
1. All travel from East Kent and where necessary accommodation paid for (may be camping)
2. When attending festival involves overnight stays, breakfast and dinner will be provided
3. Any other pre-agreed expenses
4. The opportunity to travel to and exposure to outdoor festivals
5. Networking opportunities
6. Valuable work experience and where appropriate, good reference!
7. The possibility of paid work with Bright Shadow in the future

Essential Qualities:
1. Enthusiastic
2. Conscientious
3. Reliable
4. Ability to take part in physical work
5. Not adverse to early starts and/or late finishes
6. Team Player
7. Over 18

Not essential but would be helpful:
1. Full, clean UK Driving Licence
2. Own Car
3. Experience in performance production
4. Over 25

If you would like to apply to be one of our crew members, then please email your CV and a covering letter/email stating why you would like to apply for the role. Please also state your availability for the above dates. Please email Katy on katy@brightshadow.org.uk or phone 07823697697 for more information or see www.brightshadow.org.uk
Closing Date: 15th May

What is soundhub and what will it do?
soundhub will be a partnership of organisations which come together to deliver a wide range of music education services across the County. Soundhub will be set up as a Community Interest Company and structured to ensure that its strategies and programmes are devised with the benefit of the best available advice from organisations and individuals throughout the county and beyond.

soundhub’s central aim will be to provide innovative and inclusive music programmes that enable all children and young people aged 5 to18 to progress both in school and out of school.

soundhub will be working with Kent County Council, schools, academies, arts organisations and other music education providers (such as our partners, Rhythmix & Pie Factory Music).

Programmes on offer will include a whole class music making programme for primary schools, support for tuition and ensembles in secondary schools, groups and music programmes in local music centres and at County level, a plan for using new technology to assist in the delivery of music education and support to young people living in challenging circumstances.

soundhub provides a wonderful opportunity to bring people together and provide a joined up approach to music education across Kent.

soundhub Conference – book this date!
There will be a soundhub Conference to announce the programmes and strategies of the Hub on 21st June 2012 between 9am – 12 noon. The aim for the morning is to introduce soundhub, provide an overview of its work and explain how you can access Hub programmes. Further details will be announced, but for now, make sure that you put this date in your diary! If you are interested in attending the conference, please email Denise Milne on dmilne@kent-music.com who will send you an application form in due course.

Job opportunities in soundhub
soundhub will be recruiting a small team to manage its work. These will be important roles in music education and opportunities to make an impact on the lives of young people:

Programme Director
The Programme Manager will assist with the development of Hub strategies, manage the Hub budget and oversee Hub programmes.

Programme Manager
The Programme Manager will assist the Programme Director in the day-to-day management of the Hub taking responsiblity for particular aspects of the Hub’s work.

Local Hub Leaders
The Hub will be divided into six areas and the Local Hub Leaders will be responsible for working with schools, academies and other partners to deliver Hub programmes.

If you are interested in hearing more, please contact Denise Milne at dmilne@kent-music.com or check the Kent Music website for full Job Descriptions.

Watch this space…

We will be announcing further information over the coming weeks, but in the meantime, keep an eye on the new soundhub website, www.hubkent.com or contact us at soundhub@kent-music.com