What a lovely bunch the Artbeat crew are! The organising group of the Clarendon Park Artbeat Festival are a wonder: a seriously organised set, equipped with digitising tablets, spreadsheets, notebooks and diaries (‘I can’t do the 20th, I’ll be in Verona’), they could so easily be forbidding and unfriendly – but they so aren’t. Andrew and I, the newcomers, have been welcomed and included into the fold, our ideas taken on board and our plans listened to, just as if we were long-time members of the group; and when we went for a celebratory drink at the Cradock (it was safe, though I think I caught a glimpse of Creepy Guy) I was immediately part of things. I met several new people including a teacher who is going to run a workshop on music journalism and a kinesiologist with an interest in ghosts who is proposing a mural project. The group positively fizzes with ideas, and, more importantly, it seethes with the determination and ability to put them into practice.
They are also an extremely generous bunch. I did a little pitch at the end for the Sound Cafe concert and, though no-one was available to come as they would all be in Italy, I got donations almost totalling the price of three tickets. I’m so glad I joined them.
My bit of Artbeat, which will take place in June next year, is a poetry workshop followed by a performance in Fingerprints, plus pop-up poetry on Queen’s Rd. I will also be one of a panel of writers talking about their work.
And just in case you don’t know, here’s the info about the Sound Cafe concert:
Beatitude Mass
for the Homeless
Leicester Sound Cafe, a Cathedral-supported project, announces the first performance of its Choir for the Homeless. This choir will be singing at a Beatitude Mass at Leicester Cathedral on 31st January at 7.30 pm. Liz Gray has tickets and information.
Mass for the Homeless
Leicester Cathedral
31st Jan, 7.30 pm
Tickets £5 from Liz Gray
Kirk out
Sarada Gray 