EVENTS
Ambit cover 185
Ambit Magazine reading at The Betsey Trotwood
Monday 20 June – 7pm
56 Farringdon Road, London, EC1R 3BL
Free entry
Join them for an evening of readings from legendary literary quarterly Ambit Magazine.
Listen to poetry and prose from Julian Stannard, Suzanne Conway, Sam Riviere and Deborah Levy, introduced by Dr Martin Bax.
Eminent paediatrician Martin Bax has been editing the magazine since 1959 when he was still a medical student. Past contributors and editors include Carol Ann Duffy, JG Ballard, Eduardo Paolozzi, Posy Simmons, William Burroughs and Jonathan Lethem.
La Danse by Matisse. Photo taken by Dalbera – FlickrAlastair Sooke – the arts critic for the Daily Telegraph has a new show on the BBC. Last week he explored Andy Warhol, this week it will be Henri Matisse. This is a brilliantly observed, informative and thoroughly enjoyable programme pitched at people aware of these modern masters, but who want to know more.
Mr Sooke is an excellent script writer and he manages to interview really interesting people. Watch it on Sundays at 9pm, or on Iplayer.
NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE ARTS -
debate between don foster, margaret hodge and ed vaizey at tate britain
This important arts organisation seems to be working overtime at the moment, as of course it should. With the fourth in a series of arts debates, these meetings are serving to highlight the arts issues in time for the elections and to push up the arts agenda to become a priority in debate over the elections.
From the discussions last night it was clear that each of the panelists involved were passionate about their cause. Apart from the odd ‘below the belt’ comment, snide stab (which, I’m afraid is second nature in politics) each party was good humoured and actually fairly nice to each other. Perhaps a little too nice.
What really came to pass last night, was congeniality. They all got on, they all agreed, they all pushed forward something that perhaps we all must come to terms with. That actually whatever happens to the arts come the elections, it will be fairly similar for every party. What differs is each politician’s dedication and willingness to push their cause.
Neither party really had any more backing from ‘the top’ than the other. Ed Vaizey kept pointing out that Hodge hasn’t had any confirmation from Alistair Darling, or indeed anyone that the arts will be secure next year. Margaret of course could not deny this, but put forward that the difference between her and Ed was that she would ‘fight her corner’. Indeed. Fight her corner, a small, slowly shrinking corner, surrounded by big guns and a recession. Does she have a real chance?
Ed on the other hand has resigned to the fact that there will be cuts for the arts, he bluntly says, as all tories seem to be doing at the moment, that the cuts are unavoidable. But is this true? And why shouldn’t an arts minister ‘fight his corner’ rather than succumb to his leader’s will? We need vocal people, with strong ideas and pushy mouths if the arts is ever going to survive.
Dom Foster illustrated his wisdom, having been in his position for umpteen years, by pointing out the flimsy nature of the Tories’ arts manifesto – only two pages. But when it came to the nitty gritty, down to the summing up, what had Dom to offer? A resigned agreement that actually when it comes down to it, all parites are pretty much gunning for the same thing. They may be passionate, but not much differentiates the three of them.
What really struck me from last night was the unwillingness to hit issues head on. The arts are so important to society in general; communities, well being, creativity, education and expansion of all kinds. So why is it that when a government spends £100 only 7 pence of that gets spent on the arts – and even this figure is in the path for cuts.
People believe that the arts doesn’t deserve as much money as, for example, the NHS or education. When you look at the amount of money needed in these sections arts funding has to take a step back surely? But is that true? When we really look at it, culture, arts and self expression have an impact on the education sector and the health sector. With a healthy, thriving arts sector less people would get ill and education could get better.
According to the DCMS’ recent Taking Part Survey 85% of learning takes place outside of formal schooling and 80% of museum and gallery visits by young poeple happen outside school lessons. Why can’t we combine this?
Teaching young people about the arts means active, creative people, people thinking outside the box, people understanding more about their bodies and becoming in tune with issues that effect themselves and the world at large. The arts IS education. The arts help health.
These debates are well founded, it’s so important to be debating these issues. But having seen one, I can’t help but feel disappointed at the level of politics at the moment. They all just seem to be the same.
HAMMER AND TONGUE//RAMBLING TONGUE
So, the tables were set for a banquet, three course dinner, with music, and some civilised poetry after… sound like something out of Renaissance Italy? Well guess what? It wasn’t. It was Clapton, Saturday night, at Vulpes Vulpes. 70 seats were laid and 70 were taken. People were started with artichokes, delicately sprinkled with ginger and parsley, with homemade mayonnaise, and homemade foccacia (can it get better than that?). Seconds was Rabbit stew, with Rice – sounds basic and farmy, believe me it tasted anything but. Those Rabbits were specially ordered from Cornwall I heard! No joke! Best rabbits down there, they do. Finals was homemade brandy snaps (homemade?! again!?) with some sort of lucious cream and fruit and things. By this point people, I was too contented to think about what it actually was. Wonderfully served by the Hammer & Tongue crew it felt like someone’s rather large and lavish friendly house party, which I think all good events should feel like (without the embarrasing throwing up and ruining the carpets.)
Up at 9.30pm came the poets, we had great line ups from some quite varied performer, I can’t remember all of their names… so for the time being, (until I can finish this post tomorrow) I will not mention too much about them. Let’s just say if you like to laugh and you like it deep now and again, and you like WORDS, then this was the place for you.
Check out Hammer & Tongue
http://www.hammerandtongue.co.uk/html/index.html
And I’m sure there’s a facebook page somewhere too.
Vulpes Vulpes is also a place to go…
http://www.vulpesvulpes.org/information.html
Ok so more of an update on the poets tomorrow.
