Resetting the Agenda

Wednesday Session 19^th May 2010

Venue: Metro Arts, Edward Street, Brisbane.

On arrival, Paul Bishop from Arts Evolution welcomed one and all to the second day of Resetting the Agenda – an initiative supporting arts, art workers, and purveyors of creativity in so many fields and tangents: actually anyone who put their hand up for this informative and multi-faceted day of discussions.

This is where I came in (literally). There is something to be said for attending any information session which has been carefully compiled and wonderfully sponsored – almost a group hug that says “you are not alone and how can we be of assistance?”

Arts in non arts places was the first session, with Prof. Michael Balfour from Griffith University sharing his first-hand (and first-rate) knowledge of how creativity can help heal and conquer, and not in a traditional “theatre or gallery” setting. Having been involved at the coal face, Prof. Balfour, an Applied Theatre Practitioner, shared his stories with the audience, and I, for one, was gobsmacked from the tales he told. Michael’s storytelling projects (I can call you Michael, can’t I?) covered war zones (Palestine, Sri Lanka, Balkans, Ireland with the re-unification of the Protestants and the Catholics); jail zones; and all those spaces in-between. Could there possibly be many spaces in-between that Michael has not lent creative innovation, with theatre helping in the healing of troubled souls? Michael has taken the drama out of drama and shifted the “western context of art being more than entertainment” and placed theatre at the feet of those who need it the most: Creativity lending “significance, importance and respite” for those people and communities who have little else to work (or indeed live) toward. Michael admitted that “inspiring theatre can be found more often in a grimy corner of a prison workshop or a field performance in a war zone” and that art, once taken away from the “false binary of inside and out; centre and marginal; importance and unimportance” constructing a hierarchy out of the mainstream. When ‘artistic practice’ can be utilised to create a “strong emergence of cultural awareness”, surely this artistic practice, in all of its permutations, can only be “positive, enthusiastic, with audience participation”. Within his partial quote from Nordstrom: “….accepting a deadened world or creating a liveable one. It is imagination – creativity – that bridges the abyss, if not to reconstruct the past, to make the present liveable….” shines the ethos employed by Professor Michael Balfour. Bravo.

Following on from this session was a panel discussion, cleverly chaired by Paul Bishop and including Prof. Balfour, Adam Coward (regional marketing manager from Westfield and a bit of a wild card), and Allie Wilde (Wilde Applause Creative Productions). Allie talked about performance in a traditional and non-traditional art space – perceptions of the punters and people “stumbling into a performance that made a difference”. Allie shared her ability to have a “thick skin with art being in the wrong place at the wrong time” and how it is a wake-up call every time a performance is, well, performed. Adam Coward admitted that shopping centres capture huge “audiences” looking for uniqueness, individualism and trying to shift the paradigm from “sell, sell, sell”. The impact of eBay must be palpable and perhaps shopping centres will now utilise the arts as part of the whole? As an artist, one can only hope….

Morning tea and lunch were also a highlight (thank you Vanilla Pod for such fabulous offerings – can I buy your van?)

How do you position yourself as an effective advocate? Shane Rowlands and Susan Richer, both from Arts Queensland, talked us through this objective with a pertinent slide presentation and a wealth of knowledge. A favourite quote “the job of the poet is essentially to prepare the imaginations of the people to receive metaphors of all kinds” (Levy?) which could be construed as a general underpinning for advocacy of all kinds. So many salient points were raised: Know your resource base; what’s your pitch; tactics; timing? What are you deeply passionate about? What do you bring that is unique? What drives your resource engine? What to advocate? What are you selling? Essential collaboration skills were addressed: Collaborative intention; truthfulness; self-accountability; self-awareness and an awareness of others; problem solving and negotiating, promoting a co-operative atmosphere. For anyone who is “up for advocacy” in Queensland, surely Arts Queensland would be the one-stop-shop for information that might bring you closer to your goals.

How do you reflect on your practice and engage in evaluation and critical dialogue? – Panel discussion between Chairperson, Jade Lillie (Brisbane City Council), Aleem Ali (Human Ventures), Sandra Fields (Fieldworx), Nigel Lavendar (Queensland Music Festival) and Stephen Russell (Young and emerging artist). It was agreed by the panel that honesty, transparency, dialogue and exchange are paramount in an evaluation process of any kind. “Be honest why you are evaluating; be kind to yourself and grow from failings; be generous; be responsive and filter within that context; team ownership of shared vision and find the time to do it properly and break it down, involving everyone. Evaluation validates your work and demonstrates your overall ethos. Measure your values and make them part of your next project.”

Overall, Resetting the Agenda was informative, inclusive and inspirational. “Information is power” and “lose the precious” are two wonderful quotes from Jade Lillie and something to take away and write home about!



Special guest writeup by Marika Bryant