Latest News
Tonight's event at Chalkwell is Cancelled
UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO THE SNOW AND ICE IN SOUTHEND THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE OR DISAPPOINTMENT.
WE WILL DEFINITELY RESCHEDULE WITH SAMANTHA AND NAOMI FOR THE SPRING NEXT YEAR SO WATCH THIS SPACE.
Following a fantastic Salon evening at Metal earlier this year, writers Samantha Ellis and Naomi Alderman are coming back to Chalkwell Hall in Southend on Sea to spend a week in residence. During their stay they would like interested artists and audience to a reading of Samantha’s new, as yet unpublished play and a short story by Naomi at an evening party in celebration of the first night of Chanukah - the Jewish eight day festival of light on Wednesday 1 Dec – 7pm – 9.30pm.
The play, Eating My Heart Out For Iraq, is about Gertrude Bell, the British bluestocking who drew Iraq's borders, wrote its constitution, designed its flag and chose its first king. Samantha is a second-generation Iraqi Jew and was first told the story by her grandfather who remembered seeing Gertrude Bell riding her horse along the banks of the Tigris dressed all in white.
In this informal playreading, you can take one of the roles to read, or just listen, and there'll be a chance to ask questions at the end. It's a work-in-progress and this reading is part of the creative process; hearing the play will help Samantha take it to a final draft. Entry is FREE.
As it's the first night of Chanukah, Samantha and Naomi will lalso be lighting candles, serving mulled wine and zangoola (Iraqi Jewish orange blossom doughnuts), aubergines, mango pickle and more.
We hope you can join us. Please rsvp to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Written by Colette Bailey 01 December 2010
Pecha Kucha 6
The sixth in the series of Metal's Pecha Kucha evenings was held on 21 October at East 15 Studios, Nelson Road, Southend. Over 130 people turned out to listen to a diverse range of speakers, all of whom work within the cultural industries, and either live or work in the borough of Southend-on-Sea. Three of the evening's seven speakers are currently exhibiting in Showflat, a project that is being produced in a partnership between Metal and artist Mario Borza. Amy Frampton, Laura Keeble (pictured) and Heidi Wigmore will all host exhibitions of their work at their homes over the course of the next month. For more information plcase visit www.showflat.org
Visual artist Fiona MacDonald, author, writer, DJ, and music consultant, Daryl Easlea and Ian Brownbill, director of Metal's Liverpool space, Edge Hill Station also presented work and ideas alongside multi-disciplinary artist Mary Flanagan from the US, who is currently in residence at Chalkwell Hall and exhibiting in 'Small World Fair' a partnership between Metal and the Digital Exploration Centre (DEC).
Written by Colette Bailey 29 November 2010
An Evening With.....Samantha Ellis and Naomi Alderman
UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO THE SNOW AND ICE IN SOUTHEND THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE OR DISAPPOINTMENT.
WE WILL DEFINITELY RESCHEDULE WITH SAMANTHA AND NAOMI FOR THE SPRING NEXT YEAR SO WATCH THIS SPACE.
Following a fantastic Salon evening at Metal earlier this year, writers Samantha Ellis and Naomi Alderman are coming back to Chalkwell Hall in Southend on Sea to spend a week in residence. During their stay they would like interested artists and audience to a reading of Samantha’s new, as yet unpublished play and a short story by Naomi at an evening party in celebration of the first night of Chanukah - the Jewish eight day festival of light on Wednesday 1 Dec – 7pm – 9.30pm.
The play, Eating My Heart Out For Iraq, is about Gertrude Bell, the British bluestocking who drew Iraq's borders, wrote its constitution, designed its flag and chose its first king. Samantha is a second-generation Iraqi Jew and was first told the story by her grandfather who remembered seeing Gertrude Bell riding her horse along the banks of the Tigris dressed all in white.
In this informal playreading, you can take one of the roles to read, or just listen, and there'll be a chance to ask questions at the end. It's a work-in-progress and this reading is part of the creative process; hearing the play will help Samantha take it to a final draft. Entry is FREE.
As it's the first night of Chanukah, Samantha and Naomi will lalso be lighting candles, serving mulled wine and zangoola (Iraqi Jewish orange blossom doughnuts), aubergines, mango pickle and more.
We hope you can join us. Please rsvp to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Written by Colette Bailey 22 November 2010
FUTURE STATION: The Festival finishes tomorrow
The Future Station Festival closes tomorrow with a performance by Iris Collective 'Healing the Maternal Line'. The performance is informed by Japanese Butoh and Somatic practise. Places are limited so please RSVP if you plan to attend, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call [0151]7072277.
The exhibition will also be open 12-4pm.
Don't forget the next Future Station meeting is next Thursday, 25th November at 6pm. All welcome, please RSVP if you plan to attend.
Written by Colette Bailey 19 November 2010
The Future Station Festival
This Saturday at Edge Hill Station we held an afternoon of art, music, film, dance, performance, brass band and Ganzfeld!! for the Future Station festival.
All photos by Leon Skensberg.
Events continue all this week with the exhibition open Tues-Fri 2-6pm and Sat 12-4pm. Border-Less; a multimedia interactive performance opens tomorrow and on Thursday for the Long Night until 9pm. There will also be a second chance to experience The Ganzfeld Machine on Thursday from 6-9pm. And on Saturday at 7pm a Butoh style dance performance by Iris Collective called 'Healing the Maternal Line', places are limted to this so please RSVP This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call [0151] 7072277.
Written by Colette Bailey 16 November 2010