Southend on Sea
The Big Charge
500 pedal power hours needed to generate the GREEN STAGE at VILLAGE GREEN.
TO BOOK YOUR SLOT please email
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or call 01702 470700.
For this year’s VILLAGE GREEN, in partnership with Cycle Southend, Metal are asking people across the length and breadth of Southend to help generate enough clean energy to power one of the main music stages at the Southend’s largest one-day music and arts festival in Chalkwell Park.
In an attempt to continually reduce the carbon impact of Metal as an organisation and the events that we organise, we have arranged for a ‘cycling power house’ to be on site in Chalkwell Park for the entire week leading up to Village Green on Saturday 25 September. Ten bicycle stations linked to a huge battery will be available for individuals, businesses, schools and groups of friends and families to cycle for half hour or one hour slots to help reach the target of 500 pedal power hours.
The energy created will be stored in the battery until Saturday 25 September, linked to a generator and power the GREEN STAGE all day at Village Green.
We will be keeping a Leader Board of cycle hours / power generated by all those who take part with prizes on offer in different categories for those who generate the most power.
The GREEN STAGE has been enabled through a partnership between Metal, the Royal Opera House, Creative Partnerships and Southend Education Trust and is a new, fifth stage for Village Green - Southend’s growing arts festival, organised by Metal.
Performances by Ballet Black, Hip Hop Shakespeare Co, Samphire Band and many others will take place on this stage in the surrounds of a stunning stage set created by students from four Southend Primary Schools working with two Royal Opera House stage designers.
TO BOOK YOUR SLOT please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 01702 470700.
Digital Exploration Centre
The Digital Exloration Centre (DEC) is a network of innovators using digital technology, formed to be a catalyst for cross-discipinary work, the sharing of ideas and a public programme of exhibitions, events and debate.
The DEC is working towards its ambition to create a leading centre for the creative exploration and application of digital technology with respect to research, art, commerce, education and entertainment in Southend-on-Sea. This new centre is a key part of Southend-on-Sea’s regeneration plan, supported by East of England Development Agency (EEDA), Renaissance Southend Ltd (RSL) and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (SBC).
Metal and the DEC have formed an innovative, developmental partnership to help achive this aim.
The DEC is currently housed within Metal facilities at Chalkwell Hall to present an exciting programme of events for 2010 and 2011 (listed below).
Small World Fair
29 September – 23 October 2010
An exhibition of ideas, artworks, curiosities and questions around how the world is shaped by technology. Curated by Simon Poulter.
Exhibiting:-
Peter Cusack in collaboration with Damien Robinson and Stuart Bowditch
Jean Delouvroy
Mary Flanagan
Rod MacLachlan
Hans Verhaegen
With a performance of Modes of Al-Ikseer by Harminder Singh Judge on the evening of 28 September.
Opening times: Thurs / Fri / Sat 11am – 6pm.
Or by appointment. Please call 01702 470700.
Venue: Chalkwell Hall, Chalkwell Avenue, Southend-on-Sea SS0 8NB
Small World Fair - programme of events:
A series of panel-led discussions with artists, activists, business leaders and academics will debate technology, its impact and implications for progress and society.
Venue: for all talks is Park View Suite, Chalkwell Park, Southend on Sea SS0 8NB
Wed 29 Sept. 9am - 10am. Q & A with exhibiting artists.
Wed 6 Oct. 7.30pm. Changing our World
Wed 13 Oct. 7.30pm. Listening to our World
Wed 20 Oct. 7.30pm. Visualising our World
To contact the DEC:
Digital Exploration Centre
c/o Metal
Chalkwell Hall
Chalkwell Avenue
Southend-on-Sea
SS0 8NB
Emma Mollica, Project Manager
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Simon Poulter, Artist Curator
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DEC Partners
The DEC in Southend is made up of a series of partners working together that currently includes:-
Digital Exploration Centre
Metal
University of Essex
Ars Electronica
Renaissance Southend Ltd
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
East of England Development Agency
Showflat
SHOWFLAT is an idea that has been developed by visual artist Mario Borza through a residency at Metal in Southend on Sea.
Initially the idea was a practical response to the reality of the highly competitive gallery-world where gallery space and the possibility of exhibition are granted only to the few. Following a successful run in 2009, SHOWFLAT has emerged as an intimate experience of viewing the artists work and life as one. It challenges the relationship between public and private for both artist and viewer as the artist presents their work in a very personal space and invites an interested public in.
SHOWFLAT in Southend will see seven artists create new work to install in their homes throughout October – December 2010 as follows.
22-24 October
To Have and To Hold
Laura Keeble
29-30 October
The Von Heil House
Heidi Wigmore
12-14 November
From Concrete Island to Suburbia
Amy Frampton
25 Nov – 1 Dec
Fragments of Famili.arity
Kristina Simenski / Nastassja Simensky / Sophia Simensky
9 -15 December
Living With
Simon Fowler
Venues of each exhibition will be announced in the week preceding each exhibition. If you are interested in receiving this information, make sure you sign up to our mailing lists in one of the following ways:-
Sign up to the Showflat Facebook Page
TEXT ‘SHOWFLAT’ to 07530 649654
Or visit Showflat website and sign up to our email mailing list.
The concept of Showflat is finding support from a growing number of artists as a statement of empowerment which bypasses the conventional art career process as well as presenting an interesting set of issues and vulnerabilities around combining private and public lives. As Mario explains, “To exhibit in your own home shows warmth and acceptance of whom you are with no fear. It's a simple idea that for a short time puts galleries and institutions to one side and allows the artist to try out new ideas, show work and gain really valuable experience and audience feedback without waiting for permission.”
MAKE SURE YOU COME AND MEET THE SHOWFLAT ARTISTS AT VILLAGE GREEN ON 25 SEPTEMBER. FOR VILLAGE GREEN FULL PROGRAMME OF EVENTS CLICK HERE.
Salon
OUR SALON PROGRAMME FOR 2010 HAS NOW FINISHED. IT WILL RETURN IN 2011 - WATCH THIS SPACE
Salon has been a series of four literary evenings with guest speakers at Chalkwell Hall on the first Wednesday of every month from May - September (except August) over the summer of 2010. Developed in collaboration with acclaimed Southend-based author Rachel Lichtenstein, the evenings are reminiscent of the informal gatherings once held in Rachel’s grandparents house on the nearby Chalkwell Hall Estate when they would invite the poets, writers and artists of the pre-war Jewish East End into their tiny front room to talk and debate.The Georgian Grade II listed manor house, Chalkwell Hall, renovated into a low carbon space for art and ideas in 2009 is brought to life as we pack out the former drawing room and its new extensions.
Speakers have included:-
Robert MacFarlane
Iain Sinclair
Phil Maxwell and Hazuan Hashim
Alan Dein
Stephen Watts
Oreet Ashery
Samantha Ellis
Naomi Alderman
To ensure you hear in plenty of time about the next Salon series in 2011 (and maybe a Christmas Special) please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to go on our mailing list.
Speakers BiogsRobert MacFarlane is a British travel writer and literary critic. Macfarlane's first book, Mountains of the Mind, was published in 2003 and won the Guardian First Book Award, the Somerset Maugham Award, and the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. It was shortlisted for the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature and the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize. His second book, Original Copy: Plagiarism and Originality in Nineteenth-Century Literature, was published in March 2007. The Wild Places was published in September 2007. In it he embarks on a series of journeys in search of the wildness that remains in Britain and Ireland. The book explores wildness both geographically and intellectually, testing different ideas of the wild against different landscapes, and describes Macfarlane's explorations of forests, moors, salt marshes, mudflats, islands, sea-caves and city fringes. A condensed version of the book was broadcast as Book of the Week on BBC Radio 4 in September 2007. In November 2007, the book won the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature, and in June 2008 it won the Scottish Arts Council Non-Fiction Book Of The Year Award.
Rachel Lichtenstein will host each evening. She is an artist, writer, oral historian and curator. She is author of Rodinsky's Whitechapel (1999), Keeping Pace (2003), A Little Dust Whispered (2004) and the co-author with Iain Sinclair of the highly praised Rodinsky's Room (1999). Her latest book, On Brick Lane, was published in 2008 to much critical acclaim. On Brick Lane was shortlisted for the Ondaatje Prize last year and is the first of a trilogy of books on London Streets for publishers Hamish Hamilton. Volumes on Hatton Garden and Portobello Road will follow. She has also written essays, short stories and book reviews for periodicals, newspapers and radio. Lichtenstein has exhibited her artwork internationally, including venues such as The Whitechapel Gallery, The Tate Modern, The Barbican Art Gallery and The Jerusalem Theatre. Her public artwork is on permanent display in Brick Lane and The Holocaust Museum in Nottingham.
Iain Sinclair’s non-fiction works inlude Lights Out for the Territory: 9 Excursions in the Secret History of London (1997); London Orbital: A Walk Around the M25 (2002); and Edge of the Orison (2005), a reconstruction of the poet John Clare's walk from Epping Forest to Helpston, near Peterborough. His novels include Downriver (1991), which tells of a UK under the rule of 'The Widow', a grotesque version of Margaret Thatcher; Landor's Tower (2001); White Goods (2002); and Dining on Stones (2004). His latest book is Hackney, That Rose-Red Empire: A Confidential Report (2009). Iain Sinclair lives in Hackney, East London.
Phil Maxwell and Hazuan Hashim
Hazuan Hashim is a filmmaker and video artist. Phil Maxwell is a photojournalist, filmmaker, visual artist and writer. Exhibited all over the world including the Middle East, their work covers documentary and experimental film. They have collaborated with composers Michael Nyman, Lola Perrin, Deirdre Gribbin and Simon Rowland-Jones, theatre director Lou Stein, dancers Mavin Khoo, Seeta Patel and Kamala Devam and painter Alice Sielle. Their recent documentary, Not in Our Name explores the response of artists to war. Featuring the President of Stop the War Coalition, Tony Benn, the film was shot in 14 countries including Iraq. Both are currently artists in residence at the Wilton’s music Hall. Their latest film Moon Love, will see its world premiere at the 24th BFI London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival on 25th March 2010.
Alan Dein has worked as a freelance oral historian and broadcaster for over 15 years. He has presented documentaries for BBC Radio 4 and has conducted interviews for museums, galleries and the British Library National Sound Archive, including a major oral history of the British Steel Industry. Alan is also tour guide and social historian of London's East End and for the last four years has been living with his family in Kentish Town.
Stephen Watts was born in London in 1952: his father’s family came from Stoke-on-Trent, his mother’s from the Swiss-Italian Alps and he has cultural roots there and in Scotland. In the early 70’s he lived on North Uist working as a shepherd and since 1976 has been in Whitechapel in the East End of London. He has published three books of poetry—The Lava’s Curl (Grimaldi Press, 1990), Gramsci & Caruso (Periplum, 2003), The Blue Bag (Aark Arts, 2004) and edited several anthologies—Houses & Fish (a book of drawings with writing by 4 & 5 year olds, Parrot Press, 1991), Voices of Conscience (an international anthology of censored poets, Iron Press, 1995), Mother Tongues (a special issue of Modern Poetry in Translation, 2001), and Music While Drowning (an anthology of German Expressionist poems that accompanied an exhibition at the Tate Modern in London, Tate Publishing, 2003).
Oreet Ashery is a London based, interdisciplinary visual artist. Ashery’s practice engages with socio-political paradigms and tends to include participatory and delegated elements. Interested in notions of subjectivity and authenticity, Ashery will frequently produce work as a male character. Those have included; an orthodox Jewish man, an Arab man, a black man, a Norwegian postman, a large farmer and most recently a false messiah. Ashery exhibits, performs, intervenes and screens her work extensively in an international context, both in highly established art contexts, as well as in highly experimental public spaces or situations. Ashery has published three books in 2009; The Novel of Nonel and Vovel, a joint graphic novel and an expanded project with the artist Larissa Sansour (Charta), Dancing with Men; interactive performances, interactions and other artworks (Live Art Development Agency), and Staying; Dream, Bin, Soft Stud and Other Stories (Artangel), a participatory project with women seeking asylum in the UK due to their sexual orientation. www.oreetashery.net
Naomi Alderman grew up in London and attended Oxford University and UEA. Her first novel, Disobedience, was published in ten languages; it was read on BBC radio's Book at Bedtime and won the Orange Award for New Writers. In 2007, she was named Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year, and one of Waterstones' 25 Writers for the Future. She has published prize-winning short fiction in a number of anthologies. From 2004 to 2007 Naomi was lead writer on the award-winning alternate reality game Perplex City and in 2008 she wrote the Alice in Storyland game for Penguin's online We Tell Stories project. She has written columns for the Guardian. Her latest novel, The Lessons, was published by Penguin earlier this year. www.naomialderman.nfshost.com
Samantha Ellis
http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/samantha-ellis
Village Green 2010
SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER. 11AM - 10PM. CHALKWELL PARK, SOUTHEND ON SEA, SS0 8NB.
THE WEEK LEADING UP TO.............
This year VILLAGE GREEN has a number of events in the week leading up to the main day on Saturday. Programme as follows:-
THE BIG CHARGE: Monday 20 September - Friday 24 September. 8am - 8pm.
In partnership with Cycle Southend, we at Metal have set ourselves a challenge that we are asking the community across the Borough of Southend to help us with. In the week leading up to Village Green we want to generate enough clean energy through pedal power to run the Green Stage all day on Saturday at Village Green. Ten bicycle stations will be set up in Chalkwell Park and we are inviting the whole community - groups, businesses, schools and individuals - to come and get involved to help generate the 500 pedal power hours needed. For more information about how to book your cycling slot please email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or call 01702 47070.
BBC BLAST: Thursday 23 - Saturday 25 September
Blast is the BBC’s youth creativity service. From first-timers to emerging artists, Blast gives 13 – 19 year olds the chance to try out new skills, showcase their own work and find out more about working in the creative industries. Blast will build an impressive mobile creative village, complete with digital workshop spaces and separate performance area for Village Green. Over three days, young people with a passion for music, dance and multi-media, can take part in a variety of free workshops, meet industry professionals, learn new skills, share ideas, use the latest technology and get creative, whatever their ability.
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE: Thursday 23 September (daytime) / Friday 24 September, 7pm
Metal have formed a partnership with the Royal Opera House, Creative Partnerships and Southend Education Trust to introduce a fifth stage to Village Green this year. The Green Stage will be designed by two ROH set designers working with four Southend Primary Schools. On Thursday 23 September if you happen to be in Chalkwell Park, come and see the set unfold as some of Southends youngest artists get to work.
On Friday 24 September at 7pm the fantastic Ballet Black will perform alongside Southends emerging dance talent Kayzar Dance who have been working with the Royal Ballet and Southend secondary school pupils to bring you a brand new performance called New DanceMakers EAST.
This performance, as with all the entertainment offered at Village Green is FREE.
PROGRAMME FOR SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER
VILLAGE GREEN STAGE
CARLEEN ANDERSON - Former lead singer of the Brand New Heavies; Young Disciples; Soloist; multi award winning; currently working with Ben Castle.
ANTHONY JOSEPH AND THE SPASM BAND - Regarded as the voice of black avant garde Britaina and one of the UK's most exciting and innovative voices. A poet, novelist, musician and lecturer Anthony will be performing at Village Green with his ‘voodoo punk’ Spasm Band.
STEVE MASON - Having hidden behind monikers for nearly 15 years, Steve Mason has finally emerged producing music under his own name. He was the lead singer of The Beta Band, released solo recordings as King Biscuit Time and also released an album under the V2 record label. Steve produces music from a variety of genres including electro, dance and more recently acoustic.
SNOWBOY AND THE LATIN SECTION - Without doubt the UK’s leading exponent of Afro Cuban Jazz, Snowboy and the Latin Section are a ‘dream team’ band of the finest Latin and jazz musicians based in the UK.
1-STOP EXPERIENCE - 1-STOP-EXPERIENCE are a ska experience with a mix of sounds that include latin, blues, pop and jazz. Created by ex-Belle Star Jennie Matthias, along with Paget King and Skip McDonald, the 1-stop-Experience are currently in the process of recording their debut album with On U Sound’s Adrian Sherwood.
LAURA B AND THE MOONLIGHTERS - Laura B and the Moonlighters is an exciting seven-piece rockin’ and honkin’ rhythm and blues combo in the upbeat style of Ruth Brown, Big Maybelle and Lavern Baker. They released their debut album late last year, ‘Jump and Shout’, and have recently played the Vintage at Goodward Festival. Laura B and the Moonlighters, for rhythm and blues lovers.
THE DIRTY FAIRIES - The Dirty Fairies are a Southend three piece girl band specialising in funk rock. These three sisters are said to be influenced by bands such as Velvet Underground, Stevie Wonder and James Brown- you might recognise them from other regional festivals including Shoplands. They recently participated in the O2 Live and Unsigned competition; winning the Basildon heat and playing the regional London and East Competition. Looking for old school funk? These are your girls!
URBAN ALLSTARS - Urban Allstars are a collective of four DJ’s who have been performing since 2006. Big supporters of vinyl and funk, this collective have produced original, re-mixed and re-edited work and their releases have resulted in sell-out tours across the globe.
RICHIE PHOE - The Lee Scratch Perry of Brighton, Richie Phoe, will again be spinning his dub tunes in between sets at stages one and two at this year’s Village Green. Feted by radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank, Richie began mixing on his Amiga 500 in the 1990’s. His career really took off in 2006 when became involved with Sunday Best Recording’s, which included a totally awesome remix of Max Sedgley’s ‘Celebrity’.
AL NAED - Al is pleased to be back as MC for Village Green again. If you think Al looks familiar it’s probably because he was the front cover model for the BT phone book from 2005-2008. A strange way to infiltrate every home in the country but a valid one.
MEADOW STAGE
LEMN SISSAY AND CAROLINE BIRD - two fantastic performance poets go head to head in the Meadow Stage.
SUNDOWN ARTS - Southends very own Spoken Word specialists have curated a 3 hour slot for the Meadow Stage with a mix of comedy, live music and poetry. Includes JIM BOB / RUCKUS JUICE AN CHITLINS / CAR WRECK CHICKEN / BRIDGETTE APHRODITE / SIMON BLACKMAN / HIP HOP SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
QUIRKISH DELIGHT - this talented team of quick wits create bedlam and belly-laughs from nothing more than audience suggestions. Surreal, sublime and suspect sketches will be performed for your delectation - without a safety net!
THE FAMOUS POTATOES - ‘soil music’, of an earthy, bluegrassy, swing and country nature. Over the past 30 years they have played more than 1,500 times from the Lord Mayor’s Show to busking in dustbins!
TOBY SHAER - Toby Shaer is the latest and youngest gifted newcomer to the local folk scene. He will be playing his fiddle and various wind instruments along with his equally talented family and friends. Whatever the future of folk music Toby is definitely going to be at the heart of it.
ART GRUPPE - Forever indie-pop....ArtGruppe play a summery set of heartwarming songs, awash with melody, three-part harmony and acoustic guitars. They are the resident band at Belle et la Beat - a regular local event at Southend's Railway Pub which encourages families to come and experience live music together.
CHRIS BARON - playing the extraordinary and very theraputic Hang Drum.
VILLAGE HALL
PICTURE SLEEVES - A post rock explosion in an acoustic café. Emotive songs fused with powerful and noisy jams.
THE SEASIDERS - lively Southend quartet who 'do like to be beside the seaside'. Superb lyrical skill with music that will have you up on your feet in no time.
CARTERHAUGH - a Southend four-piece specialising in folk, jazz and blues. Influenced by Fairport Convention, Billie Holliday and Led Zeppelin they say their name was inspired by a traditional Scottish folk tale.
LAZY CURTIS - four hairy local gents who enjoy playing rock music. Seasoned by years of playing together this quartet will be helping us celebrate all the best bits of old school rock.
NATHAN AND NOLAND ABBOTT - songwriting brothers. Apparently watching Nathan play live is like ‘standing two inches away from a speeding train, it feels good but you dare not move, and every show is as unpredictable as lightning’.
THE LUCKY STRIKES - americana country rock band who, are not only likened to Crazy Horse, but also are credited with continuing the spirit of their local predecessors Dr. Feelgood.
HILLMISTERS - psychedelic, sexy pop. These seven Southend lads have recently released their debut release on split 12” vinyl. If you enjoy The Go-betweens, The La’s or Elizabeth Cotten then you’ll enjoy the Hillmisters!
ACADIAN DRIFTWOOD - Spawned in the muddy, alligator-ridden bayous of the Thames delta, Leigh's own crawfish-crunching Cajuns dish up another spicy serving of South Louisiana 'French Music'. The classic sounds of Lawrence Walker, Joe Falcon and the Balfa Brothers rendered afresh on squeezebox, fiddle, guitar and 'tit fer.
ONE TREE HILLBILLIES - from the hidden hollows and moonshine stills of South Essex come the One Tree Hillbillies with their own potent brew of Basildon bluegrass...
DAVE HALL - Describing his oeuvre as ‘acoustically driven experimental folk’, Dave Hall is adept at piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, melodica and much else besides, with influences ranging from Purcell to Bon Iver!
THE KITTIWAKES - a trio of talented singers and instrumentalists - their debut album, Lofoten Calling, was released in October 2009 on Midwich Records and is a suite of original music based around the people, landscape, folklore and history of the Lofoten Islands.
HOY AT ANCHOR FLOOR SPOTS - celebrating 40 years of hosting quality local musicians and up-and-coming British and international folk artists. Previous performers have included Nic Jones, John Martyn and Martin Carthy. Presenting everything from traditional folk music to more contemporary music, the Hoy at Anchor are programming a folk slot in the Village Hall. Bringtin to your attention HIPPY JOE & JOLENE , JOE MIGDAL, a local singer/songwriter, and FIDDLE FIT a dynamic duo of high energy fiddle and guitar. If you like what you hear they meet at local pub, the Ship, on Leigh Hill, every Tuesday.
KINO VILLAGE
THE WHITE BUS - a wide variety of fantastic short films throughout the day from the organisers of the Southend Film Festival - animation, children's classics and art house.
HOOK AND THE TWIN - this dynamic duo from Bristol (Marcus Efstratiou and Tom Havelock) bring drum beats and digital tunes to create a truly exciting and innovative sound that has attracted national attention specifically from revered radio DJ’s Zane Lowe, Marc Riley, and Steve Lamacq. With live improvised visuals from Mike Lowther.
SOCIETY OF IMAGINARY FRIENDS - cinematic folk - a unique sound described by Tim Cunniingham as an 'operatic sensation'. Their stunning soundscapes have led to work with numerous film directors, including Luke Scott, Martin Jones, Chris Newby and Julien Temple.
JOHNSON E KANE: presents TUPPENYBUNTERS - A wacky musical performance with accompanying indulgent, visual projections reminiscent of Velvet Underground performances of the 60s and the spirit of Warhol's Factory. An eclectic mixture of garage-punk originals, classic TV & radio theme tunes, performance art and minimal electronic & ambient pieces. Johnson E Kane has created standalone and collaborative video works for over 15 years with many musicians, artists, organisations and festivals including Arctic Circle, Sadler's Wells Theatre, Tate Britain, Union Chapel and Big Chill.
UAL DRAMA SOCIETY & EAST 15 - present: The Changeling
NICO BENTLEY - young, vibrant composer, producer, and performer. His ablity to engage with various musical styles, including Jazz, Classical, Electro-Acoustic, Indian, African, Latin, Pop and Electronica, has led to musical pieces for the Silversmith Dance Theatre and the Bhangra Latina project.
HYBERNATION - Southend artist, Stuart Bowditch likes to capture the sounds of everyday life and turn them into music. He is as at home playing sets in Southend Library as he is in Tate Britain.
COMEDY AT KINO VILLAGE
At 8pm our film and experimental audio visual space at Kino Village will be transformed into a comedy venue with three fantastic comedians curated and MC'd by Markus Birdman.
MARKUS BIRDMAN - A connoisseur of political and religious humour, Markus enjoys bucking the system and rebelling against his parent’s generation who told him to ‘get a proper job’. Instead Markus likes watching CSI, playing table-tennis and listening to Bob Marley, oh and making people laugh! The BBC says Birdman is ‘the all-round package’, and who are we to argue with the BBC.
FRANCESCA MARTINEZ - award-winning comedian who you might recognise from Ricky Gervais’, ‘Extras’. She has toured internationally including sell-out performances at the Edinburgh Fringe and Just for Laughs in Montreal, as well as playing in Hollywood and on Broadway. The Guardian gave her 5 stars and Time Out calls her, ‘Highly accomplished...very funny’. Francesca is currently working on her BBC sitcom pilot, but is taking the day off to make us laugh at Village Green.
ANDREW BIRD - ‘superb…a rising star. Not to be missed ’,Time Out. He's fashioned a charming set of uncomplicated anecdotal stand-up where his everyman outlook comes in remarkably useful. The audience can share the embarrassment of his faux pas, knowing something similar could so easily happen to them – and probably has.
GREEN STAGE
THE SAMPHIRE BAND - Molly Nyman and Harry Escott are award winning, BIFA nominated (for their film score for Shifty), film composers who were awarded 'Best New Documentary Filmmaker' at the Tribeca Awards. They have been creating beautiful scores for the last seven years for films such as Michael Winterbottom's "A Mighty Heart", Nick Broomfield's "Ghosts", David Slade's "Hard Candy" and Michael Winterbottom's "Road to Guantanamo". With their 12 piece Samphire Band they will perform a live score alongside the UK premier screening of Olhos do Farol on Metal's huge outdoor cinema screen. The film has recently played to rave reviews at the Indie Lisboa film festival in Portugal; "Its a little masterpiece, this long awaited animation by Pedro Serrazina..." The Samphire band will also perform the Shifty Suite along with a beautiful piece of film created by the artist Nick Hornby and a clutch of songs especially arranged for Village Green featuring the husky, tremulous tones of Kristin McClement and live improvised visuals from Mike Lowther.
PHILLIOUS WILLIAMS - named after a chronic bigamist and storyteller from the seventeenth century. The reliably popular quintet play heavy blues tinged country and western which embraces the themes of immigration, relationships, and much more.
HIP HOP SHAKESPEARE COMPANY - Shakespeare like you’ve never heard it before. A music and theatre production company founded by MOBO award winning Kingslee ‘Akala’ Daley to share his love of Shakespeare and hip-hop in a more direct way. Since 2008 Akala and his team have been introducing young people to Shakespeare through performance and workshops that demonstrate how modern hip-hop relates to the themes, languages and rhythms used by Shakespeare himself to wide critical acclaim.
BALLET BLACK -‘Ballet Black is phenomenal’ (The Independent). The Company was founded in 2001 by Cassa Pancho. Her dream was for a company where students of Black and Asian descent could train in classical ballet and eventually restore the ethnic balance within ballet companies - realised both in this company of young professional dancers and through the Ballet Black School for young children in Shepherd’s Bush. Ballet Black have performed to national critical acclaim and if previous performances are anything to go by, this will be one of the many highlights of Village Green this year.
KAYZAR DANCE - Southend dance act Kayzar played at our first Village Green back in 2008. Since then they have enjoyed remarkable success performing at Saddler’s Wells; TV's in ‘Britain’s Got Personality’ and ‘Got to Dance’ as winning Brentwood Got Talent competition. They have also competed in the IDO World Hip-hop championships. Their performances have that ‘wow’ factor with explosive dance routines that include some quite breath-taking breakin.
JUNGNU BHANGRA - the UK's most established bhangra performers. Over four generations, the group has astonished audiences across the world with their spectacular and exciting performances.
JAZZ CO TECH - a UK dance group specialising in Old Skool Jazz Dance that have performed all over the world from St Lucia to Furano, Pheonix to Glastonbury and have supported artists such as James Brown, Maceo Parker and Jamiroquai. This act is full of funk, soul and jazz. They will be performing in their own right on the Green Stage, as well as jumping up with Snowboy and the Latin Section on the Village Green Stage.
LEIGH OPERATIC AND DRAMATIC SOCIETY - Formed as a response to a successful World War One concert party, Leigh Operatic and Dramatic Society has been bringing dramatic and musical works to the local area for almost a century. Not just a nice idea, LODS has won numerous awards for its performances including best regional show for ‘The Witches of Eastwick’ in 2008. LODS will be previewing a piece from the musical ‘The Music Man’, due to run in Southend during October.
LEIGH ORPHEUS MALE CHOIR - believed to be the largest male voice choir in the eastern region. They have recently performed in Tuscany, Paris, and South Wales delighting audiences with music from a variety of genres including classical works, religious music, popular song and folk music.
THE MUSHROOM THEATRE COMPANY - a performing arts school led by Penni Bubb with a focus on equal access to the opportunity to perform. The school works with people of all ages and have created performances for the Thameside Theatre, several local fetes and Southends own Summer Carnival.
GLOBAL VILLAGE
The One World One Essex exhibition put together by Essex County Council is on show within the Global Village circus tent - a touring exhibition celebrating the richness of the different cultures of the families that live in Essex and just how we all came to be here. Throughout the day the Global Village Venue will also play host to a number of performances and workshops, including La Roma, Jugnu Bhangra, Ayigafrik Dance and more.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
DIGITAL EXPLORATION CENTRE - a burgeoning centre in Southend for all things digital, the DEC presents Small World Fair, an exhibition of ideas, artworks, curiosities and questions around how the world is shaped by technology. Curated by Simon Poulter. The exhibition is sited within Chalkwell Hall in Chalkwell Park. Exhibition continues until 23 October.
CYCLE SOUTHEND present NORTH SHORE CYCLE TRACK - raised, wooden mountain biking trackway with hills, twists and turns designed to test and hone your cycling. There's an opportunity to have a go, as well as see MAD Cycle Display team show you a thing or two about how it's really done! There's also an great opportunity for some bike maintenance and advice from the Cycle Southend team and extra cycle park facilities - making cycling the number one most convenient way of travelling to Village Green
DANCE WORKSHOPS - an opportunity for you to have a go at some of the fantastic moves you can see on the Village Green stages throughout the day. Including Jazz Co Tech, Bollywood, Kirsty Richardson, Tabla and Dub.
ART OF THE VILLAGE -
TENBOMB AND MARMALADE - Tenbomb Art Collective and Marmalade Skateboards bring a War time heroes theme to Village Green (their studio 'the bunker' in Southend is an old World War 2 bomb shelte). All sorts of interactive games and madcap activities to take part in. Look out for Grandpa Summers's Front Room where you can get a heroes tattoo, challenge grandad at ping pong, play the war time piano and much more.... if you can't see us listen out for the air raid siren.
SOUTHEND YOUNG CREATIVES -
SIGNPOST - A new installation by Stuart Bowditch and Damien Robinson. 'Signpost' is a site-specific multi-sensory installation enabling audiences to experience sounds recorded in the town to which it points. For Village Green 2010 this will be fellow Essex town Colchester. Multiple recordings from the distant location are arranged as virtual journeys. Audiences can experience sounds aurally, through touch (via tactile NXT sound exciters), privately (by plugging their own headphones into jack sockets) and visually, via a screen interface.
ROAMING ARTISTS, PERFORMERS AND COLLABORATORS
At various sites and times across the day.
SIMON POULTER / COEXIST / FOREST FRINGE / SIMON FOWLER / ANDY BARAK SMITH / MARMALADE SKATEBOARDS / LEIGH FOLK FESTIVAL / SHOWFLAT / LEVEL 4 MAGAZINE / IDEA13 / SOUTHEND LIBRARY SERVICES / SOS BUS / YOGA DHARMA /
VILLAGE GREEN MARKETPLACE
A huge variety of hand-made arts and crafts on show and for sale. As well as demonstrations, artist-led workshops, participatory activities and spectacle.
THE DEADLINE FOR MARKETSTALLS HAS NOW CLOSED AND WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.
VOLUNTEERING
Volunteers play a crucial role in helping Village Green run smoothly, look fantastic and be an enjoyable event for everybody. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved and as a festival Volunteer you can expect to make new friends, develop new skills and gain a huge sense of satisfaction and achievement from being involved in making the festival happen.
At Village Green 2010 we will have 6 volunteer teams:
Events team
Back Stage crew
Stewards
Runners
Media and documentation team
Catering and Hospitality
For more further information and details on how to become a volunteer please click here
FUNDERS AND PARTNERS
Metal would like to extend a huge thank you to all our funders and partners who make Village Green possible.
SOUTHEND ON SEA BOROUGH COUNCIL
ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND EAST
SOUTHEND EDUCATION TRUST
CYCLE SOUTHEND
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS
BBC BLAST
PARK INN HOTEL
WAITROSE
IMAGES FROM VILLAGE GREEN 2009
3 Minute Wonders
3 Minute Wonders: 28 artists, 10 slides, 20 seconds.
Venue: TAP Studios, North Road Westcliff on Sea SS0 7AB
Time: 8 - 10pm
Metal are offering 28 practising artists / creative practitioners the opportunity to work on presentation skills in a new five week programme. Each participating artist will be asked over the course of the five weeks to create their perfect 3 minute presentation to convey the essence of their work or a particular idea or piece. Peer support, food and drink, fantastic networking and a friendly atmosphere will take away the usual fear of public speaking.
The format has been inspired the popular Pecha Kucha events. Pecha Kucha was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", the format is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds.
3 minute wonders will ask each participating artist / creative practitioner to choose 10 images X 20 seconds resulting in a three minute presentation. It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace. Peer support is vital, therefore the audience will be made up of the 28 presenting artists. Each week special guest speakers, after making their presentation will be available to offer practical advice followed by a Q&A session.
The programme runs from Tues 23 March 2010 – 20 April 2010 with guest speakers each week.
23.03.10 – Week one: Introductions
30.03.10 – Week two: First 7 artist's presentations.
Guest speaker Mario Borza / Artist
06.04.10 – Week three: Second 7 artist's presentations.
Guest speakers Pat And Trevor / Artists
13.04.10 – Week four: Third 7 artist's presentations.
Guest speaker Lucy Harrison / Artist
20.04.10 – Week five: Fourth 7 artiists presentations.
Guest speaker Hugh Dichmont / Tether Artist's collective
The programme is free. Sign up now by emailing
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Toku chan likes to look up
An exhibition of Japonisme by Lee Baker
Temporary Art Project (TAP), Old Water Works, North Road, Southend On Sea SS0 7AB
10th - 26th March 2010
Metal present Toku chan likes to look up in the newly opened artist-led studio and gallery TAP in Southend – a previously empty building that we have refurbished in partnership with CoExist collective and Essex & Suffolk Water.
Toku chan is an anime character created as the alter ego of the artist. It is through Toku chan’s eyes that Lee Baker presents us with his exhibition of lush visuals, animation, music and toys. The result of a fascination with Japanese art and its ability to simultaneously influence and absorb western culture, Toku chan inhabits an exclusively positive world populated with brightly coloured thoughts. Japanese culture has been a fascination for Baker for many years, from Utamaro Hiroshige and Jakuchu, with their influence on C19th European artists, Art Nouveau, Manga, Japanese film, Textile Design, Graffiti, British Engraving and Pop Art all find their way into his work, as well as influences from modern Artists such as Takashi Murakami and Yamaguchi Akira.
Working outside his established discipline of music composition and production (he is best known for his production work with James top 10 album ‘Hey Ma’, 2008 and ‘The Night Before’ release date April 2010) Lee has been supported by Metal, to develop his ideas visually, and present them within a gallery context for the first time.
Exciting collaborations with award winning animator, Kidda and costume designer Holly Murray have resulted in specially commissioned contributions to the exhibition.
Lee Baker
Best known for his work in music, Lee has produced the last two James albums – ‘Hey Ma’ in 2008 and ‘The Night Before’ due to be released in April this year. He has written with a diversity of solo artists including national beatbox champion Beardyman, and break beats artist Kidda. He is currently working on a solo project with Rose Dougall from the Pipettes. He has composed music for television, with credits including the rebranding of ITV2 and the BBC’s award-winning Arena documentaries.
Prior to this he made his mark as a scenic artist working at both the National Theatre and the English National Opera. He designed the sets for several of the late Ken Campbell’s solo shows, most notably The History of Comedy part 1 – Ventriloquism, performed at the National theatre in 2000.
Kidda
An acclaimed animator whose work, ‘Teddy Bear’, is currently on tour with the British Animation Awards 2010, Kidda has been collaborating with Lee to produce a short animation which takes place in Toku chan’s synthetic world. Titled ‘Toku chan likes colour’, this short will be set to a piece of music created by Toku chan himself.
Holly Murray
For this exhibition Lee is also collaborating with sculptor and costume designer, Holly Murray, to re-create a Toku chan as a soft sculpture. Holly has previously created numerous costumes for contemporary dance, opera and theatre, including work with Glyndebourne, Oily Cart Productions and Liz Aggiss.
Guinness World Record
GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE LONGEST LINE OF BUNTING
In the lead up to Village Green in 2009, and as part of our launch celebrations for our newly renovated house, Chalkwell Hall, Metal launched a borough-wide attempt to break the world record for the longest line of bunting across Southend on Sea.
We worked with schools, community groups, scouts, the Women's Institute and a wide range of individuals from across the region to create the 9000 flags needed to make a line of bunting the length of Southend's iconic pier (1.33 miles long / 2158m).
Over the course of six months the individual, hand-made flags poured in, made from recycled curtains, jeans and other materials - exquisitely decorated with embroidery, sequins, applique and personal messages.
On 27th October 2009 we made our official challenge to the Guinness World Record and hung the entire length in the trees at Chalkwell Park. We were officially awarded Guinness World Record status a few days later.
Our official recorded length is 2,159.30m, breaking the old record by a massive 654.58m.
To give you an insight into what a mammoth undertaking this was, some of the strict guidelines are included in our bunting pack that was sent out to all the many willing participant. Click here to download for more information.
North Road
Working in partnership with artist’s group CoExist and Essex & Suffolk Water (ESW), Metal are developing a Temporary Art Project (TAP) at ESW’s empty North Road complex. The building which has been empty for a number of years is providing the space for a temporary gallery, studio and small creative business complex.
With funding from Arts Council England, East and Southend on Sea Borough Council via an Economic Participation grant the building has been fitted and kitted out to offer affordable studio space, gallery opportunities for new and emerging artists, a screening room for 16mm and digital projection, and a shared office facility for 4 small creative businesses.
For further information, and details of how to get involved, please contact Amy McKenny and Emma Emmerton at CoExist on
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Pecha Kucha Night
Pecha Kucha 5
Metal's next Pecha Kucha Night (Vol. 5) is on 15 July 2010. This time, nine artists, designers and creative individuals will present using the dynamic Japanese method of Pecha Kucha. 20 slides x 20 seconds. Accompanied by good food, drinks and conversation.
Date: 15th July
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Venue: East 15, Clifftown Studios, Nelson Street, Southend on Sea.
Closed: News on the next Pecha Kucha to follow shortly.
Pecha Kucha Night was devised by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.
The key to Pecha Kucha Night is its patented system for avoiding lengthy presentations – ‘death by powerpoint’. Each presenter is allowed 20 slides (all image based), each shown for 20 seconds – giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up.
This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to show.
Pecha Kucha (which is Japanese for the sound of conversation) has tapped into a demand for a forum in which creative work can be easily and informally shown and Pecha Kucha Nights now take place regularly in over 200 cities around the world.
Metal started the Southend on Sea Pecha Kucha Night in April 2009 and has now hosted 3 evenings, hearing from 20 presenters all living, working or proposing creative ideas for Southend.
Pecha Kucha is now part of our ongoing programme in Southend on Sea. For details of the next event, click here (this will be a link through to the relevant part of the events diary.)
You Are Here – a rough guide to Essex
You Are Here was devised and developed by Metal as a way of exploring with young people the atmosphere, cultural life and future potential of their home towns and cities.
Metal is interested in how artist’s of all different kinds, contribute to the thinking, the identity and the development of ideas within civil and community life, and in particular within places that are undergoing major change and development.
Working with Insite, and Essex County Council we identified three towns across Essex that are currently undergoing a masterplanning process – Harwich, Harlow and Southend on Sea – all of whom are working towards a future vision for their town.
We asked the pupils of a secondary school in each town to work with us, alongside an artist, an architect, a designer and the masterplanning body, to help us to understand their town, and to draw out the ideas and potential for its future.
Shoeburyness High School in Southend, Burnt Mill in Harlow and The Harwich School in Harwich worked with three artists from different disciplines. Inno Sorsy is a writer, voice specialist and storyteller, Elina Jokipii is an artist and photographer, and Keith Watts is an illustrator. The artists worked with pupils to enable them to produce all the content – reviews, interviews, photographs and drawings. Visits and workshops with the architects and masterplanners involved in the development of their towns fed into their understanding and ideas. Thompson Design visited each school to develop the design approach in consultation with all participants.
A book for each town was produced as a set of three to give you a flavour of what the pupils discovered about the place they live, the people they met, and the excitement they felt for its future.
For a full pdf copy of each book, please click on the following links.
You Are Here - Southend on Sea
You Are Here - Harwich
You Are Here - Harlow
