Purple Polly
Purple Polly is a proposal submitted to the Summer 2010 round of the Umbro Industries creative grants, who dish out up to 10k each quarter for innovation in Manchester across art, culture, music, fashion and 'other'. Heh. It's quite unlike anything I've attempted to pitch before, but why not ? During the last round I made the shortlist but didn't get invited to interview. I didn't mind - I was fortunate to find a partner to make it happen anyway. This one is a little different. I very definitely need to call in the professionals! More information and a project outline over at the official site where votes and comments (nice ones) will help, but are not essential. Hint.
Hazard MMX
On Saturday 17th July outbreaks of hazardous behaviour will once again be unleashed upon Manchester City Centre and live guerilla art returned to the streets for the third hit-and-run. Cheeky, thought-provoking and sometimes raunchy sprees of eccentricity, look for a flash of yellow and black which should just be enough to give the game away... appearing alongside my own Scratch 'n Sniff pop-up cinema will be Eggs Collective (The March of 100 Dorothys), Alex Bradley (All the demos I've ever been on), Astrid Breel (The Dating Game), Jordan McKenzie (Monsieur Finds Himself Up Queer Street), The Muffia (Ask the question), Clare Charnley (Splat), Hannah Wiles (Beeline), Larkin' About (Various) and many more. See you there. Now scatter! Full programme.
Digital and Creative Futures
Kid Carpet
I've been producing an event on behalf of FutureEverything in partnership with Vision+Media as a follow-up to the extremely popular City Debate. Taking place on Thursday 1st July, the final few tickets for Digital and Creative Futures can be snapped up for no cost for anyone with an interest in cross-discipline discussion and ideas relating to the future of our cities, technological advancement and alternative methods by which we assess and interpret the world around us.
FutureEverything
Featuring Professor Steve Furber, Millennium Technology Prize Laureate and principal designer of the ubiquitous ARM 32-bit RISC microprocessor discussing 'The Relentless March of the Microchip', plus the political fist-of-thistles that is commentator and writer Gerry Hassan, addressing the dismal failure of ideologies: 'After the Century of Isms: What is the Future of the Future?' Kid Carpet will be providing an injection of kiddy punk upon poundshop instruments finishing off with a rapid-fire Unconference intended to tap into themes raised upon the day.
© Sosolimited: Prime Numerics
Installations on site will include the jaw-dropping beauty of Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir, Sosolimited's Prime Numerics mash-up of the final televised general election debate and Aaron Koblin's hand picked selection of the best in data visualisation. And all in the shadow of Salford's answer to Dubai, the emerging creative hub of Media City. Don't say I didn't tell you about it.
Sun Screen
Screenfields at Spinningfields Manchester / image: Jason Lock
My post on Manchester's Summer screening treats has appeared over at Creative Tourist (minus any mention whatsoever of the World Cup shenanigans, whoops). I wasn't a fan of Screenfields in the first year of operation, still mistakenly billed as the city's first outdoor cinema, but now I most definitely am as the march of the wooden market sheds trumpets the further expansion of retail into what little public space remains. And don't even get me started on the Big Wheel (spot the sly dig in the write-up). Sure, it's all part of a wider marketing campaign but still a valuable asset and one that should be supported. Pick a favourite from the schedule and get down there if you can.
Feed me!
Ugo Rondinone: Moonrise
Not enough public art has the capacity to invoke fear of waking nightmares formed of putty clay.... hungry lookin' putty clay at that... Public Plaza, 555 Mission SF.
Tales of Two Cities
With an OCD fury not seen since the woman in the Shake 'n Vac advert ground her Valium and mixed it with a glug of Bacardi, I've been plugging the cracks in this site and pasting up former production duties with a vengeance. My personal favourites A Wall is a Screen now have a page to themselves, as do the rapidly expanding MegaPhone team - flying the flag for those of us who see no reason why computer games should progress beyond the Atari era. Once upon a festival, The Light Surgeons conjured up a storm in a Gothic salon and The Royal Opera House treat us to no fewer than twelve outdoor relays in the past five years.