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A Selfless Art

Thinking about culture because people matter

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Category: England

Post-political arts policy

The photo shows the Performance Ensemble in Leeds, in 2019 Whatever else it might—or more likely might not—achieve, the current … More

Arts Funding, Cultural Policy

Remembering Steve Lobb, muralist and pioneer of community art

Yesterday, I received a copy of Geraint Franklin’s Murals and the Community Arts in England 1968–86: A Thematic Study. It’s a … More

Community art, Greenwich Mural Workshop, Murals, Steve Lobb

Access ≠ Democracy

When I began in community art, the photocopier was new technology. In the printshop where I was an apprentice, we … More

Community art, Creative reflection, Cultural democracy, Democracy, learning, Skills

Renewing opera

The problem of opera Opera is a problematic art. It’s not just the extravagant cost of producing it, or the … More

Community art, Community opera

Signal Fires

In another time, I was asked by Fuel Theatre to write the introduction for a book called Signal Fires, collecting … More

Cultural democracy, Theatre

Innocence and experience: John Fox’s songs

Regular readers (thank you for your interest) will know my admiration and affection for John Fox, Sue Gill and the … More

Community music, Music, Welfare State International

Other People’s Books: some recommendations

Over past year or two, I’ve had a series of conversations with people about books they’ve been working on. Some … More

Community art, Cultural democracy

‘Wish You Were Here’ – A community art project during lockdown

In late January 2021, in the depth of winter and the midst of lockdown, a small group of people gathered … More

Arts and older people, Community art, Cultural democracy, Participatory art

Better together

Last night I sat in a Dublin B&B for watching a performance unfold in Leeds Playhouse through a laptop screen. It was … More

Arts and older people, Community art, Community theatre

‘Wish You Were Here’ – coming summer 2021

There’s no moment quite like this. So much of community art is in the journey, the being-together, listening, learning and … More

Creative Writing, Lincolnshire, Writing East Midlands

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  • Why Nicholas Hytner is wrong about how to save the arts in England
  • Co-creation
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  • Connections and differences between participatory art and community art
  • Some selfless artists
  • The complexities of socially-engaged art practice
  • Better together
  • Thinking about cultural democracy, part one
  • Respecting other people's reasons for (not) participating
  • 'What I've Been Looking For'
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