Tag: #artscouncilEngland

Here comes 2023!

Happy New Year!

Well, here we are again – one of Lytisha’s sporadic ‘regular’ blogs! Today the view from the house on the hill is of many hues of gray, at slanted angles over the gray rooftops. The wind is blustering, bursts of raindrops are attacking the window but all is warm and dry indoors – despite being abandoned by the cat. Apparently in the jumper section of the wardrobe is even cosier than this desk – and may account for future furry clothing.

Who am I kidding? All my clothes have been furry since…. furever!

This year I will be focussing on a couple of exciting projects.

I was fortunate enough to win an Arts Council England Award in October to fund A Journey Inside – the Virtual Reality version. Some of you might recall the poem I performed a few times in 2017 following a 2016 MRI scan? In 2018 it evolved with the help of COMA into an augmented experiential piece which was performed with live music as part of both the COMA National Festival and Nottingham Poetry Festival. During these performances the audience wore blindfolds and the sounds surrounded them.

This year I am working on a new incarnation recreating the experience in virtual reality. I am working with the support of the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham ( I Know – how amazing does that sound!), City Arts and others.

You will be able to come test out the prototype at the 2023 Nottingham Poetry Festival in May – dates to be confirmed.

Women Say Stuff will be back again in March, organised as ever by a group of women volunteers from the DIY Poets co-hort. Always a fabulous event so keep your eyes peeled for the details on social media.

Meantime Multiple Shenanigans blog with Jeanette Bird-Bradley on youtube continues monthly and I look forward to seeing you at the DIY Poets showcase at City Arts on 9th February.

Here’s a look at a poem that you can find via the QR code on the Nottingham Arboretum noticeboard as part of the Haptive Quest from 2022. See if you find the tree in the arboretum featured:

So, lots to look forward to in 2023. I hope to catch you out and about at an event or at a gig soon.

Lytisha

Autumnal Events Gliding in as Smoothly as Swans in the Sunset

Seasons change, activities abound. Much has been happening not only in Tish World, but also the wider creative world. The photo above inadvertently caught Simon Withers recording some of his amazing photos as part of his series Swan Life which can be seen at City Arts until the 18th of November.

Wednesday 10th November also sees DIY Poets November Showcase on at 7.30pm– on-line so available to all wherever you are. A Series of DIY poets will be performing followed by a an open mic for upto 3 mins per performer. Sign up on the night or contact DIY Poets via their facebook page.

Sunday 14th November Lytisha is delighted to be hosting the World Jam event at Peggy’s Skylight which features readings from the recent anthology Us Versus Virus, produced by Beam Editions, plus a set from Dominic Berry and music from Foreign Accent. A fabulous venue, going to be a great night.

But what of October I hear you say. What happened then? Well I took a couple of weeks off to help a friend which involved a trip to Southern France, an area I’d not been to before. En route we caught up with some old friends, ate a lot of ice-cream, more chocolate and possibly a little too much cheese too. But I understand these are cultural essentials so who am I to complain!

Meanwhile the #Thesehandsmade project supported by Arts Council England continues and excitingly the first short film in collaboration with four artists plus poet Ferzana Shan will be released on the 12th of November! Very Excited! To check it out follow me on insta: @lytishaft plus I will be sharing anywhere I can- and if you enjoy it I would love for you to share it too.

That’s me for now. Don’t forget you can catch up with Multiple Shenanigans podcasts anytime you need a humorous look at life through the eyes of a poet and comedian with MS and see you at an event – virtual or otherwise -soon!