Wednesday, 16 March 2011

Southwark Arts Forum Conference Saturday 26th March

On Saturday 26th March, Bards are invited to the Tate Modern to participate in a Professional Development conference run by Southwark Arts Forum, helping arists to find new and innovative ways to get things done in today's climate.

All info is here. You will also need to sign up on that page too if you'd like to attend. Price is £15 for members of SAF and £25 for non members.

Do come for a chance to be inspired by artists doing great projects in new ways and to see what Bridget Edwards is achieving as head of Southwark Arts Forum. She is a longstanding friend of the Bardschool and has helped me in many ways in my artistic career with support, stage-management at my shows and also financial sponsorship. She employed me as a freelance Creative Writing tutor for 3 years at her church in Croydon as part of King David Kompany.

It's been great to see how her career in facilitating professional development for artists has taken her from supporting artists in Church, to working for 'Arts and Business' in Brighton, followed by advocating in Parliament for the needs of artists in Prison work, to her present role developing this supportive forum for artists in Southwark - a wonderfully strategic area.

Make sure you check out the benefits of free and full membership!

You might be interested in Sit-Down comedy on 17th March.. or their professional development programme for artists. 1 hour sessions are £30 for members.

Hoping to see you on 26th, and remember the Globe Theatre is only 3 minutes away. Do let me know if you are thinking of coming.

Note that also on 26th, Sarah Fordham is offering her amazing workshop on John Paul II's poetry. More info coming soon on the blog.

Tuesday, 8 March 2011

Hammad's beautiful song for the murdered Shahbaz Bhatti

Hammad, who composed the music on my CD and follows events at the Bard School from Slough and Pakistan, and whose name means "One who sings for God", stayed up all night after hearing the news of Shahbaz's brutal killing, to compose this lament for him.

You won't need to understand urdu to be moved and to pray.

Our hearts and prayers are with the Christians of Pakistan, who are suffering martydom on a daily basis at this time, both in the discrimination they face in their daily lives, as well as in these more dramatic fatal attacks.

I have since heard that the Bhatti family heard of Hammad's song and requested that it be played at his memorial service. And it was.