Working Parts

On 27 May at the Arena Theatre, act up; the drama group who are part of rethink went to see a play written by Claire Summerskill called hearing voices. A play as the title suggests about people’s experiences of the mental health service. The characters were believable, likeable and poignant. The members of Act Up described the play as inspirational, showing that people do want to hear about these issues on stage. WORKING pARTS thought the play demonstrated how the arts, and specifically drama and storytelling could be used in a mental health setting. Act Up have asked if Clare Summerskill could do some workshops, WORKING pARTS are now circulating the idea of mental health groups in Wolverhampton and the Black Country booking a drama worker, writer or visual artist to have a taster workshop or in-depth advice from arts professionals if you already use the arts. Read the rest of this entry →

WORKING pARTS were invited to Dudley independent living partnership meeting; we were joined by the Regional Disability Network, Joanna Matthews and Lisa Wiggins. The conversation was about setting their targets following December’s successful independent living event. Marketing and reaching disabled people in the borough of Dudley was a priority. To profile the partnership was top of the list of things to do, as was communicating the message about independent living, which was what the partnership stood for.

Working parts suggested that Black Country Touring could subsidise the cost of disabled artists for the cabaret, however costs for the venue and marketing would need to be paid for. The solution is that WORKING pARTS have agreed to support Dudley independent living partnership t0 apply for funding to arts Council England, on the basis that a bid is from more than one disability group in the Black Country or beyond such as Council of disabled people Coventry and Warwickshire. The aim is that cabaret of new material will be created about independent living and personalisation that can be shown and promoted by disability groups. Read the rest of this entry →

Black Country Touring coordinator Alan McLean and arts officer Alison Breadon from the deaf cultural centre in Birmingham visited Dudley deaf club to experience the bingo night. They were invited by the committee of the deaf club to get an idea of the number of people who visit the club for the bingo. Over 75 people attended, we were told more came at Easter. We also met the secretary of the club, who could see the potential of this audience. Jeff was keen on promoting events at the deaf club and creating some great night outs for people who use deaf club, but also people in Dudley as well. Black Country Touring hope to help the club by assisting the Secretary. Jeff was thinking of starting with a Deaf comedian or Barbara Nice bringing her participatory comedy to the club and working closely with a BSL signer. If you go to a deaf club and are interested in getting support to put on events and shows get in touch with Black Country Touring.

A sign song workshop in Walsall with DAD to celebrate the performance of Graeae’s “Signs of a Star Shaped Diva” at the Birmingham Rep Theatre with the excellent Caroline Parker who plays Sue Graves, Sue is an undertaker, running the family ­business started by her great gran, Mabel, who turned to the dead when her heart was broken. Quiet, single and heading reasonably contentedly towards middle age, Sue finds romance when she meets Lawrence Stone. It is love at first sight for the couple whose conjoined names are “the Grave-Stones”. But Sue, who is deaf, has a secret. By night, the unassuming Sue becomes the ­glamorous Tammy Frascati, who performs the hits of our greatest divas using British Sign Language in a local night club where she has become a cult hit. (from Guardian) Jayne Fletcher and Angela Twigg successfully brought the fun, mischief and quandaries about the use of BSL in “signs of a star shaped diva” to DAD which I think stands for deaf adult drama, who are a group which meets every Thursday at Walsall deaf people’s centre. I participated in a sign song workshop which began by learning the verses in British sign language (BSL) of Snow patrol’s “Open your eyes” Jayne and Angela made everyone warmly welcome, it was great fun learning the signs and finding out to different signs for “cuts” and which ones, were more dramatic, and fitted Snow patrol’s melancholy intention. Read the rest of this entry →

Open Sesame for artists was attended by over twenty artists, The event began with an introduction to Working Parts and overview of the arts organisations involved. Following this Lisa Gunn was invited to talk about her project at Penn Hall school because it is an example of the Working Parts Network, and how it can work. Penn Hall school contacted Working Parts to ask if we knew a photographer who would be confident exploring issues about disability and appreciate a young disabled persons perspective, which is about achievement, confidence and wish to participate in society. In addition, Francis Neilsen from Wolverhampton Art Gallery wanted to provide a way of exhibiting the art work created by the young disabled people. The brief for the artist had considerable depth, the artist experience required that they had empathy with young disabled people, and the craft of making a coherent exhibition or gallery installation, which is aware of a fine art/gallery context, or can stand up as an artwork and be of cultural significance. Above all were the skills and confidence to represent disability.

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