A Weekend of DeDrivng with Norfolk & Norwich Festival and X-TNT

I've just had one of the best weekends ever with a small group of NNF volunteers, working with X-TNT theatre group on a series of social experiments as part of their current project, 'The DeDriving Code'. This is, in, effect, an antithesis of 'The Highway Code'.

Whereas 'The Highway Code' is a book of instructions of what we legally must do whilst out on the streets and highways, 'The DeDriving Code' will educate, enlighten and reawaken citizens to their right to reclaim and reuse public space.

X-TNT is a French company, and exactly what you would expect from the country that invented 'liberté, égalité, fraternité'. On Thursday afternoon the volunteers are led into a vaulted undercroft beneath Augustine Steward House on Tombland to meet with Ludovic Nobileau and Antonia Taddei, directors of the company. The building pre-dates the French revolution by two hundred years, although it is best not mentioned to our Republican friends that, in 1549, it was also headquarters to the Royalist forces that crushed Kett's Rebellion.

Celine, our Event Manager for the three days, has given nothing away, and we are still under the impression that we are here simply to steward the event (although the word 'rehearsal' on our volunteer rota perhaps offers a salutary clue). Ludovic soon puts us straight.

X-TNT main man, Ludovic Nobileau

X-TNT are here in Norwich to perform a number of social 'experiments' as part of their pan-European project to examine what it is possible to do, and what not do, in public open spaces. As their arrival topically coincides with this country's General Election, Ludovic has devised a number of  simple experiments based around the concept of voting, and voting booths. The experiments will be performed over two days, and four of them will require participation of  us, the NNF volunteers.

We discuss our roles, examine the props, and throw together a crude rehearsal of what to expect on Saturday and Sunday. As is appropriate for any trans-European collaborative meeting, the rehearsal is great fun, but still ends with a degree of confusion and uncertainty, partly caused by the frequency and number of Gallic smoke breaks, and partly by the vagary and volatility of the English weather. The afternoon ends with a photo-call on the roundabout opposite the Maids Head Hotel.

Photo from EDP24

Saturday arrives, and the volunteers gather mid-morning on Gentleman's Walk in front of the market. We are here for the first 'experiment', the Disco Voting Booth. Looking to all intents and purposes like a standard electoral voting booth, complete with blue curtain, the X-TNT booth concertinas outwards, claiming space as it does so and allowing the public to indulge in a spot of disco-dancing, whilst maintaining confidentiality and protecting their identity from surveillance.

Ludovic explains the booth to the gathered audience, and company member Natasha duly places her vote before commencing the dance as the music plays. We are then led, one at a time, into the booth as it grows in length, and we continue the party. At its peak the booth holds twelve boogieing voters, complete with rotating mirror-ball. Then, as the booth contracts to its original size, the volunteer revellers leave one by one, having cast their votes and having helped to reclaim the city as a place to party, under the terms of The DeDriving Code.

Photo - Celine McKillion

Whilst Ludovic and his crew went off to the War Memorial to prepare for their 'Observation Booth' experiment, we volunteers were given a break for lunch before reconvening outside St Andrew's Hall at 2.00pm. giving me a chance to wander across to The Forum to catch a few minutes of 'Bill & Bobby', a tribute to the dance partnerships of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and their comedic masterpiece 'Swing Time'. Performed and choreographed by Lucy Bennett and David Toole from Stop Gap Dance, the short except that I caught was together entertaining, comedic and inspirational.

Lucy Bennett and David Toole from Stop Gap dance perform 'Bill & Bobby'

Back down at St Andrews Plain and Celine has managed to persuade the builders refurbishing the former Delaney's Irish Bar to move their van out of X-TNT's planned performance space. Agnès, the set manager, is climbing up and down a ladder like a monkey on heat, fanning yellow cords from a surveillance camera to the ground to indicate its range of vision. This is a popular pedestrian thoroughfare connecting the city centre with the Norwich University of the Arts and the Playhouse Theatre, so each successive strand potentially increases the likelihood of a public garottage from strolling students or theatre patrons.

Photo - Celine McKillion

The 'Umbrella Experiment' is intended to demonstrate that, by wearing a polling booth style 'umbrella' it is possible to reinforce our right to perform legitimate leisure activities without fear of reprisal instigated via a CCTV camera network. To confirm the theory a number of volunteers are allowed to 'perform', under the beam of a CCTV camera, a range of activities including 'Dancing Like a Mama', 'Singing Out of Tune' and 'Simply Being French'. The 'DeDriving Code' will give further examples of behaviour that is allowed in a public space.

The final experiment of the afternoon which, for obvious reasons, did not require the participation of Festival volunteers, was the 'Striptease Booth'. Designed to challenge the prevalence of CCTV surveillance to which we are subjected to on a daily basis, and under the direct gaze of a pole-mounted camera, this experiment turns the tables on the watchers, and attempts to invade the privacy of the monitoring station. Or it might just be an excuse for Natasha to get her kit off for the benefit of a solitary police officer.

Photo - Nikki Davies

The blustery wind provides a challenge for the curtains of the specially converted voting booth for the experiment, threatening to reveal to the audience in Chapelfield Gardens a lot more than just Natasha's voting preferences. Some last minute weighting of the fabric copes with the wind, but not necessarily the backlighting effects of the afternoon sun. As first the boots, and then the dress and remaining clothing were removed and thrown over the booth, their were definitely glimpses of proportional representation, despite the masking effects of the red smoke canisters.

Four more experiments are scheduled for the Sunday, but these are preceded by a 'DeDriving Class' in The Curve Auditorium of The Forum, presented by Ludovic Nobileau. We are shown video excerpts of other X-TNT projects, and we are briefed in Gallic antipathy towards authority and loss of liberty.

The first experiment of the day is the 'Demonstration', in which an anonymous group, shielded by the blue curtain, parade around the city centre, chanting indecipherable slogans and displaying placards consisting only of digitalised 'QR' codes, and the ominous disclaimer 'To be decoded at your own risk'. After a little prompting, some of the Norwich audience did pluck up the courage to point their smartphones at the placards and decode the messages. As I was inside the curtain, working myself hoarse as part of the volunteer platoon, I had no idea what the codes translated to. Interestingly enough, it appears that some of the public did think that we were a genuine post-election 'anti-austerity' demonstration!

Photo - Polly Rayns

'Demonstration' had a serious point to make. In most countries demonstrations have to be registered with the police in advance. By remaining anonymous, and providing protest by proxy, X-TNT prove that a spontaneous gathering can still provide a platform for free speech in public spaces.

The 'CCTV Shower' provided a moment of light relief outside The Forum, where a 'We Are Washing You' sign positioned beneath a surveillance camera proved to be more than a simple typographic error. As anyone approached the camera it sprayed a shower of water in lieu of its more usual invasion of privacy. Even the Festival's Artistic Director, William Galinsky, was persuaded to investigate more closely, even if he was anoraked up and provided with an umbrella first.

One of these is NNF Artistic Director, William Galinsky

The 'Privacy Booth' involved us creating an island of calm at the bottom of London Street, much to the bemusement of the busking saxophonist at the invasion of his 'pitch'. Surrounding the circular bench outside Gap with a large blue curtain, we re-claimed a small part of Norwich city centre as a temporary oasis from the hustle and bustle of a busy afternoon, and invited in members of the public for a quiet moment or two of rest and reflection. We then decided to take our curtain across Castle Meadow, where we attempted to instil the same peace and tranquility to a pedestrian crossing. Unfortunately, Norwich taxi and bus drivers do not appear to share our passion for reclaiming a slice of urban serenity, preferring instead to sound their vehicle horns as an appropriate soundtrack.

Finally, we all retire to St Gregory's Alley, opposite The Birdcage, so that Natasha can take a refreshing and cleansing visit to the 'Shower Booth', proving once again that city spaces can, and should, be used freely and according to the needs of the citizens. The grass lawns and benches can also be used for drinking strong cider, or enjoying cod and chips from The Grosvenor Fish Bar, but that's democracy!

Photo by Gavin Sargent

Photo by Sue Allison

There is time for one final performance within the 'Disco Booth' and then it is time to bid 'au revoir' to the team from X-TNT. It has been a wonderful few days, and all of us have been so enthused and enraptured by the principles of DeDriving. Please come back and see us soon.

For more information about The DeDriving Code, and all other projects by X-TNT, including the wonderfully quirky 'StreetReView' (a reinvention of the Google Street View set amidst the streets of Mons) go to http://www.xtnt.org/index.html

Don't forget, the Norfolk & Norwich Festival runs until May 24th. Pick up a programme or go to http://www.nnfestival.org.uk/


Thanks to NNF staff and volunteers for their photographs.

OK Plank Buddies, This One's For You! - 'Fitting' with Willi Dorner

Friday 8th May. First official day of this year's Norfolk & Norwich Festival, and look at the lovely blue sky. A group of volunteers have gathered outside The Playhouse Theatre in St Georges Street. None of us are quite sure what we will be asked to do, as we have had a chance to see the photographs from the press launch earlier in the week at Norwich Railway Station, in which a member of the Willi Dorner Company was suspended upside down and wedged against the main entrance by a plank of wood. We assume that we are here simply to act as event stewards for a full public performance of 'Fitting' scheduled for two o'clock, but with the Norfolk & Norwich Festival one can never be sure. I have eaten a very light breakfast, just in case.

'Fitting' is an outdoor performance that involves an audience promenade through an urban landscape, challenging preconceptions and asking the audience to examine the spaces through fresh eyes. To facilitate this, the performers position themselves into various nooks and crannies along the route, thereby presenting the audience with the unexpected. At the end of the promenade a choreographed routine examines and challenges the way in which we are expected to interact with architecture. This will be the UK premiere of the work. There are to be performances on each of the first three days of the festival.

Now that we understand what the work is about, it becomes clear why so many of us have turned out on this lovely Friday morning. We are all here for a dress rehearsal, and to familiarise ourselves with the route. We will then accompany the audience on one or more of the actual performances, either later today, or over the weekend. The idea is for us to safely guide the audience, at a leisurely pace, through the streets towards the location for the the finale. At nine points along the route performers will be secreted into unusual and challenging spaces, and hopefully the audience will spot them all.

As the choreographer Will Dorner runs through the detail of the performance with us, there is much mention of planks of wood of varying lengths, and of locations referred to only by number. By the time we have been briefed as to which planks need to be where, by when, and for whom, I was beginning to wish that perhaps I was simply being hung upside down and left to dry. Never fear. Lizzie, our Event Manager, soon had a handle on things and had us paired up as Plank Buddies to move the props around in the correct order. The rest of us could concentrate on shepherding the audience in the right direction without them getting run over.

The dress rehearsal passes off smoothly, and after a coffee and a Greggs sausage roll for lunch, I am ready for the afternoon performance, which is being attended by an audience that includes Festival patrons, local dignitaries and members of the cultural glitterati of the Norwich arts scene. They have apparently not had their lunch at Greggs.

Lizzie announces the start of the promenade, and requests that the audience remain behind her as we make our way along St Georges Street. And so it is that a slightly surreal, messianic procession of our Event Manager, flanked by volunteers, and followed by an audience of festival guests, members of the public, and media photographers meanders its way through the streets of NR3. As each hidden performer is revealed there is much clicking of cameras and excited chatter. Our job is to ensure that we keep the convoy moving, and to protect it from other road users. We do  not want to rush anyone, but we are also aware that the performers can only hold some of their poses for a few minutes maximum. To maximise impact, we ideally do not want our audience to see the performers getting into position, or back onto the ground at the end.

As there are still two more performances to go, I don't want to include any plot spoilers, so suffice to say that we arrive at our destination in time for the finale, which is also watched by a number of bemused shoppers and passers-by. As far as I know, all the VIP guests made it to the end of the promenade, and we all followed the Green Cross Code every step of the way.

No doubt there will be some press photographs in tonight's local paper, but here's a few of my snapshots in the meantime:

I might put a few others up after the weekend, when it is OK to reveal the exact locations used.

From Norwich to Felbrigg Hall for Wolf's Child (About 22 miles as the Crow Flies)

Last night saw the first full preview performance  of Wolf's Child, the outdoor drama production by the renowned WildWorks theatre company. Staged in the grounds of Felbrigg Hall, a 17th century Jacobean country house close to the North Norfolk coast and now owned by the National Trust, Wolf's Child is a site specific work, written and conceived as the jewel in the crown of this year's Norfolk & Norwich Festival. It will be performed every evening (except Sundays) between now and May 23rd.

The first planned performance on Tuesday was cancelled because of  dangers caused by the high winds, so last night was, in effect, the world premiere. My volunteer rota had me down as an Event Steward, with responsibilities to include 'Coach Chaperone / Box Office Assistant / Tramper Mobility Scooters', and my instruction was to report to the Theatre Royal at 17.00hr. The final weather check, and decision to go ahead with the performance would be taken one hour earlier - the winds were still gusting strongly right through the morning. Cancelling would mean another round of phone calls, text messages and e-mails to all the ticket holders as well as performers and stewards.

First advice to any volunteers listed as Event Steward for Wolf's Child. If your shift starts at 17.00hr, that is the time that the coach LEAVES the Theatre Royal in order to get through the rush hour traffic in order to arrive at Felbrigg by 18.00hr. If you arrive at five minutes past, the coach will have left without you.

The coach was filled with a mixture of 'Crow Stewards', whose job is to dress up and, in character, escort an audience of 250 along the meandering woodland paths of Felbrigg Hall to the various sets; and 'Maids', who perform as a chorus in several of the scenes. They have all been travelling out to Felbrigg for rehearsals for the last month, and there is a real cameraderie on the coach, as well as an air of excitement and anticipation at finally performing in front of a live audience.

On arrival at Felbrigg, the wind is blowing, the rain has started, and waterproof and windproof jackets seem more appropriate than the light cotton costumes that the maids are going to be wearing. Whilst I await my instructions the maids are taken through a vocal warm up and a final run through of their parts, and the 'crows' are given a final briefing to take account of some last minute changes and amendments to the route the audience will take.

Because this is a site specific piece, the company arrived with only an outline of how the final show would appear. As rehearsal got under way Artistic Director Bill Mitchell familiarised himself with the landscape of the Felbrigg Hall estate, sets were conceived and built and the script was finalised. The version that the audience gets to see is the result of much experimentation, fine tuning, and collaborative suggestion. This is what has made the whole experience so immersive and rewarding for the volunteers involved in the project.

By seven o'clock the audience are beginning to arrive. I am charged with checking tickets and general meet-and-greet. Hot food and a bar is available, and the pulled pork baps look delicious. Off-road buggies have been arranged for those who have requested mobility assistance, so my main role is to make sure that the audience is briefed, and ready for the off at 7.45pm. Main tips for anyone coming for the show - wear sensible shoes, dress appropriately for the weather, and remember to use the toilets before you are led through the gates for the start of the performance. Once the audience were past the main house I was taken to change into a crow's costume, and allowed to join the performance for a one-night-only chance to be a part of 'Wolf's Child'.

The performance follows a path between a number of individual locations. After passing the main house the route enters the woods. By this time the sun is setting and the light is fading, as the audience are led deeper and deeper into the woods. At each location they are chaparoned and guided by the crows into a circle to watch the action. Some of the performers are already in place by the time the audience arrive. Others suddenly appear from within the surrounding woodland, accompanied by much flapping and kerfuffling by the crows. The dialogue and song sets each scene as the action unfurls, with haunting sound effects appearing to come from deep within the woods, and atmospheric lighting allowing the audience to become mesmerised and immersed in the story.

By the time it is completely dark we are following the torches of the crows as we pick our way through the woods. Lanterns pick out some of the route, but otherwise it is a case of looking where you are going, and avoiding the inevitable tree roots, twigs and puddles. As we arrive at each successive set the effect becomes more and more magical, and the audience is totally transfixed. There is no distracting chatter and everyone keeps their mobile phones and cameras in their pockets.

Only at the dramatically lit finale, when the entire have taken their bows to raptuous applause, do we start to pick up on the audience reaction. 'The best show I have ever seen' was just one comment that I heard personally.

As I got on the coach for the journey back to Norwich I felt extremely honoured to have been just a very small part of this production. I also felt slightly jealous of all the volunteers who are involved with Wolf's Child, either as maids or as crows. They are having a unique chance to work directly with an amazing theatre company, and to see the project right through from early rehearsals to final performance.

If you are sent out to Felbrigg as a volunteer steward, make the most of the experience. If you are involved with the production as a crow or maid, enjoy the rest of your performances. And, if you are attending a performance as part of the audience, you are certainly in for an unforgettable evening (and hopefully a warm summer evening and a glorious sunset).

Performances run until May 23rd, although some performances may already be sold out. Contact the Festival Box Office - 01603 766400, or book online at www.nnfestival.org.uk or www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

Pick up a brochure, or go online, for details of the whole of this year's Norfolk & Norwich Festival programme.

Press Launches, High Winds and Planking - The Start of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival

I am still feeling a bit sheepish this morning.

Yesterday was the press launch for the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, a chance to get some additional publicity, and another chance for our illustrious Artistic Director, William Galinsky, to be photographed getting into the festival spirit. Last year's launch event, held at Norwich Railway Station via principal travel partner Abellio Greater Anglia, had Mr Galinsky blowing into a trumpet as part of a taster show by performance artist Holly Bodmer.

This year, commuters arriving at Norwich Station were met by the sight of Esther Steinkogler, a member of the Willi Dorner Company, hanging upside down by the main entrance, supported only by a plank of wood. This was a pre-taste of what to expect this Friday, Saturday and Sunday around the city centre as the company perform 'Fitting', an outdoor performance that views urban landscapes through fresh eyes.

'Fitting' outside Norwich Railway Station (photo - www.edp24)

Like I said, I am feeling a little sheepish, having been a bit of a plank myself. I was supposed to be one of four NNF volunteers helping out with the press launch but, due to a mix up over the way in which BT Yahoo are sorting my e-mails at the moment, I didn't read the message. The shift was offered on a strictly first-come first served basis before the Bank Holiday weekend, and I assumed I had been too late to register my interest. I had even intended to go along to the railway station anyway, just to see what was going on and take a few pictures. I therefore owe Lizzie, our Volunteer Co-ordinator, the other three volunteers, and anyone else who would have liked to have been there in my place, a huge apology. And after everything I said about volunteers needing to be reliable and keeping the organisers informed.

The pictures of Esther duly appeared in the evening's newpapers and on local television channels, although there was no sign of Mr Galinsky hanging upside down on the opposite side of the doorway. Shame on you, sir! However, he and Abellio's Jonathan Denby were there to be interviewed, and herald the start of this year's festival.

Another problem was caused yesterday by the high winds throughout the region. Last night's performance of 'Wolf's Child' had to be cancelled as the safety of cast and audience could not be guaranteed in the strong blustery conditions. This amazing adult fairytale drama is being staged in the woods of Felbrigg Hall, and is produced by WildWorks with a cast that includes a chorus of maids and flock of crows drawn from the local community. Unfortunately, it would have been simply too dangerous to have gone ahead with last night's preview performance. Hopefully the winds will have subsided sufficiently by this evening for tonight's show to go ahead. I certainly hope so, as I am due to be on the coach travelling out there to act as a steward, and it may be my only chance to see any of this amazing show.

And I promise faithfully that I will be there on time for the start of my shift.

Buy tickets for Wolf's Child, or any other events for this year's Norfolk & Norwich Festival at
www.nnfestival.org.uk/

The Rotas are Released! Unleash the Volunteers!

Some might say that waiting for the volunteer rotas to be announced for the upcoming  Norfolk & Norwich Festival can be as exciting as the walk up to school to collect your GCSE results. That may be a slight over-exaggeration, but for many of us the two weeks of the festival have been blocked off in our diaries for so long in advance, and our anticipation has been growing since the programme was announced, and we first put forward our names and confirmed our availability as volunteers back at the beginning of March.

For those of us that have volunteered before, we have a good idea what to expect and, speaking personally, last year's experiences were so rewarding that the final wrap party at Keir Hardy Hall potentially could have ended tinged with disappointment. It wasn't - it was a blast of an evening, attended by everyone from the Executive Team, as well as the office and production staff and the volunteers. But it did signal a return to normality and routine after two weeks of intense cameraderie and fun. (This year's party will be at 'The Talk' in Oak Street)

Many of this year's volunteers are involved with the WildWorks production of 'Wolf's Child' over at Felbrigg Hall near Cromer, either as part of the Maid's Chorus or as a Crow Steward. They have been busy rehearsing and being fitted with costumes for what promises to be a spectacular and atmospheric show, with the audience being led through the grounds of the hall as the sun falls, transforming the woods into a magical world of adult fairytale. Certainly the reports back from Felbrigg suggest that this is an event not to miss. Fortunately, I get to attend for a preview performance as a Box Office Assistant / Coach Chaperone. Hopefully I will also catch a bit of the action.

The sheer scale of Wolf's Child, with eighteen performances of the two-hour show, has placed a huge logistical challenge at the door of our two Volunteer Co-ordinators, Polly and Lizzie. With so many volunteers tied up with rehearsals and performances at Felbrigg, they have had to ensure that the remainder of the events in Norwich are stewarded, that drivers are in place to transport artists and equipment between sites, and that runners can liaise between the festival office and the event managers. The Adnams Spiegeltent in Chapelfield Gardens, home to many of the evening performances, owes its unique atmosphere as much to its volunteer team of Spiegelhosts as it does to its construction and elaborate mirrored interior.

The task of allocating shifts is further complicated by the huge variety in availability of the volunteers. Some are able to help for virtually the entire duration of the festival, others have family, work or study commitments that mean they can only offer a couple of evenings. There are those that are offering to perform a number of roles, whilst others are more restricted in what they can do. The policy has been to ensure that all successful applicants are given a share of the shifts. That is 130 individual rotas that have needed to be prepared.

The rotas were revealed to us on Monday, and the Facebook group page was soon buzzing with postings to find out what everyone had got. Obviously, people's situations change, and inevitably there will be appointments and personal commitments that have arisen since availability was submitted back in March. This now has to be fed back, and those shifts re-allocated, so some volunteers will still be offered more shifts than appear on their original rotas. Polly and Lizzie will issue a revised follow-up rota prior to our final briefing at The Forum next week. I guess this really highlights how important it is to keep them completely up to date with any changes in availability as soon as possible, especially after the rotas are received.

Polly and Clare reveal just one of four spreadsheets used in producing the volunteer rotas, whilst Tim attempts to spot his own name on the rota. 

I know that I was waiting to receive my own rota before committing to buying tickets for other festival events. Now that I have booked to see other performances, I need to remove those dates from my availability.

Once the festival is under way, situations still arise where volunteers will have to withdraw from certain shifts, but these gaps are normally filled via daily e-mails from the festival office. I know that last year my initial allocation of five shifts was steadily boosted as the fortnight progressed. My advice to any volunteers who did not get as many shifts as they were hoping for is to keep checking your e-mails throughout the two weeks. You may also get news of free and discounted ticket offers - last year we were offered a number of free tickets (on a first-come first served basis) for several events, and also a heavily discounted offer for a flagship production at the UEA.

So, we have had our training, and now know how to deal with anything from a lost child to a noisy sweet wrapper in a classical concert. We have perfected the art of lining up in birthday order, and can sort ourselves out into groups of five without knocking over our drinks and coating the Arts Centre floor in red wine. We are busy swatting up on all the performances and venues, and checking out the location of the public toilets. We have worked out how to layer up and down beneath our blue volunteer T-shirts in order to respond to the vaguaries of May temperatures, and have dusted down our bum-bags and rucksacks for our personal belongings. Sensible shoes and sunscreen patiently await.

Basically, we should all now be ready for our final briefing at The Forum on Thursday (after we have all voted, of course), and to receive our volunteer packs and T-shirts, and to pose for a group photograph. After that, unleash the volunteers, and let the fun commence!

The Norfolk & Norwich Festival website, with full details of all events, and links to the booking office is http://www.nnfestival.org.uk/

The Norfolk and Norwich Festival - It's Premier League. Support It!

In just over a week's time the curtain will be raised on this year's Norfolk and Norwich Festival, but how many of us understand and appreciate how this, one of the country's leading annual arts festivals, came to be? 

Although the idea of sponsorship and fund raising may seem relatively modern to many of us, it was as early as 1772 that musical events were organised in Norwich to help raise money for the local hospital. Later plans to construct the original Norfolk and Norwich Hospital in Brunswick Road led to the creation of a triennial festival in 1824, mainly featuring mainly oratorios and other large scale choral works performed at St Andrews Hall and St Peter Mancroft Church. Works by notable composers such as Edward Elgar, Frank Bridge, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten were all premiered here.

 In 1989 the event merged with the Festival Norwich to create an annual celebration of a wider range of music and arts. This has now grown to become one of the big four UK international arts festivals, and despite having to now arrange its own finances and sponsorship it continues to deliver a comprehensive programme of prestigious events and artists to Norfolk audiences. At a time when the country wrestles with its own financial deficit, and austerity has become a topical but unpopular word, the Norfolk and Norwich Festival has to fight for every pound it receives by way of funding from Arts Council England and local authority grants. The generous support of private benefactors and corporate sponsors then becomes even more important. 

Every year the Norfolk and Norwich Festival presents a wide range of national and international artists in a two week celebration of music, literature, drama and dance. Many large-scale events are performed out of doors and are free to the public, whilst others are held in a variety of established venues that include Norwich's Theatre Royal, the Norwich Arts Centre, and the original St Andrews Hall. Recent innovations have seen settings such as Holkham Hall used for site-specific productions, and this year an ambitious project at Felbrigg Hall, on the North Norfolk coast, has seen the acclaimed theatre company WildWorks conceive a new piece, Wolf's Child, which will transform the woodland surrounding the hall into a promenade set for an adult fairytale of love and betrayal.

As well as a dedicated team led by Artistic Director, William Galinsky, and Executive Director, Alex Darbyshire, the Norfolk and Norwich Festival depends on an army of volunteers to assist in the smooth delivery of literally hundreds of events over the two week period.

 Last year I became a member of that volunteer team, and had an amazing two weeks. This year I am back, and once again I hope to capture some of that excitement and enthusiasm through this blog.

The festival brochures have been distributed, the ticket offices are open to take your calls. The banners and posters are in place around the city, and the volunteers have all had their induction training and received their rotas. We are all buzzing with anticipation. 

It is now down to the people of Norfolk and beyond to come out and support the programme of events. The more people that attend, in particular the free productions, the stronger the case for continued funding of the festival, and the happier the sponsors will be. If your appetite is whetted sufficiently come along to some of the other shows. Try something new, or play safe with something that you know you will enjoy. Either way you will have a great evening out, and you can still catch up with Eastenders later thanks to BBC i-Player.

The main political parties are all keen to convince you of their pledges to guarantee the future of our National Health Service. Ironically, the original motives for establishing an arts festival in Norwich have now evolved into a challenge to be able to continue to fund the festival of excellence that we may have, in the past, taken for granted.

The Norfolk & Norwich Festival website, with details of all events, and links for booking tickets is here http://www.nnfestival.org.uk/

NNF Open Studios - A Taster of Things to Come and a Brush with Local Artists

We are all used to seeing art exhibitions inside the Forum in Norwich, and I always try to stop and take a look. As with music and writing, it is always a sobering experience to stop and appreciate just how much artistic talent we have within the city, and throughout the county. Whilst the media will always focus on household names, and big business has the profit motive to promote its own product and artists, there is so much to like locally that can be enjoyed, or even purchased, without spending a fortune.

 In the same way that farmers have promoted the idea of buying direct from the producer, and our restaurants are quick to extol the enhanced tastes and textures that comes with dishes prepared using locally sourced ingredients, the arts world, too, can encourage us to appreciate and purchase local produce.

Which is exactly why the Norfolk and Norwich Festival organises the annual Open Studios. Now in its 21st year, the scheme encourages us to visit the workshops and studios across the county in which local artists work and create their art. Over three weekends between May 23rd and June 7th it will be possible to visit and view the work of 450 artists, either individually or as part of one of 17 local art trails. There is no charge, no obligation to buy, and each location can be found in the Open Studios brochure, and easily identified by the Open Studios banner displayed outside.

I have just visited the Central Taster Exhibition which was held last week inside the Forum, and it has certainly whetted my appetite to get out and participate in some of the trails, as well as visit the studios of several individual artists that I admire. Whilst I do not have much of an income at present, I still prefer purchasing original art to simply picking up expensive framed prints from the high street stores. And it is not necessary to spend that much more in order to hang a unique and personal piece of work in your own home.

The most expensive painting that I saw at the Forum was the stunningly beautiful 'Portrait of Ruby' by Norwich painter Paul Smith. Priced at £950 this was outside my budget, but will surely find a willing buyer. Much more affordable at only £145 was a mixed media composition by one of my favourite local artists, Tracey Ross. 'Spring - Holkham to Wells' is typical of her expressive seascapes which capture the colours and beauty of the North Norfolk coast. Not surprisingly, someone had already snapped this one up, but it certainly provides the interest and incentive to make a visit to the studio.

Other pieces that attracted a lot of attention included the spiralling metal sculpture 'Vortex II' by Thomas Joynes (yours for £2000) and the life-size textile 'Stag Head' by Jo Rochester (£295). Local landscapes are always going to be popular, and there were a selection on show, including Anne Filgate's nautical study 'Wells at Dusk' (£95), or a more esoteric insider's view of  Norwich's 'The Bicycle Shop' by Paul Cozens (£185). Remember, these prices are a fraction of what you could pay in a London gallery, and often less than you would pay for an unsigned framed print.

By supporting local artists, we are helping support our local economy, promoting not only the individual artists but also raising awareness of Norfolk in general, including our important tourism trade. Organisations like Norfolk and Norwich Festival are vital to contribute to and expand the profile of our local artists. Perhaps this should be borne in mind when support grants from the likes of Norfolk County Council are cut back so drastically. But that is another story. In the meantime, get out and enjoy the Open Studios weekends. Pick up a brochure from the Forum, or check out the website :

 http://www.nnopenstudios.org.uk/. 

And, if you see something that you like enough, and can afford, buy a piece of local art!