Mentor Meeting

Met with Katey Goodwin again from ArtUK. This is our 4th meet, and we've scheduled for 12/12/23

• 29/10/23
• 31/10/23
• 21/11/23
• 1/12/23 

It's been really helpful to talk to someone about what's going on right now in terms of funding, studies, plans and getting to grips with the creative community in Stoke. Its good to put some time aside with someone that's objective, grounded in the industry and who is really supportive.

After todays meeting, I've got a new way to approach the projeCt exhibition. I'd removed the dates from the initial plan that we made with the intention of spacing activities out and making them more realistic, but Katey pointed out that we're close to xmas which essentially shuts down a lot of activity for a couple of weeks. Instead of rushing to put up the exhibition before xmas, I'll curate it but take advantage of the shutters on the space and keep it locked down until we're ready to reveal. I can then put it up over the next couple of weeks and then focus on creating promotional material so that people visit it. 

  Work is currently being collected for the exhibition on the communal desks but if we start curating behind the shutters, the pieces will be in place, safe and away for the office move over xmas. 

On reflection, my initial ideas of how the space would look and what would happen there were wildly ambitious! As much as id like to see that vision come to fruition, I've conceded that I only have a certain amount of time alongside painting and working to fund my studies; the visiting artist arrangements, exhibtitions, family commitments and general study and life admin.

I've asked if the ProjeCt space will be available over the degree show as Katey suggested that she'd like the ArtUK board members meeting at Staffs in June 24 to coincide with the degree show, and if there's an exhibition in there at the time, it'd be great to signpost them to it. (Including Kathleen Soriana) Checking on this with Ian Brown.

Discussed my new role as Community Engagement Assistance for Framescape - which I started this week and am really blown away by the creative businesses in Stoke! 

Katey shared some more information with me in terms of networking and staying on top of creative activity in the area and a paid 4 day opportunity working at Keele Arts as Katrina Wilde is moving to Portland Inn.

The Art Talks Film ran in Flaxman yesterday - I was working at Framescape but Kite says it went well - will catch up with her on Monday - she's out of the studio today.