Welcome to CreateKX

I shall admit right now that I am not entirely sure how a blog works however it is my first week at CreateKX and I utterly love it. It's an all girl office which I noticed, being a girl may have aided my competition for this position? but I'm very happy to be here non the less.

This week I have been creating the April Newsletter which gave me a chance to really research what was on offer to see and do around King's Cross and to my surprise there is tons! People in King's Cross and the nearby areas are genuinely spoilt for choice when it comes to the arts and coming from someone who thought herself to be rather cultrually sound I've sadly realised I don't see half the things that I should do, or infact would like to. So with the aid of the finished article I hope that I will have a step by step plan to a very cultural April indeed.

Last Night I was kindly invited to attend our first in a long line of Reveal Lauches and events, an informal mixer/networking event at the Hub which saw guests from both CreateKX and The Hub come together to here about Reveal, the Creative Journey Event that we are launching on April 22 for 10 whole days, and from what I can see of the exsisting posts on this blog you should already know about. The event was fun, the Hub is a great space (which I believe you can hire) and so all in all, life is being very nice to me right now.

Natalie x

Kings Place Street Ping Pong Project Artist Competition

Fancy getting a piece of your own artwork into Kings Place this summer?

Following from the success of last years’ Street Piano project, Sing London are launching the Street Ping Pong Project.

Ping pong tables will spring up across London's squares, landmarks, train stations ....... and in Kings Place concert level foyer.

Kings Place are inviting proposals from local artists to design and customise their Ping Pong Project table.

The ping pong table will be based on the concert level foyer on level -2, and will be launched during Kings Place on Sea, the annual Kings Place family weekend July 24th and 25th, and remain in the concert level foyer for 4 weeks.

You'll get £200 towards materials, a venue based space to create the artwork, and a load of great publicity.

Deadline for submissions is: 5pm Friday 28th May 2010.

For more information on the project, and details on how to apply email joanie.magill@kingsplace.co.uk

Reveal Fringe...

The Reveal brochures have arrived! We'll be busy sending them out to various venues, libraries and leisure centres around Camden and Islington over the next few weeks. But if you have a load of colleagues, friends or school mates who you would like to share Reveal with, do let us know and we can send you some copies.

We're also looking for events and activities for our Reveal Fringe. If you have an exhibition, music night, poetry reading or theatre production taking place around KX during Reveal then get in touch. We'll be able to provide a free platform for publicity and a great opportunity to get involved with a wide range of amazing KX partners, artists and venues.

Drop us an email at sian.james@bl.uk or give us a ring on 020 7412 5511.

And check out the full programme at www.revealkingscross.org.uk

REVEALing the website!

Drum roll please...

The REVEAL website is now open for business! Check out the latest events, performances and excitement that we've got lined up for 22 April - 2 May.

http://www.revealkingscross.org.uk/

Image courtesy of Artangel: Smother, in association with Reveal.

Your King's Cross Needs You!

Are you interested in getting involved with REVEAL a ten day spectacular of visual & digital art, live music and site specific performances, taking place throughout King’s Cross?

REVEAL is a CreateKX produced programme, happening between April 22nd- May 2nd 2010. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help assist in running a variety of projects and events across the festival.

REVEAL will offer valuable experience of working at an exciting arts festival happening in an intriguing area of central London. It will be an excellent opportunity to meet a wide range of artists, musicians, locals and network across media’s. Gaining skills in front of house roles, art events and festival production. The festival also provides a unique way to explore and get to know the hidden places of Kings Cross before it is transformed in redevelopment.

In return for your valuable time and commitment, we will cover expenses of £10 for the whole day £5 for half days/evenings.

Please get in contact for a full list of projects, details of the dates and ways to participate. Also please visit the website for further information.
http://www.revealkingscross.org.uk/

riggmolly@hotmail.com
http://www.createkx.org.uk/

Search Party Table Tennis @ St Pancras International

If you have some spare time today, and are looking for a bit of adventure, why not head down to St Pancras International where you'll find Search Party taking on all comers in a durational game of table tennis.

The performance continues till 5pm, and is presented as part of Camden People's Theatre's annual Sprint festival which begins today.

For more details go to http://www.blogger.com/www.cptheatre.co.uk.

Arts Business Symposium @ Kings Place

This event slipped through the net when I was writing the newsletter this week. It's just on our doorstep, and is particularly topical given the financial instability of many arts organisations today. See you there?

Subsidy Junkies?
A day of practical survival strategies for arts fundraising
Friday 26th March at Kings Place

How can the arts sector build and sustain income when faced with public spending cuts?
This one day symposium brings together fundraising and development professionals working in the arts and cultural sectors to explore this changing landscape, learn practical survival strategies, seek out opportunities and generate new ideas to stay financially healthy.

Programme
The day will include panel discussions looking at different business models in the arts and getting boards engaged with fundraising along with interactive workshops on pitching to business, major gifts ("making the ask") and the importance of looking after your supporters ("donor care").

Speakers include:
Peter Aspden - Financial Times
Alyssa Bonic - Sky Arts
Peter Buchan - BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art
Bruce Carnegie-Brown - Shakespeare's Globe Trust
Lucy Cooke - National Maritime Museum
Stephen Crocker - The Lowry
Helen Ellis - Prudential
Keri Elmsley - United Visual Artists
Ginny Greenwood - Tricycle Theatre
Donald MacDonald, CBE - Arts & Business Prince of Wales Medal for Arts Philanthropy 2009 Recipient
Richard Mantle - Opera North
Alec Reed - The Big Give
Lady Solti - Arts & Business Goodman Award 2009 Recipient
Tim Stockil - Creative Intelligence
Vanessa Swann - Cockpit Arts

Booking via Arts & Business Website

Market Estate Radio

They also have a brilliant radio station:
Tune in here: http://www.marketestateproject.com/radio/
They are calling for proposals and ideas for programmes, to be aired on the show - so get in touch with them and you could be broadcasting soon. The station is live until 10th March.

Market Estate - Volunteers Needed!

Last Friday morning I hiked it up the hinterland of York Way to visit Gadi Sprukt, the co-Mastermind behind the amazing Market Estate Project. The large, and now rather desolate, estate is being readied for demolition, but Gadi and his team are ensuring the place goes out with a bang not a wimper. They have selected 75 artists to come together for a gallimaufry of live art, sculpture, installations and performance throughout the flats and common parts.

The tickets for the one-day spectacular on 6th March are already gone - blink and you missed them! But there is still time to get involved. The Market Estate team are looking for volunteers to act as guides and invigilators for the day. In return you will have the chance to see behind the scenes of this unique project, and join the artist celebrations after the show. You will also be well fed and watered. If you are interested, drop them an email at: marketestateproject@gmail.com

Mat Collishaw, Tracey Emin & Paula Rego at The Foundling Museum

Get yourselves down to the Foundling Museum for a unique exhibition from three contemporary art heavy weights; Mat Collishaw, Tracey Emin and Paula Rego.

The Foundling, which charts the history of the Foundling Hospital, London's first home for abandoned children, is an unusal but apt space for this exhibition. Throughout their careers all three artists have explored key themes relating to the museum and its objects; childhood and parenthood, loss and grief, love and exploitation.

Work is festooned around the museum, including the building's facade. For a few pennies more you can get to hear from the artists themselves, as each will be leading their own tour of the exhibition for a few lucky people. Mat Collishaw kicks off the proceedings this Friday - so book fast.

I have just bought my ticket to Emin's tour and talk (I am on a tight budget this month, as otherwise would be tempted to go to all three). I promise a full review to follow then.

The Foundling Tours and Talks:

...WITH MAT COLLISHAW
Friday 19 February, 6pm - 9pm
Artist's tour £10 (includes a drink), admission only £5.

...WITH TRACEY EMIN
Friday 19 March, 6pm - 9pm
Artist's tour £10 (includes a drink), admission only £5.

...WITH PAULA REGO
Friday 16 April, 6pm - 9pm
Artist's tour £10 (includes a drink), admission only £5.

http://www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk/exhibit_temp.php

Image: Foundlings and Fledglings- Our Angels of this Earth, 2009, neon, by Tracey Emin, courtesy of the artist and White Cube