Flow Contemporary Arts’ first-ever project, in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire with Simon Ryder

Are Community Libraries really more than books?

Absolutely!!

Artist in Residence Simon Ryder explores the art of blogging and teaches others to do it too. Join us to learn more at the following dates and times:

Mitcheldean Community Library

10.00-12.OOam

Monday 13^th May, 3^rd June and 17th June

Newnham Community Library

2.00-4.00pm

Monday 13^th May, 3^rd June and 17th June

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS LOCAL FUNDING AND IS FOR FOREST OF DEAN RESIDENTS AND LIBRARY USERS, BUT WE AIM TO PRODUCE CABINETS FURTHER AFIELD IN THE FUTURE!

Flow Contemporary Arts is delighted to have been awarded funding from Forest of Dean Local Action, part of the RDPE programme for England, to initiate the ‘Cabinet of Local Change’ project at two community libraries, during May and June this summer.

At the meetings we’ll tell you a bit more about what we’re doing, but more importantly, Simon would like to discover how changes in the nature world of the forest affect you. How did changes in the past affect your life? What current changes in the nature of the forest might affect you in the future? Your answers will help Simon understand more about the forest – the people that live here and what makes it unique.

What you tell Simon will inform the stories he tells about change – not in a book form, but online – as a blog.

And if you fancy having a go at blogging yourself, we’re here to help. We’ll go through the basics and explore how computers can add to the wonderful world of words that Libraries provide!

If you are in the Forest, please download and share poster:  Are Community Libraries really more than books

Supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas

lovely new publication out today, images and texts and comments about ExLab from last year, free download

Projects like ExLab in Dorset take a while to reflect upon. As always, with art projects that are research led and installed at the last minute into their exhibition location, documenting them prior to launch is impossible. (I mention that on my home page and illustrate it with a series of slides from Dialogue Project of 2013). With the scattered sites, on beaches, in cottages and on cliff tops  we decided to produce a pre-show catalogue giving the backstory to the research and release  a later one that would share lots of lovely images, alongside comments from artists, visitors  stewards and others involved. It’s been set free today and I’m very pleased to be able to share it with you here, as a download. It’s always good to know the context of work as it makes the experience even richer on reflection.

As a growing story I think you will see how a has developed over the years, it’s a brilliant project. For good measure, and so that you can see the “Big Picture” – after all, it was Big Picture that commissioned ExLab, I’ve also made available the other 2 handbooks. See below for links.

ExLab 1 handbook 2010-2011

ExLab 2 handbook 2011-2012

ExLab 2 documentation  2012