Shine09 and Bodies on the Edge at Coventry Artspace

One thing about taking on an extra contract of work is time for reflection and recollection becomes scarce. Coupled with moving flats, and creating a new home – immensely satisfactory work for a near nomad like myself (for the last 10 years or so anyway) – I am finding myself contemplating pictures that has been stored away for the past few years.

However, last Friday I took myself to the Shine09 Unconference for social entrepreneurs – last year, I couldnt really participate because of the venue’s inaccessibility and I complained vehemently. I had to go this year because they promised me a free ticket and better access for this year.

SHINE is the UnConference for Social Entrepreneurs, taking social ideas into action. It’s two days for you to come together with other social entrepreneurs, investors, and business experts to form practical collaborations, develop your ideas and debate the future of social enterprise.

And I must say they delivered on that score. I love the King Place (Kings Place, 90 York Way, Kings Cross, London N1 9AG). I arrived a bit late and the only real discussion I took part in was the one of Refugees, BAMEs and social entrepreneurship. Shankara Angadi of the Twist Partnership referred to challenges faced by that community as hurdles to be taken rather than challenges, he would have social entrepreneurs think that they have the advantage of creativity and determination to succeed rather than locals who have got used to the benefit culture – who would use disadvantage to be the reason/excuse to stop them from succeeding. Many repudiated that -including me – in voicing that with all the will in the world, there are certain factors which makes it very difficult, for instance, linguistic skills and the discrimination which then follows by not being able to communicate effectively. A lady named Mona was very emphatic that her lack of English is a definite barrier.

There was also a guy from Future Builders England who spoke about the need to find out how they can help these communities. I wished I had time to go to take advantage of the one to  one workshops such as on legal structures …

And then I went to the party at the Hub, Kings Cross. Met up with people I met from last year such as Dave Dawes and Ben Metz and other new friends such as Denise Stephens and Dominic Campbell from Enabled by Design. Met Nic Jones (UnLtd) and Felix Gonzales people whom I would like to keep in touch with.

Denise and friend

I went to a performance at Coventry Artspace ‘Bodies on the Edge’ on Saturday instead of going back to London. Commitments call closer to home.

It is part of a two day event from Coventry based company
Jolie Laide. The event, which will take over a number of weird,
wonderful and unexpected spaces in the Artspace building and garden,
will offer a cutting edge selection of multi disciplinary art forms
including dance, live art, sculpture, sound based art and digital
media. Bodies on the Edge will bring together twenty established and
emergent visual and performing artists from across the West Midlands.
These include Bruce Coates, Walt Adams and Jonny Marks, Vitesh
Vithlani, Luisa Pinto Teixeira, Corrinna Spencer, Nick Peters and New
Macho Company. Jolie Laide was founded by Gill Williams and Leah
Alcock.

hip hop workshop