I'm about to moan on but no-one needs to hear about my computer illiteracy so why am i sitting here trying to sort through 1000's of old photos.
Well, many years ago a Russian icon painter visiting London wanted to go to stay near the sea, and as we lived in Newlyn we had a phonecall asking for advice about a visit, we said we would be happy to have her to stay and from that a long and wonderful friendship evolved.
Olga has seen Shallal's work over the years and after her last visit said a friend of hers Alla who works at the Tretyakov Gallery Moscow in outreach programmes was interested in having Shallal visit. Time was too short to organise a group to go so i was invited to give a presentation.
The Tretyakov is a really major art gallery.... it has a very nice vision statement. https://www.tretyakovgallery.ru/en/about/mission/
Very pleased, very nervous of doing it well enough, but i love to share what we do and a trip to Moscow sounded fun, (in the light of current world events we pray for peace) and for art to continue to do that wonderful bridge building humanity inspiring, sharing role it can be.
So the title is:
Shallal, an overview of an inclusive arts charity based in Cornwall UK.
My name is Sofia Petrikova-Agafonova and I am head of Education Department of the Tretyakov Gallery.
At the current moment we are working on the program for ...... (autists and people with Down’s syndrome). We are planning to have your lecture in the framework of this project in April.
We are very much interested in the work of your Art Center, all aspects of its activities. Could you include in your lecture and presentation detailed information about its set up, administration, staff, programs, even equipment and furniture. It will set an example for us. We are thinking about organising a similar centre.
Please make a presentation for us about programs...... After your presentation we will have a discussion with you and a small group of my colleagues (art historians and art therapists).........
We are looking forward to seeing you in Moscow and working together.
Thank you for your email. It helps me to know what to speak about. Shallal became a charity in 2005, however we have no core funding and are always seeking financial support so we can continue.
We have no Art Centre as such although we are preparing to use a Studio in the next month or so and create a permanent base for visual art.
We are in Cornwall which is an area of outstanding natural beauty but also an area of rural poverty and so we work in church halls and community centres for our regular dance groups.
We have a relationship with the local university http://www.amata.org.uk/doorways and a small independent modern art studio http://www.backlanewest.org/index.php?/2017/shallal-studios-creation-space/ where we have had residencies/performances etc.
I hope sharing our experience will still be of interest to you, as we are not a centre in a city.
Title of presentation
Shallal, an overview of an inclusive arts charity based in Cornwall UK
Look forward to coming to Moscow and meeting you and learning about your program.
So heres hoping....if i had a functioning laptop i might not be so worried as could work on it on the journey but as it is i need it all on a memory stick before we go.
Hoping tomorrows session with Anna will boost me along.
Anna is coming too ( our 17yr old daughter) she has been in Shallal since 7 or younger so she is a real help having been in Open House, Shallal Dance Theatre, Shallal 2 and the Art residencies, and had to listen to me...i was also for some years infuriatingly not a mobile phone user so she was my unofficial PA while we drove to and from work, taking calls etc!
Any way back to the point.....
GOOD NEWS
Thank you to Lou Brett who has successfully fundraised for some new studio equipment, coming soon! and we have access to our new studio asap.
It is beautiful, a converted modern cow barn, tall and light and an inspiring space and place, on a clear day you can see the sea in 3 directions.
Planning residencies and summer studio days and events.
Lou will run 2 printmaking workshops beginning and end of summer holidays.