Well, here we are - another blog for another project!
We had our Visual Dialogues coordinator meeting here in Manchester yesterday, and David Dibosa introduced this year's evaluation framework to us, one element of which is the keeping of a project logbook. So I have decided to blog...
It's strange to be doing this at this stage in the project since we had our launch nearly 2 weeks ago, so the majority of the work with the Creative Consultants has taken place. Nevertheless, since the focus of the evaluation is on institutional change and perceptions, I am sure there will be much I can add over the next few months. Not least because we are embarking on our Visual Dialogues schools' programme for the first time this year.
So, what have we done so far? Highlights have undoubtedly been (in vaguely chronological order):
1) Recruiting Katy McCall as the lead artist
2) Recruiting so many young people (with 200 on the initial sign-up list, but leading to a very respectable core group of 25 young people)
3) Gallery sessions at Manchester Art Gallery - including using the Object Dialogue Box
4) Trip to Tate Liverpool where we had sessions with Young Tate
5) A week at Hot Bed Press printmaking studios in Salford where Martin Cochany taught us how to make etchings
6) Overnight trip to London where we visited White Cube (and handled real Chapman works), Inperial War Museum (with a very harrowing session about objects/consumerism and war), and Tate (where we went to Loud Tate). We stayed in a youth hostel and ate at Pizza Hut, which I am sure was another highlight for the CCs!
7) This is no longer in date order, but a significant highlight was securing the loan of the Jake and Dinos Chapman sculpture... More on that to follow...
8) Andy's talk about the Goyas
9) The Jake Chapman in conversation with Tim Marlow event (again more politics to follow) which was amazing, especially as the young people spoke directly to Jake who defaced their books and signed his autograph etc.
10) The day at Futureworks filming and recording against a green screen with Mike Cacioppo and Amanda Belantara.
11) The launch event for about 80 friends, families, teachers and Creative Consultants
12) The exhibition and all the interpretation in it (young people's own etchings - a gallery first to display Visual Dialogues participants' work - beautifully framed by Andy Botterill, rubber stamps, and the TV installation about war)
13) Production of film by Jon Tipler at AstaFilms
14) just because 13 is unlucky - the project seems to so far be seen as a resounding success by the majority of staff at the gallery (and in the Visitor Comments' book)
