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The next member feature on the AHA-MK website is Ephemeral Lines at Milton Keynes Arts Centre by sisters Elmira Zadissa and Ramona Zadissa, a residency which runs between May and September 2020. 

Ephemeral Lines by Elmira Zadissa and Ramona Zadissa. Milton Keynes Arts Centre

Back in May 2020 the Zadissa sisters (Elmira and Ramona) began a digital residency at Milton Keynes Arts Centre. The residency responded to lock-down and self-isolation by collecting stories and experiences of how people have coped during this moment in time. It uses a website (elines.miltonkeynesartscentre.org) as a digital platform where the people of Milton Keynes can upload their stories. Pairing and matching stories together the Zadissa sisters use the website to create a new space that shows emerging patterns in the experiences we have had.  Since May, over 60 stories have been collected through written word, voice recordings and images.

The Zadissa sisters’ concept for Ephemeral Lines emerges from the idea that things are temporary, but can leave a lasting trace in communities and individuals. While lockdown and social distancing are very relevant now, it is just one section of the story that makes up the bigger picture. The website acts as an archive where we remember that these stories can change and develop, but existed in this form at a certain point in time.

Importantly, Ephemeral Lines creates a space where untold stories can be shared. When we connect with others through our stories there is an increased sense of belonging to something bigger, and an understanding that we are all in ‘it’ (life/lockdown/society) together. As part of the Ephemeral Lines development, the Zadissa sisters ran some online workshops with local diverse community organisations such as Living Archive, Q:Alliance, and The African Diaspora Foundation. These were really interesting discussions where aspects of identity were brought out. AHA-MK attended the beading and braiding workshops run by The African Diaspora Foundation and it was a lovely way to connect with new people and hear stories about culture and tradition while creating braids and necklaces from items we had at home.

A collection of the stories gathered throughout the project formed the basis of a large single artwork also entitled Ephemeral Lines, which will be presented online (Instagram @MiltonKeynesArtsCentre), and live at the Open Market, The Centre MK, in Milton Keynes on 19 September 2020 from 11am – 3pm. A programme of workshops and free activities suitable for all ages will be on offer throughout the day at both the Open Market, MK and Milton Keynes Arts Centre. Booking essential at www.miltonkeynesartscentre.org.

From July 2020, the AHA-MK website will feature a recent arts or heritage event of an AHA-MK member, updated every 4-6 weeks. Two photos of the event will head the AHA-MK home page, and there will be a blog post to accompany it. It is with great delight and pride that our first featured event is Digital Light: Code Makers, a collaboration between MKIAC and Bletchley Park in March 2020.

Digital Light: Code Makers, MKIAC and Bletchley Park collaboration

“Connecting cultures by celebrating past and present stories of mathematics and design was a unique and special experience for all those participating in this Digital Light: Code Makers project” Anouar Kassim, MKIAC

In March 2020 Milton Keynes Islamic Arts and Culture (MKIAC) collaborated with Bletchley Park to create Digital Light: Code Makers, featuring the artwork of artists Sara Choudrey, Maryam Smit, and Soraya Syed. This wonderful and innovative event highlighted the history of mathematical thinking in the Islamic world by displaying geometrical patterns that are traditional in Islamic design. These patterns were lit up and projected at various points around the Bletchley Park site, juxtaposing the long history of maths in the Islamic world with the modern Western approach to code breaking developed at Bletchley Park during World War II.

Using the latest technology to create the light projections, this project celebrated the mathematical pathways that have brought humanity to this historical and cultural time where digital is all around us, allowing us to communicate across thousands of miles within seconds. One of the digital artworks was created at community workshops, splendidly bringing the voice of the Milton Keynes people into the mix. These workshops were formed of local Muslim communities, and diverse groups of young people from schools and MK College. The first evening of the event was open to community partners only.

The evening after was a preview for ‘invited VIPs’ with a reception and photographs, attended by about 200 people showing their support for this amazing display. At this buzzy preview, renowned scholars of Islamic maths and science spoke about the gap that exists in Western science books for 1200 years before the Middle Ages, where stories of scientific innovation are not recorded. Yet in the Islamic world, much scientific change and revolution occurred during that period, and mathematical thinking was highly developed. Not only does this demonstrate the very real bias our history books take when story-telling, but it also shows how different cultures influence each other to take humanity forward into new ground. While one culture is experiencing obstacles another culture can overcome them, resulting in a collective push forward.

When we collaborate, it allows us to go beyond our limitations and create something that is more than the sum of its parts. Digital Light: Code Makers is a fantastic example of a collaborative effort that was enhanced by the meeting of minds. It was phenomenal project to kick-start a new decade of intelligent and exciting cultural activity in Milton Keynes, that has inclusion at its heart.

Photos by Karen Kodish

I hope you are all well and positive during this  challenging time for the arts and heritage sector.

We were very disappointed to have to cancel our Forum on 18th March. Our planned keynote speaker Jenni Regan, Director of London Arts and Health, wrote to say she is looking forward to coming to speak to us when it is all over. Another speaker, Sonal Mehta of the NHS, also wrote to me to say that she is thinking of putting together some self-care signposting info on tips for people to stay fit and well in body and mind over coming weeks and months. I will share any resources that come through from Sonal.

Our quarterly forums gives us all a chance to connect as AHA-MK members and with friends and supporters, and foster a sense of a local cultural community. As we are asked to work from home and self-isolate  it is vital for us to work hard to keep connecting as a sector and community. While face to face contact is now discouraged, our access to virtual communication remains. AHA-MK sees this as its lifeline to the arts and heritage community over the next few months. Indeed, the creation of any art form via virtual pathways will be a positive response to the current climate. In this 2020 context, the existence of a virtual world gives us opportunities to be creative and relevant.

We will ensure our monthly newsletter goes out regularly to share news and updates addressing the current challenges. If anyone has a suggestion for a new section of the newsletter which you feel would be of interest/comfort to the sector at this time please let me know. This newsletter can become a resource centre for articles to keep us healthy or that inform us of any national updates in the arts. Send any news you have to elizabeth@aha-mk.org .

We can all carry on with meetings over the phone or via Skype/Zoom/Microsoft Teams etc.

Best wishes,

Elizabeth Howard

MAKE (MK Cultural Education Partnership) is delighted to announce that its new Schools Relationship Manager is now in post. Catherine Rose is a classically trained musician with a wealth of experience in the arts and arts education. Over the coming months Catherine will be building new relationships with schools in the MK area, helping MAKE to become stronger and more representative of the schools’ voice. If your schools is interested in MAKE please email hello@aha-mk.org to be put in touch with Catherine.

We are pleased to present a commissioning opportunity open to artists, practitioners and cultural organisations.  The commissions, part of the Pedalling Culture project, are for arts activities/interventions during Summer 2018, which encourage greater engagement with the Redways of Milton Keynes.  We are looking for projects that will encourage citizens and visitors to take part in active exploration of the Redway network, its environment and the cultural venues and sites that the network links to.

Pedalling Culture is a 2-year funded programme running from April 2017-April 2019.  The project is led by a consortium of cultural organisations: Arts and Heritage Alliance, Bletchley Park, Destination MK, MK Council, MK Gallery and MK City Centre Management.  The first phase of Pedalling Culture has focused on improving and building infrastructure, including increasing the number of electric vehicle charge points at cultural venues and improving wayfinding and signage to cultural venues on the Redways.

The second phase of this project is community engagement – encouraging people to make use of the Redways, better understand the combined walking and cycling network, and to use it to find their way to cultural venues across the city.  To do this we are commissioning a programme of walking and cycle based events that use interactive arts activity to engage local residents and people working in Milton Keynes, as well as attracting visitors to Milton Keynes.

Please see the Pedalling Culture Commissioning Brief Final for full information.  Deadline for applications is 7th March 2018.

The Arts and Heritage Alliance are managing this commissioning opportunity in partnership with the Pedalling Culture project, funded by Arts Council England through the Cultural Destinations Fund.

Arts for Health (Milton Keynes) are inviting submissions for the Shoosmiths Art Prize 2015.

Shoosmiths Art Prize is an innovative competition aimed at providing opportunities for artists to reach wide and diverse audiences through exhibiting at Milton Keynes University Hospital.

 

Prizes

Shoosmiths Art Prize 2015, cash prize of £1000 selected by the jury.

People’s Choice 2015, purchase prize selected by public vote*

Shoosmiths Choice 2015,  purchase prize selected by Shoosmiths staff**

* up to the value of £700 and only works which are for sale and within this value will be entered into this prize. This prize is supported by the Friends of Milton Keynes Hospital and Community. ** up to the value of £250 and only works which are for sale and within this value will be entered into this prize. 

 

Jury

Baroness Wall, Chair Milton Keynes University Hospital

Sophie Hall, Gallery Director, Flowers

Julia Alvarez, Curator, Bearspace

Fionnuala Boyd, Artist

Gary Assim, Partner Shoosmiths LLP

 

Details for Entry

• Artists are invited to submit up to ten pieces of work for inclusion in the exhibition.
• Applications are open to artists at all stages of their careers.
• All work must be wall based and suitable to be displayed using a rod and track hanging system.
• All works submitted must be available for exhibition from 27 July 2015 – 31 March 2016.
• The jury will shortlist artists to be invited to exhibit work at Milton Keynes University Hospital and/or Shoosmiths Lawyers Office in Milton Keynes

Interested artists need to submit the following:-

• Completed Entry Form – found here: http://mkartsforhealth.org.uk/artprize2014/
• An artist’s statement of a maximum of 300 words describing your working practice and submitted entries.
• No more than 10 digital images of work. Image files must be saved as JPG files at a minimum 72dpi and maximum 300dpi.
• A non-refundable entry fee of £15.

We request that entries are submitted using www.dropbox.com To do this you will need to create a dropbox folder and share it with info@mkartsforhealth.org.uk