EVALUATION: Lead up to the event, personal contribution, the event itself and Unit X as a whole.

Leading Up to the Event:

The concept for the night formed relatively quickly: we played with the idea of it being a 1930s themed night, but in the search for a more ambitious idea that was stronger contextually and in its link to both House Proud and Easter Exchanges, Broke emerged from, "design loves a depression" (which we changed to 'recession' for a short while) and "do I care about design? I'm broke." It was at this point that we had a strong catalyst from which to generate ideas. This was a really strong quality of the group: we had a lot of ideas and many of us bounced off each other well, enriching each other's ideas and developing them as a team.
However, as stronger personalities in the group assumed leading roles, the input, generation of ideas and general final say on which ideas were carried forward or not was stronger from these individuals than others. This put a strain on the group at times, as those who are slightly quieter found it difficult to have their say and have a fair input in the ideas. Those who had assigned themselves leading roles made it very difficult for people to have a voice in the group, and suggestions and ideas from other members were quickly dismissed or, at times, completely ignored. I would say that this may have been one of the factors that affected the attendance of the internal meetings organised by everyone in the group - some may have felt that there was no benefit from them turning up as their opinions and ideas would not be counted anyway.
Having said that, the stronger personalities in the group may have contributed to how quickly the ideas and concepts materialised. We were on time with all that needed to be done and held regular meetings, at least once a week, to catch up with everyone and to make sure that we were all on the same page with regards to the concept of the event and at the same level of progression with workshops, artwork, performance ideas etc.
I found that the majority of the group worked well as a team and many of us were always on hand to help others who needed it. This was especially the case when it came to writing up proposals or a short piece of writing about the work or workshop they were putting in or on for the event. For those who did not feel confident that they could write this piece but had a clear set of ideas that they wanted to include, they would send me the main ideas and I would articulate them into a short paragraph or a few lines, depending on if it was for a label or to be included in the handout.
The meetings at Manchester Art Gallery with Kate Jesson were invaluable to how ideas were realised: a positive about the group is that we always had something to offer for every meeting, whether it be questions about workshops, health and safety, sound, pros and cons of the different rooms - these meetings really helped us to keep up the pace with both the creative side of the night and the practical side.

Personal Contribution:

In the early stages of group meetings, I agreed to be part of a workshops team that intended to generate ideas for the workshops together. The leadership issues I mentioned above meant that the workshop group splintered into many different, unclear ideas that were very difficult to pin down at the beginning. The quilt making and ceramics workshops were solid from the start and only needed the logistics calculating for them, but I felt that there was room for a workshop specifically about drawing.
As seems to be the case with my practice in general, the concept for the workshop was complicated, and after a tutorial with Dave we agreed that maybe a workshop was not the way to go, but instead a performance might work better. I planned this performance over Easter with the intention of keeping it open to public participation, but when I returned after Easter to pitch the clearer ideas to other members of staff at MAG, I knew that the concept wasn't strong enough as a workshop, had no necessity for a performative element and there was already a number of workshops occurring on the night.It was at this point that I made the decision to withdraw my idea for a workshop and concentrate on making a piece in response to House Proud that embodied many of the same ideas.
Making this decision was a turning point for me in Unit X, as I was able to focus on the concepts at hand. I also felt a great sense of satisfaction in how far the idea had come, and pride in my ability to compromise, be flexible, go where the idea takes me and ultimately do what is right by the Thursday Late event.
I enjoyed working with others a great deal, such as with writing the text pieces for the signs and handout, and in return I received a great deal of input and help from members of the team about where the piece should be located, how best to display it and hang it and general support when I was unsure about things.

The Event:

The most successful aspect of the night, without a doubt, was the workshop and bar area in the Clore space. The whole night it was buzzing with energy, and there was not a single workshop left wanting for participants. That space as a whole was such a success, however, that potentially it detracted from other things to see/do/experience in the gallery. I noticed a numerous points in the night that the gallery spaces themselves were relatively empty, while the Clore was bustling with people. This may have been down to not being able to take alcohol into the gallery, though.
One thing I enjoyed during the night which I did not expect to was meeting and greeting visitors and the public that came into the gallery. I felt confident in briefing them on what was going on that evening, and found I was able to identify those who had come in with prior knowledge to the event and those who had simply come to see the exhibition and were not aware of the student takeover. In the case of the latter, I would stress that all exhibitions were open as usual and try to make them comfortable in the space (some were very taken aback by the sound performance and general buzz of the gallery).
I was very surprised at how many people who were not previously aware of an event that night fully embraced the atmosphere. It was lovely to see their faces light up as they entered the spaces, surprised by the energy that they had not been expecting. That was the highlight of the night for me.
I was extremely pleased with how my worked was presented in the end. MAG also provided me with a small spotlight for the piece that really lifted it and made it flow with the rest of the space. I felt that it complimented that particular area well, with its neutral colour palette and wallpaper-esque format. Overall I really felt that it looked like a professional piece of work, and I was especially bemused to be situated next to a Ben Nicholson.

Unit X Overall:

Overall, I would genuinely say that Unit X has been the highlight of my degree so far. From taking part in leading workshops at The Whitworth, seeing where MAG store their art to working closely with MAG in general, it's been an amazing experience.
My intentions when choosing Unit X were to see what else was on offer to me other than being an art practitioner after I graduate. I feel that Unit X has given me a window into the different opportunities that can be had for someone with a Fine Art degree, and I definitely feel like I have more options now.
I would say that the most successful element of Unit X has to be the MAG intensive week. I believe that without working closely with the gallery for a week, getting to know some of the staff and the spaces, the event would not have been what it was and would not have come together in the way that it did. I was not aware of just how much Manchester Art Gallery caters to people from all walks of life, from all backgrounds and situations - they truly are a cultural hub for Manchester and no one is left wanting. Being made aware of just how much else MAG does other than exhibiting art instilled in me a new appreciation for what it does for art and Manchester, and being able to say that I have worked so closely with amazing people like Kate Jesson and Kate Day, even if it was only for a short period of time, makes me feel blessed and proud.

EVENT NIGHT

//BROKE TAKEOVER// @ MANCHESTER ART GALLERY
14.05.15
6PM-9PM

5:00PM-6:00PM - Installation of work in the space with Kate Jesson and technician:

  

6:00PM-6:30PM - Welcoming visitors at Mosley Street entrance

6:30PM-7:30PM - Circulating around House Proud and Easter Exchanges

 

7:30PM-8:00PM - Welcoming visitors into the Atrium

8:00PM-9:00PM - The Clore Gallery

   

Evidence of Engagement and Distribution of Event Over Social Media

Posted on personal Facebook timeline:

Posted on BA Fine Art Facebook Group:

Posted to personal Facebook timeline closer to the event:

Posted to personal Twitter Account using relevant hashtags:

Posted to personal Instagram account on two different dates using relevant hashtags:

OFFICIAL ROTA FOR THE //BROKE TAKEOVER// @ MANCHESTER ART GALLERY

Layout of Information Label for 'Both, One or the Other and Neither'

I decided to create the label on Photoshop rather than on something like Word or Publisher as it allows me to create a document to exactly the dimensions I wanted, which is h:21cm and w:15cm. It meant I could also use a font as close to Helvetica as possible, as that is what is being used for the publication. I played around with the layout quite a bit, placing the logo in different places and trying different spacing until I felt it looked right. I also consulted the rest of the group over Facebook so as to have their input on what they thought looked best as was most succinct with the event as a whole.

In the end, I went for size 12 Arial font for the main body of the label and 16, bold italic for the title of the piece, which I chose to put first rather than my name, which was something I did borrow from the labels already present in House Proud.

The group was unanimous in deciding that the logo was best placed in the middle of the top edge of the label, as that layout had been used previously by another member of the team on their workshop label/sign.
I am really happy with the outcome. I feel it looks professional, contemporary and fresh and I am looking forward to seeing how it will look alongside my work in the gallery. One criticism I would make is that there might be too much writing for the size 12 font, and if the font were any smaller it would be difficult to read. I feel that I chose the lesser of two evils by not condensing the text anymore and losing important information, as opposed to having slightly more room around the sides of the text and the tone of the information feeling rushed and clipped.

Second and Final Draft of Information Label

In response to House Proud, I question why Art and Design are defined as practices independent of each other. I aim to encourage a dialogue between the terms through a drawing that combines my own visual vocabulary with the language of flat-pack furniture instructions.

The drawing adopts a logical flow, becoming methodical and systematic in its realisation, while the rigid flat-pack language has become malleable and fluid once its function is removed.

Originally Amazon delivery packaging, the paper used is generally considered as disposable. By working on found or recycled materials, the ethos of my practice echoes BROKE’s stance on sustainability and ‘make-do-and-mend’ policy. Reconsidering the potential and function of materials and challenging our consumption of design, are key concerns of this piece.

The dimensions of the packing paper assumes a wallpaper format and thus, combined with the designed element of the drawing itself, reconfigures a conceptual drawing into something that could potentially function as wallpaper design. However, the hand-drawn element and absence of printing processes may lead to the conclusion that this is an artwork in its own right and should be displayed singly as such. Whether this piece is an example of both art and design is contradictory in nature: it is both, one or the other and neither simultaneously.

Word count: 212

I also need to think about how this is going to be displayed as a sign, such as the dimensions it needs to be, what type of text and its size and also whether or not to include the BROKE logo. I feel it would be better to create our own layout separate to that of the one MAG adopts to label their work, as we are a separate company and it would look more professional to have a unanimous coherent voice in all aspects of the evening, including things like the texts and layouts.

Notes from meeting:

First Draft of Information Label and Info for Handout

In response to House Proud, I question why Art and Design are defined as practices independent of each other and aim to encourage a dialogue between the two terms through a drawing piece that embodies them simultaneously.

Using my own drawing vocabulary in collaboration with the language of flat-pack furniture instructions, attributes of both practices have been exchanged so as to blur the line between art and design: the drawing adopts a logical flow, the process becoming methodical and systematic in its realisation, while the rigid language of the flat-pack furniture instructions has become malleable and fluid in having its function removed.

Originally a packing filler used in Amazon delivery boxes, the paper used for this piece is generally considered as disposable. By working on found, recycled or gifted materials, the ethos of my practice and this piece in particular echoes that of BROKE and is in full support of the company’s stance on sustainability. Additionally, this piece pays homage to BROKE’s ‘make-do-and-mend’ policy: their emphasis on being creative with materials, reconsidering their potential and function and challenging our consumption of design are key concerns of this piece.

In coherence with this, the dimensions of the packing paper means that it assumes a wallpaper format and thus, combined with the designed element of the drawing itself, reconfigures what is actually a conceptual drawing into something that could potentially function as a piece of wallpaper design. However, the hand-drawn element and absence of printing processes in the piece may lead one to conclude that this is an artwork in its own right and should be displayed singly as such. Whether this piece is an example of both art and design is contradictory in nature: it is both, one or the other and neither simultaneously.

Word count: 293

NEEDS CONDENSING, ALSO NEED SMALLER VERSION FOR HANDOUT:

“In response to ‘House Proud’, Georgia Markham questions why Art and Design are defined as practices independent of each other and aims to encourage a dialogue between the two terms through a drawing piece that embodies them simultaneously.”

Ideas for Information Label and Handout

Meeting @ Manchester Art Gallery - 05.05.15

I set myself a deadline to finish the piece I'm putting in House Proud for this meeting, so that Kate could see exactly what was going in the exhibition and to leave a bit of time to make any adjustments should I need to.

It was during this meeting that we walked around the gallery and made up a mental picture of how the night was going to look, thinking about specifics and practical elements such as the number of tables and chairs, how many workshops were going to be in one place, what needed moving or adding in terms of furniture and draft of the event plan with the times of each performance and engagement. 

Event Flow Plan

- Visitors will be greeted at the Moseley Street entrance and the Atrium Entrance - visitors coming in at Moseley Street entrance will be directed to the Atrium as the starting point for the event
Our Information leaflets will be available at both entrances [or just in the Atrium?]

- The Atrium will be a busy space with

• Furniture Sculpture associated sound and film
• Information table
• Bar [to be confirmed]
• Thought Board [do we still want to do?]
• Portable screen with films

- All the workshops with be situated in the Clore Gallery at level 1 – where there will be background music linked to the exhibitions
- Throughout the evening Broke staff and artists will be in the Atrium, House Proud and Eastern Exchanges to discuss work displayed and Broke ideas

18.30 - the Handle with care performance will come in from the Atrium door [agree which one- having come round from George street entrance?] – it will move up the stairs [or do you want to use the lift?] into the House Proud exhibition [confirm final location]

19.00 - the Sound performance will begin in House Proud exhibition space [confirm exactly where]

19.15 - the Highlights tour of the permanent collection will begin at the top of the stairs in the Mosely St entrance hall and move through galleries 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12 and finish in gallery 10 – stopping in galleries 1, 2, 5, 12 and 10

20.00 - the Sound performance will be in the Moseley Street entrance hall either at ground or first floor level.

20.15 - the output from the quilt workshop will be displayed in Atrium from the first floor landing.
We would like a bar in the Clore Gallery area [we need to see if it can be accommodated alongside the workshops and if MAG/café are ok with this]


Myself and Kate Jesson located a space within the House Proud exhibition where I could install my piece. A positive of having the piece completed on hand is that you are able to visualise the space more easily and get a better idea of the flow of the exhibition and where the piece would best compliment the work that is already there.
My task for the rest of the week is to get the piece exhibition ready. This means supporting the weakest top edge of the piece from which it is to be hung, and putting small weights in the bottom corners of the piece so that it hangs correctly.

Completed Piece - 01.05.15

After experimenting on the same type of paper, I concluded that black pen was not necessary is it may have tipped the piece over into looking very digital as opposed to constructional and drawn freehand. I used white pen in the end to allude to a sort of blueprint, additional structure that created a tension and dialogue with the initial structure, shapes and lines. This piece is now ready to take to the next meeting at Manchester Art Gallery so we can discuss where to place it and how best to display/hang it.

Update on Piece - 30.04.15

The general structure of the drawing is complete and all the made components and shapes are in place. I used a white pencil and talk to contrast the brown of the paper and the dark grey of the pencil. I also felt that this complemented many of the pieces in House Proud, as there is a section containing a lack of colour and is composed generally of white, brown, grey and black. Ideally this piece would be more suited to that area but it will all depend on what happens when I meet with Kate and the group on Monday 05th of May.

I'm happy with it at this stage. It is fulfilling everything that I want it to and is exceeding my own expectations as a piece. Some smaller details need to be added, and I may use pen to enhance the contrast and definition of some structures but overall, I do not need to make any major structural changes to the drawing composition.

Progress on Piece for House Proud - 29.04.15

I have been making great progress in a short space of time on this piece. Yesterday I was able to get most of the grid and framework down to draw in, while today I began constructing the drawing itself, working intuitively and creating a dialogue between the lines and shapes so that while there were no strict rules to follow, there was a subtle system and flow to the fictional shapes.
The next stage for this piece will be to complete the pencil outline of the 'design' and tidy up the lines, making sure that they are both bold and sharp and are both visible but subtle.

LAUNCH OF FACEBOOK EVENT + FEATURES IN PUBLICATIONS

I think this is a fantastic photograph for the cover photo as it says everything about the brand that we want it to: re-inventing the creative potential and function of materials, re-using materials, make-do-and-mend, value, and questioning the sustainability of design.

CLICK HERE FOR FACEBOOK EVENT

The event was also mentioned on two platforms, The Skinny and the Creative Tourist site:

While it gives the credit of the event to the Department of Interactive Arts, which doesn't exist, we turned a blind eye!

Beginning the Piece - 28.04.15

I saved these long sheets of packing paper from an Amazon order I received. A key element of my own practice is using discarded, otherwise disposable and gifted materials to work with and on. As a result of this, I often use the materials as a starting point for a piece of work and use it as a catalyst to form ideas. What drew me to these sheets of paper was their length and dimensions: the resemblance to wallpaper gave me the connection I needed to create a piece of work that stayed true to the original ideas of the workshop and performance piece but would hopefully illustrate the ideas more clearly to an audience.

The first step was to create a grid in which I could work: this ensures that the angles are generally correct and that there is a coherent flow throughout the piece, which can be problematic when working on this scale. The grid gave me the framework to allude to a pattern without it actually being repetitive in any way. It simultaneously gave the drawing limits while also giving it complete freedom to go where it may. In this way, the drawing itself is coherent with my ideas about a piece that is both art and design: organic and yet methodical.

In some ways this has deviated slightly from the initial idea of the workshop: the initial concept was to create drawings that were inspired and informed by flat-pack furniture instructions, and using the instructions themselves to directly guide a drawing. While I have kept the visual language of the flat-pack furniture instructions, I found that the process of drawing organically within a framework supported the idea of 'designed art' or an 'art design' far more than using the instructions to make a drawing.

The dimensions also allude to a piece of wallpaper and subsequently a design, while the free, hand-drawn element of the piece also suggests that it could be a stand alone piece of art in itself. I feel the contradictory nature of this piece echoes the issues that seem to surround art and design as individual practices and areas: they are terms which are linked up until a certain point in creative study and then they are divided and kept separate.

And here we find our link to House Proud: I noted in a previous blog post that Kate Jesson has curated an exhibition that contains examples of art and design in a context that encourages them to be seen as equal, linked and bound. Hopefully, my piece of work in response to this exhibition will only strengthen this idea.

SCULPTURE BUILDING @ INTERACTIVE ARTS STUDIO, THE BOX - 28.04.15

Meeting @ Manchester Art Gallery - 27.04.15

• Feedback about intensive week - what worked and what didn't, what did you enjoy/didn't enjoy and what have you taken away from it to use for the Thursday Late event?
• How to apply that to BROKE - how can what we've learned be applied to the evening and BROKE as a fictional brand.
• Report back about manifesto and writing for hand outs etc - most is up to date, my piece is currently being made and I am in the process of drafting and re-drafting the information for the hand out and the information label that will accompany the work. This includes update on individual contribution - ONLY 5 PEOPLE IN THE GROUP TURNED UP. With two weeks to go until the event, it was not only unprofessional and embarrassing but it made it really difficult to ascertain exactly what stage we were at as a group and what was left to do. We couldn't answer a lot of the questions about workshops and individual pieces which really put a strain on the effectiveness of the meeting.
• Two groups - MANIFESTO, EVENT PLAN AND LAUNCH OF FACEBOOK EVENT - we were unable to carry out these essential tasks as there were not enough members of the group present, which also meant that the Facebook group was not launched as soon as it could have been, effecting the reach of the event among social media audiences.
• Context is everything, find out exactly where BROKE sits in terms of House Proud and Eastern Exchanges and strengthen the links between the event concept and the work.
  
  - we managed to tackle this problem by seeing BROKE as a company in its early stages and is using Manchester Art Gallery as a 'think tank'/creative hub for the night. This way, the workshops are contextualised: this is where were are generating ideas, coming up with designs and really pushing the hands-on, do-it-yourself ethos of the BROKE brand. The members of Unit X would ideally be all wearing white t-shirts with the BROKE logo on the breast, fashioned like a work uniform - it gives the evening more of a theme, a look and a vibe that visitors can latch onto. This also tackles the issue of the manifesto:

"As a result of a collaboration between Manchester School of Art and Manchester Art Gallery (Unit X), the Broke Collective invite you to a Thursday Late takeover in a playful and interactive experiment exploring our perceptions and questioning our consumption of home design. 

The Broke Collective present you it's latest project; an innovative furniture/ homeware company in its early stages, BRÖKE. MAG's current exhibition House Proud will be used as a platform to launch an 'ideas think tank' in which Broke will present, explore and encourage conversation about its developing ethos. 

Broke expect this Thursday Late event to take us through the history of home design, to look at our current attitudes towards home design and explore the future for it.

Expect interactive workshops, artistic interventions, performances, films and plenty more. Drinks will be flowing, the Broke Collective will be out in force and carpet taste will be discussed."

• Stickers have also been sorted for the night by Sam Whitham, and are what we will all be wearing on white t-shirts so that the public can identify who is 'working' for the company.

Eastern Exchanges Tour for the Visually Impaired (with audio description) - 23.04.15

I was not aware of the level that MAG caters to all audiences until I observed how one of these tours operated. Additionally this can be seen in the number of different activities and learning engagements that MAG make available to the public. It was upon being made aware of all these different activities that I truly saw MAG as a cultural hub for Manchester.
Listening to the audio description enriched my own experience of the exhibition, having already been on a tour of Eastern Exchanges on Monday. As a form of engagement, this could also be something that those who are not visually impaired might enjoy. It was such a valuable experience, and I was amazed at the number of people who attended.

Art Bites with Informal Conversation with Meg Parnell and Queen's Park Visit - 22.04.15

The Art Bites are a half an hour conversation and discussion about two pieces of art from the permanent collection at Manchester Art Gallery. It was interesting to sit in and experiences the Art Bites, as it gives a real insight into how MAG approach learning and engagement for the public, and this is a really good example of this and why it is important.
The length of the discussion is perfect - 15 minutes on each painting is just enough to have an extended discussion without losing the interest of the public. By looking at art with that level of observation is a skill that can be taken outside of the gallery. Increased perception and awareness of the world around us is a useful skills and can enrich all experiences. It's interesting to see how greatly opinions differ, and how they often do not match the intention of the artist, and that this is completely fine - there is no right or wrong answer. Sometimes, those leading the Art Bites will not research the paintings they want to discuss with everyone prior to the conversation and so have no preconceptions about the pieces.
I thoroughly enjoyed Art Bites and it's something that I would consider going to again. It's a lovely break on a Wednesday afternoon!

The Queen's Park visit was incredible. You are made very much aware of the science that's involved in the restoration of paintings, and that the life and condition of a painting is totally dependent on whether it is to be included in a show: if it is desperate need of restoration, this process will only be carried out if it is to be show. Otherwise, it remains in that condition. You really have to admire the craftsmanship and patience of those working behind the scenes this way. Restoration of work is something I would love to do myself, but I was not previously aware of just how difficult it is and the amount of pressure they are under to do things correctly and on time.

FINALISING WORKSHOP/PERFORMANCE IDEAS: PART 5 - A New Direction 21.04.15

After a meeting on 21.04.15 with other members of staff at Manchester Art Gallery and pitching current aspects of my idea to them, it came to my attention that it would not function well as a workshop, and there are already a number of different workshops occurring on the night, and was not necessary for there to be a performative element to the work. I couldn't justify the purpose of it to myself and would have then not known how to justify it to other people. And so:

The direction of the workshop/performance has changed. I now aim to make a piece of work still embodying all of these key elements that could be installed in the House Proud exhibition as an intervention and response to it. Not only would this add context to the piece, it would allow people to more easily make connections between this piece of work and those around it, both art and design.

This tackles both problems of the number of workshops running on the night and the practical issues of it being a workshop or performance.

During the meeting itself, we discussed further practical matters of the night that needed addressing and a fuller briefing on what different workshop and engagement event entailed. Rough notes from meeting:

"Relationship between ambition and reality," 'labour exchange,' Ikea is selling you a lifestyle by which you feel you can define and summarise yourself and who you want to be or think you are - coffee table books.

Taste - try to avoid taste in a gallery, objectivity and subjectivity is a massive issue and one which Eastern Exchanges has already dealt with in some ways.

What is that one object from Ikea that everyone seems to have and summarises a generation, era or a class etc? Public's lowest denominator, taste and the way we define taste.

Dutch still lifes are always about death and decay but include objects that say things about us - Diane's engagement/tour deals with what objects say about us, how they are household props for our lives.

Need to write three sentences or 50-100 words about what you're doing, where and why, so this will be for the piece I intend to make in response to House Proud. CONNECTIONS, very important, always link it back somehow, never lose sight of what you are trying to say and what your workshop/work/engagement is trying to say.

Thursday Late Meeting with Age Friendly Group and Tour of House Proud with Kate Jesson - 20.04.15

During the tour I noted a number of points that Kate Jesson focused on in the curation of House Proud:

• Art and Desing - examples of both and exhibiting them with each other. Art was placed next to design and they complemented one another, often containing similar subjects or dealing with similar themes.
• Many of those features in the exhibition are great artists but are relatively unheard of - there are also a number of women featured in House Proud.
• All the pieces in the gallery say something about the time, have a significance or provided a window into what life was like from the 1930s to now.
• Taste is tricky - subjectivity and objectivity.
• Items of different value were included - some massed produced and some one of a kind.
• The flow of House Proud was completely flawless. There was not one thing that could have been added or taken away. The eye flows seamlessly around the room, as one piece connected to the next.
• I wasn't able to place the date of some of the examples of design, testament to how fashions come and go and that many vintage designs and prints are being revamped and loved by people today.
• Many of the pieces crossed the bridge between art and design - stools that didn't look like stools, giant desk lamps, tables and chairs that look impossible - things that have a function, however questionable, but also have a concept behind them. Their sole purpose is not only to function as something.

 

Notes from meeting:

Raise some issues and set questions to ask them about their experiences organising a Thursday Late event. How have they found things in the past, things we don't know will work etc.

• Health and safety issues, including for the workshops and sculptures that want to be put in.
• What are visitors like in workshops? How many generally take part? What kinds of people take part?
• What is their experience of using the spaces? How have they previously used the spaces, what has worked and what hasn't?
• How do they see the event? Is it a social engagement or an art piece, or does it depend on the night?
• Have they worked with sound previously and if so how have they found that?
• Engagement techniques that they have used.
• How well attended were the talks that were put on, how successful are they?
• How to welcome people into the gallery who aren't aware of the event that's taking place.

Their responses to the questions was more of a discussion and a dialogue between our groups:

Do something to keep people moving around the gallery or they will tend to gather in one space - the arrows we plan to put down might combat this, create a flow within the gallery space. Keep referring to the work on the walls, make it the centre of everything and keep grounding the night with its concepts and what it's trying to achieve. Before anything else, the public generally want to locate themselves, so look around the spaces first, get a drink, meet friends and chat, and then they will find the confidence to circulate the gallery and take part in the workshops - so very important to get the welcome spot on, make them feel comfortable and give them all the information that they need. Consider feedback, how you would like to receive that? Thought board, post it notes, write on the back of handouts for example.

#MAGThursLates

                                       - use these hashtags to tweet with!

#BROKE

Re-cap of events: issues, regarding number of events in the gallery, presentations that might be happening and where, need to confirm those, and clearer info on the workshops, performances and engagements. Need to think about information in the handout.

Internal deadline (set by the group) for work and solid ideas - MAY 1ST