Check-in

We are having a horrible time in Sydney and it is affecting my art.

It’s been a while since I last emailed you, and it’s because I’ve been a little bit over-saturated. A few things are going on.

Today I have a “Showing” of work in progress for a project called Very Excellent Disabled Dancing. I’m writing the music for this performance which will be performed as part of the Kier awards

The work will be performed in Sydney it’ll be at Carriageworks, in Melbourne it’ll be at DanceHouse. Both in March. It is a competition style process, which is unfortunate, but the way the world is I suppose.

I’ve also been working with Dean on a project in Orange - Jam and Bread Ensemble. We had a showing a couple of weeks ago in Orange - intense process to get there but we got there in the end. We’ve got a Bundanon residency with this group lined up next year, and the Orange Civic Centre would like us to produce a performance in October. It is difficult because we’ve been knocked back on funding a number of times for this project so we’re a little despondent about it, but we’ll soldier on.

I’ve also been on a journey of rebellion and activism.

I’ve been so angry at the lack of leadership displayed by our prime minister, but also at the system of denial and power that so reticently approaches the reality of what we are doing to our planet. Because of this, I’ve been doing some things where I feel comfortable. This is in addition to making performance works that respond to this context - which I’m doing with Dean, with Proxima, hopefully with the kids at Bronte next year, as well as our group Jam and Bread Ensemble in orange as well as hopefully with a new group we’re starting with Sydney Community Services next year.

But I’ve had this idea which I’d love your feedback on….

Talking About it

This is a process for individuals, groups (family; couples+. work places, friendship circles, community gatherings like dance groups, music groups, choirs, etc) to get together and share how they’re feeling, check in with one another, and see what they can do to help one another. I’d like to roll this out in my various workplaces next year (Legs On The Wall, Critical Path, Bronte Junior Public School, Sydney Community Services, Jam and Bread Orange, my Proxima team, my Very Excellent Disabled Dancing team, and potentially the team I’m working with at Crossroad Arts).

I think it’s important to frame the discussion by saying it’s a safe time/space for honesty about political, social and environmental issues and how those aspects of our reality are affecting us. As such offering trust that others are speaking their truth, and honouring that by speaking your truth, is important - as is an open, empathetic and trusting approach. I’m not sure if I should write a “framing speech” or “set of rules” - it may be useful for some, but not others.

I know I need to work on the wording of the questions a bit, but this is what I have so far;

———

- Check in; how has the macro context influenced you?
--> environment - changes or stagnations that effect stress for you (psychologically, emotionally, physically)?
--> any proposals for, recently passed or existing laws/rules of our federal, state or local government effecting stress for you (directly or indirectly)?
--> any actions of other entities such as other governing bodies, public or private companies that are effecting stress for you (directly or indirectly)?

- Affirmation; me too?
--> is anyone else affected in a similar way?
--> can anyone else share a similar story of personal stress being effected by the same macro context?

- Sharing; offering research and insights....
--> can anyone share recently published news articles about this?
--> does anyone have any special insights about this?
--> any other resources that can be provided?

- Support; What can we do?
--> broad discussion on what the people present and in the group can do to support one another now, in the future in relation to what has been raised.
--> broad discussion on what the entities represented within the group (i.e companies) can do to support the people now and in the future in relation to what has been raised.

Follow up plans to be made concretely outside of the meeting.

Preferably, things would be documented in a simple format and then shared online for other groups to reference.

———

And that’s it.

I’d love your feedback. battmusic@gmail.com

I’d also love to add an artistic layer to it and make it a composition… but I think I’d love to do that to everything lol.

I hope you’re all holding up during this crisis. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

X

Andrew