Video Still
Notes to the video:
In this video, advisers from various sectors of society offer wise words, which were originally spoken by the Live Art Development Agency, during meetings with us.
Over the nine years to 2009, we’ve shared many meetings with Lois Keidan, Daniel Brine and Andrew Mitchelson. During each one we scribbled extensive notes, eager that the Agency’s ‘Pearls’ not slip our mind. These meeting notes document our relationship – detailing the invaluable ideas, strategies and encouragement the Agency has given us as we’ve negotiated building our careers as artists.
As the ‘Pearls’ spoken in the video are extracted from our notes, they’re a hybrid of the Agency’s spoken words and our handwritten notation, and then are further altered by each adviser’s ad-libbing. Nonetheless, we hope the advice still resonates with live artists and other viewers.
There are some ‘Pearls’ not included in the video as they weren’t chosen by the advisers. They are:
– Best strategy internationally is to start in Europe
– Email him, say “Daniel Brine said we should contact you”
– Start investigating this now so you have something resolved to apply with. Don’t leave it til the last minute like last time
– Keep mentioning to everyone you are looking for more international work and hope someone passes this onto the British Council
– Best to approach people formally first and try to get commissioned. Then consider going guerrilla if formal approaches don’t work
– “Your aim is to develop trust in the sector …” should continue “… where programmers believe in your work and trust you to deliver something special each time.”
Thanks to the Advisers: (in order of appearance)
Jo Baxter, Client Adviser, Citizens Advice Bureau
Kathy Hennessey, Chair, Tenants & Residents Association, Hawkstone Estate
Baroness Professor Susan Greenfield, Director, Royal Institution of Great Britain
Bill French, Grandfather of Two
Milica Vukovic, Government Relations Manager, Design Council
Mark Stephens, Intellectual Property Lawyer, Stephens Innocent