Arc Space Manchester
Description:
ARC Space Manchester, Final Pitch at Whitworth Art Gallery, 30/10/08
What is ARC Space Manchester?
Arc Space Manchester is a virtual and physical launch pad for creative and ethical exchange, run by local community artists and academics.
The creative cluster is based in Hulme, where universities, creative industries and diverse community organisation’s meet.
Using open source software and a community led local search engine and directory and our re-conditioned computers, local creative links and ethical and environmental trading will take place. We will cultivate a holistic and entrepreneurial zone, which seeds inspiration and cohesion, cultivating creativity.
We will facilitate a series of cultural, educational, intergenerational, intercultural and creative skills-based exchanges from visual to musical to written word and everything in between using technology that will enhance and engage the wider community.
A creative space for creative people to locate and be located.
Arc: A luminous discharge of electricity across a gap between two conductors or terminals.
Last Voted Users:
jon bonjo (10 hours ago)
I'm just not sure about this project. I can't vote for it because I don't really understand what's going to happen. Ok, I understand the ethos behind it but it all sounds a bit airy-fairy to me. Well, yes it's all about creatives coming together in a virtual space but also in a 'real' space in 'Hulme'. The project talks about the 'community' - though I can see the type of community that would go into the arc and the type of people that wouldn't - which is quite a large percentage of the community it wishes to base itself in.
The problem is the language in which describes this project. I didn't really understand the written brief when I looked at it some months ago - and on watching the pitch just now - I was even more confused by this woman's obsessive rant! Now I'm not thick, and I am a member of the local creative community and have been active in the community of Hulme since 1985, but this project worries me somewhat. If only it was explained in normal language so that all members of the community can actually understand it, then I may be persuaded to vote for it. Presented by a woman called Victoria (who seems to be the driving force behind this project), who is obviously very educated and very middle class. What kind of community does she think she lives in? Is she totally oblivious to the rest of the community around her in Hulme?
It's a great pity that some other members of the group who could speak in layman's terms, had not presented the pitch (I wonder what the panel thought of it). It was hardly worth the co-presenter being on stage as she couldn't get a word in edgeways. It's almost as if she was pulled in at the last moment to put a bit of 'community reality' into the project.
This project, essentially could be really good, though it would probably be better placed in another part of Manchester. Perhaps in the Northern Quarter where the day event is going to be would be a much better location as it is full of the same types of people in their false haven of the N QTR.
The other thing that disturbs me about this project, is there seems to be no method of sustainablity in it. What happens when the initial seed funding runs out? £25k won't go very far and I guess most of it would pay for one member of staff. I have seen so many projects set up by the middle classes in areas of deprevation where unemployment is high, and where the projects are set up on the grounds of a 'community' benefit, when in actually fact - it serves not the real people of the comunity but instead, the very people who want to claim it as their community - whilst living on public funding at the expence of the local people.
I say, if this project is to happen, then it has to prove how it is going to sustain itself beyond the first year. What is it's income going to be, what is it selling, how will it generate income to sustain the wages of the people that will run it and the costs of running the building. Perhaps as in other creative projects in Manchester which survive on minimum project funding, that the curators of this project should work free for two years to prove its real benefit to the community. Once, it has proven its worth and its sustainability, then perhaps yes, put some public funding into a deservedly good cause. But not Yet!
This should not be at the expence of the local comunity whom most of which would find itself excluded from the project.
Sorry, but no vote from me unless I see a full rethink.
Tony (1 week ago)
It’s a good idea and probably closer to the brief than the other two, although I do feel it would be a mammoth task to implement.
“We will facilitate a series of cultural, educational, intergenerational, intercultural and creative skills-based exchanges from visual to musical to written word and everything in between using technology that will enhance and engage the wider community.”
Seems a lot more than 25K
VictoriaSinclair (1 week ago)
Hi Tony
Thanks for your comment. Yes - in some ways the project is ambitious - but we have experience, connections and a large number of local creatives, community members, students and academics on board.It comes from a lot of years of seeing a lack in a community and a growing group of people want to see something happening - and for the long term rather than the short term.
Basically, a main part of the commissioning brief is it that the successful initiative can hopefully develop and grow after the 'commission' period. In our proposal brief we have to budget for up until June 2009. We have decided to work on the faciliation of intercultural relationships through a series of workshops, events and online activity. We also have some people offering us in kind funding - -things like projectors, PCs and monitors to recycle, free consultancy and so forth. 25k can enable us to function well during our initialising phase.
We are in the finalisation stage of our business plan. 25k covers vital start up costs to ensure that local community members and creatives can actually get paid to deliver quality services and be recognised for what they are doing. Part of the 25k would be to cover admin and research time for future funding.
A large facet of the project is actually to nurture peer to peer learning, trading and exchange. Skills barters, and more. Therefore these things are actually free. We are testing software and an alternative learning currency which enables people to communicate and exchange skills without necessarily having to put a price on it.
Also - we have a large amount of international and national projects and creative industries who wish to collaborate us using the internet and software that we will be testing. This is one of the key things about the internet - that some intercultural liaison can be quite cheap indeed without increasing a person's carbon footprint. If you would like a more comprehensive breakdown of our proposed activities and expenditures please email arcspacemanchester@googlemail.com and we can send you out a brief...
Best wishes
vicky
Drumroots (2 weeks ago)
As a Hulme resident of 8 years and creative workshop facilitator, I was very excited to hear about ARC. Manchester needs such a physical hub - a vehicle to support diverse cultures and approaches to life in the city.
ARC reflects Manchester's creative character, which is visionary, inclusive and entrepreneurial. As more and more public space is lost to commerical ventures and privatisation, ARC represents hope for the city's future, a space where people, energy and ideas can come together, new visions are fused and born.
Creativity in Manchester thrives on collaboration, but many great ideas are not realised due to lack of funds, limited access to resources and new artists/groups working in isolation. ARC are one of the main movers and shakers in the city, they know what they want, have the skills and experience to bring it all together, and are highly respected in the community and academic worlds alike. Now they just need support to make their vision a reality.
I fully support ARC and wish them well in all they will achieve!
Joanna
www.drumroots.org.uk
Cheryl Marney (2 weeks ago)
Thanks Joanna for your feedback, views and supportive words on Arc Space!!
elainee (1 month ago)
The best thing about ARC is that they are damn good at communication and getting everyone to vote for them to win!
I'm still a bit blinded by the science and not really sure what it is that is going to happen!
Whatever it is I reckon the ARC would be up and running without any outside support just from the people involved - power of the people. Shame is that it did make a good bar/nightclub for the ole' skool for a while!
Muli Amaye (1 month ago)
Not quite sure what's meant by this comment elainee. Everyone that voted did so because they understood and believed in the vision. Perhaps you only attended one meeting, perhaps part way through and so missed out on the whole explanation.
And you are quite astute in saying that there are some dynamic people on board and that we have a vision and capability. Communication and cooperation are the two important things in a project like this wouldn't you agree?
As for bar/nightclub/oleskool, the place has been closed down for over 2 years due to the problems that plagued it in that role. If, yes, if, we take it over it will be to bring something good, inclusive and necessary to the local community which incorporates local people, artists, creatives and academics.
helen L (2 months ago)
its a wonderful idea and i will be at the meeting on thurs to discuss it.
as an editor with a conscience i look forward to being involved in positive creative projects that bring the community together and spread love and real information and inspire us all to be reach our potential and challenge the dumbing down of society
Hulme has always been a cauldron for change.. at the heart of manchester.. and this is a great place for this project to be
peace
helen
darren (2 months ago)
Sounds like a brilliant idea, a place for people to be creative, express themselves and meet like minded people, a healthy enviroment indeed!
nes (2 months ago)
keep me posted on how I can help x x
damien (2 months ago)
I'm supporting the ARC idea because it would be a great use of a space that is currently going to waste. Manchester is in real need of something like this. In a city where there are just countless characterless bars, a cultural, social hub, especially in a great location like this - is exactly what we need.x
Peter Cadney (2 months ago)
Jolly good idea. I agree wil michael; the navigation and general usability of this site is a bit of a nightmare!
Bring on the Arc project, we need a good space like this for the community. Good location, good prospects.
Up the Arc!
bobble (2 months ago)
Very exciting project, I am fully supportive x bobble
dorisclegg (2 months ago)
Fantastic!!!! As a local person this is well needed. Hope this gets the support and the funding. Good Luck and with any luck it will happen anyway!!!!!!!!!!
Cheryl Marney (2 months ago)
We do not have this kind of thing going on Manchester....it is soooooooo needed.......a virtual and physical gathering of creative peeps. A meeting place for creative people...coooool.........imagine all the energy flowing in that atmosphere. The virtual community is great...although with the addition of having a creative space as well for people to meet makes it more authentic........... it is a space and an idea that has been long in the waiting....and probably an idea that many of us have hoped to try and start...or wanted to happen....holistic...ethical and running autonomously. A trading place for thoughts, ideas, skills, expertise and knowledge. I think its a really great start for communities to becoming more self sufficient and will help to change our habits and learn new ways of trading and living as a community should....helping each other and creating stronger bonds and networks, instead of this segregation that has happened over the years with people and communities. We isolate ourselves and have become uneasy about sharing and who to trust, but hopefully this may be an opportunity to create a space that will grow and others will follow and create more spaces like this... ...and the sharing and trust will slowly develop back into the 'norm', as it is in other communities in around the the globe.
Great Idea, Needs to be done!!!!!!!!!
VictoriaSinclair (2 months ago)
sorry - am voting in this zone - other people are too -
we hope for people to share:) peace, creativity, time, resources and positive energies)
and also with the technologies - that they are the ones that many people work so hard every day in developing
there are many solutions to our futures
we just need to work together more to get the answers and create harmony
nature/techonology
geting closer and closer...
it is all there - and we must be open to the answers...let's work to support the new developments and relationships that resonate with us -- this is a special time in history and we must all take responsibility for our own actions but also recognise the beauty of the fact that we are not alone and not even our thoughts are that singular
no preaching....just please know that wherever we are right now we are not alone....people share common ideals and aspirations
that is how some of these project applications come to fruition
PLease consider collective intelligence as a concept
it means that sometimes we kindof think together and therefore we know stuff before we 'officially' know stuff
thats is kind of what happened with ARC SPACE - -- -many people haveall along, as individuals, as really amazing artists, creative, ideas-maker, community shakers, healers and so forth
we all had the idea , together, before we knew each other..
so far this has all resulted from a collective will and vision that steps beyond boundaries. We are in constant discussion about how our spiritual choices,our ethical choices; our environmental choices can continually be expressed within an ethical and balanced framework. Thiis is very much something that we always will attend to with vigour. but don't wana comment too much right now on others -- -- - we know when we feel together inni!
There are many possibilities for positive change at this crucial time. Please, understand your role if you are reading this as a social actor. Please accept your similarities and differences to others -and if you can spare any energy please contact us for working out how we move forward...
thanx for ur reading time and fingaz crossed for futur stepzzzzz - -if u check these pags soon we will be putting on main name collaborators
if u wanna b involved, or ask questions - pls getin touch -we know there are lots of qs - we don't have all the answers but at least we can say how some communities are moving forwards...
peace)
btw- this software has quite a few glitches....some stuff not able to put in----some wonky things that go on...have noted them -- does anyone know whosoftware developer is cos got some some stuff express and some of it is linked to those stars things
it seems several people have had problems with those -
so =-pls explain and we can sort it.......x
Erinma Ochu (2 months ago)
There are sometimes ghosts in the machine - but keep trying and include your comments - we will take it all on board.
michael barnes-... (2 months ago)
...as a hulme resident since comming up from bristol back in 89 it's great to see such a project which essentially has the potential to provide an overdue creative hub in manchester city centre.
nice one
michael barnes-... (2 months ago)
...i must say this site's a bit of an arse in its navigation!...been trying to vote for arc but no joy...not obvious!...yep i've clicked on the stars...
i managed a free uploading creative website ten years back called www.53degrees.co.uk which was a precurser to web2.0
it was easy to navigate and to upload/personalise your space.
anyways...enough of that...HELP!!
Louis (2 months ago)
Close to the Universities, Students, Locals and a lot of diverse communities, we can have a real hub to bring together all the ideas and concepts which we are working hard at.
I would love see arts, crafts, skills, techniques, computers, woodwork, electronics, theatre, music, design, health, food, agriculture, etc. coming together and being shared.
Educating each other and understanding our diverse heritage can unite us and give us the strength to take responsibility for all aspects of our lives.
Lets do it!
itiswhatitis (2 months ago)
This project is head and shoulders above the others; a real world social and creative centre run on holistic and ethical terms would be fantastic. That is what we need right now in manchester, positive and showing new and alternative possibilites. We have enough offices and commercial things. people need somewhere for people, where they can connect, create and explore in an alternative environment. The more things like this the better!
socialmediacentre (2 months ago)
Hi there,
It would be great to have an all open source centre for creative projects. The technology really is there now! It is possible to do video on linux! I think creating a toolkit would be a vital part of this project.
eefee (2 months ago)
Sounds like a great idea. Great space too. Good luck.